Brazil's Ronaldo Retires From Football

[noelyf]

Monday, 14 February 2011


Former Brazil striker Ronaldo has announced his retirement, ending one of the most successful careers in soccer.


The 34-year-old three-times FIFA World Player of the Year, a twice World Cup winner with Brazil, said injuries and fitness problems prevented him from playing to his best form.


Ronaldo enjoyed a glittering career in Spain, Holland, Italy and Brazil, but has of late become a target for Corinthians fans disappointed at their side's exit from the Copa Libertadores.



He told newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo: 'I want to stay but I can't. I think of a move, but I can't perform it as I want to. It's time.
He added: 'My body aches. The head wants to continue, but the body can't take much more.'


Ronaldo first moved to Europe in 1994 when he joined PSV Eindhoven from Cruzeiro.


A prolific scorer in the Eredivisie, he joined Barcelona despite knee problems which blighted him in his second season in Holland, going on to achieve record-breaking success in Spain.


He spent just a year at Barca, scoring 47 goals in 49 games and becoming the youngest player ever to win the FIFA World Player of the Year award, before contract wrangles saw him join Inter Milan for a then world-record fee of £19million.


His success continued at Inter, then Barca's great rivals Real Madrid, though injury problems hindered his time in Italy.


Ronaldo joined AC Milan in 2007 but after suffering a third serious knee injury he returned to Brazil in 2009.


He will perhaps be best remembered for his international exploits, having scored a record 15 World Cup goals.

 

[paul9365]

i dont really watch mutch football or support any team but i watched the world cup i thought he was a slow very lazy player cant even remember if he scored any goals looked like he should have retired back then.but what do i know, yes i know before you say it not a lot.

 

[wheelo]

A great player in his day, was a sad figure the day commercial interests forced him into playing in the world cup. I don't think he was the same player after that collapse.

 

[j4v3d]

awesome player, off the field troubles was his downfall, has played for all the big clubs in Europe and done well at all of them... i remember when he scored a hat-trick against us in the champions league, he destroyed us. :(

good luck for the future ronnie.