Ronaldo
*Ronaldo was born on this date in 1980. He is an Afro Brazilian soccer player (footballer).
From Porto Alegre, Brazil, Ronaldo de Assis Moreira is more commonly known as Ronaldinho Gaúcho because he is from the Rio Grande do the Sul state of Brazil. His nickname Ronaldinho is Portuguese for "little Ronaldo" and was initially devised to distinguish himself from fellow Brazilian footballer Ronaldo. His father, João Moreira, was a former professional soccer player who worked as a welder in a shipyard. His mother, Miguelina de Assis, was a cosmetics saleswoman who became a nurse. Ronaldinho's father died when he was eight years old, his brother Roberto enjoyed a long and successful career with Gremio Porto Alegre, and the youngster followed.
Ronaldinho Gaucho burst onto the scene when he was crowned champion and top scorer at the FIFA U-17 World Championship in Egypt in 1997. At the Copa America in 1999 in Paraguay, he scored an unforgettable goal against Venezuela, lobbing one defender, dribbling past another as if he weren't there, and humiliating the keeper with a sublime finish, earning him numerous comparisons with Pelé.
He signed for Gremio in 1998 but left the club just two years after his reputation spread worldwide. He was on the wanted list of several European clubs, but Paris-Saint Germain managed to secure his services. Although he landed in the French capital in the spring of 2001, it was August before he would play his first official match after a legal battle between his former club and his new employers over money. Ronaldinho made a slow start to his PSG career but soon became one of the team's stars. His dribbling and free kicks are the class of the French championship, and he went on to score nine league goals, his incisive performances earning him a place in the Seleçao.
When he twice finished top scorer in the 2000 FIFA Confederations Cup (with six goals) and qualified for the Olympic Games in Sydney (nine goals), Ronaldinho began to eclipse his idol Romario, culminating in Scolari abandoning the veteran for the precocious youngster. Among his many achievements and accolades, Ronaldinho won the FIFA World Player of the Year award twice, the European Footballer of the Year award, and the FIFA Pro World Player of the Year award once. He is widely regarded as the best player in the world by fans, pundits, and peers.
In February 2017, Barcelona announced that Ronaldinho signed a 10-year deal to become an ambassador for the club at institutional events. In July 2018, Ronaldinho announced a partnership with the company World Soccer Coin (WSC) to develop a new cryptocurrency, the Ronaldinho Soccer Coin, with WSC claiming that the profits of the coin will go to football projects such as "Ronaldinho Digital Stadiums."
In October 2020, Ronaldinho announced that he tested positive for COVID-19 and was asymptomatic and self-isolating in Belo Horizonte. A few days later, on October 29, 2020, Ronaldinho expressed solidarity with the Azerbaijani people. In late July 2021, he went to Beirut, Lebanon, to lay a wreath in honor of the victims of the port explosion.
