Ronaldinho facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ronaldinho

Ronaldinho in 2019
Personal information
Date of birth	(1980-03-21) 21 March 1980 (age 45)
Place of birth	Porto Alegre, Brazil
Height	1.82 m
Playing position	Attacking midfielder, left winger
Youth career
1987–1998	Grêmio
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1998–2001	Grêmio	89	(47)
2001–2003	Paris Saint-Germain	55	(17)
2003–2008	Barcelona	145	(70)
2008–2011	AC Milan	76	(20)
2011–2012	Flamengo	56	(23)
2012–2014	Atlético Mineiro	58	(20)
2014–2015	Querétaro	25	(8)
2015	Fluminense	7	(0)
Total		511	(205)
National team
1997	Brazil U17	13	(3)
1998–1999	Brazil U20	17	(8)
1999–2000	Brazil U23	19	(15)
2008	Brazil Olympic (O.P.)	8	(3)
1999–2013	Brazil	97	(33)
Honours Men's football Representing  Brazil FIFA World Cup Winner 2002 Korea/Japan FIFA Confederations Cup Winner 2005 Germany Runner-up 1999 Mexico Copa América Winner 1999 Paraguay Olympic Games Bronze 2008 Beijing Team CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic Tournament Winner 2000 Brazil South American U-20 Championship Third 1999 Argentina FIFA U-17 World Cup Winner 1997 Egypt South American U-17 Championship Winner 1997 Paraguay
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Ronaldo de Assis Moreira (born 21 March 1980), known as Ronaldinho or Ronaldinho Gaúcho, is a Brazilian former professional footballer. He played as an attacking midfielder or left winger. Many people think he is one of the greatest players ever. He won two FIFA World Player of the Year awards and a Ballon d'Or.

Ronaldinho is the only player to have won a World Cup, a Copa América, a Confederations Cup, a Champions League, a Copa Libertadores, and a Ballon d'Or. He was famous for his amazing dribbling, accurate free-kicks, cool tricks, and creating goals. People called him "O Bruxo" ('The Wizard') because of his magical play.

He started his career at Grêmio in 1998. At 20, he moved to Paris Saint-Germain in France. In 2003, he joined Barcelona. In his second season there, he won his first FIFA World Player of the Year award. Barcelona also won the 2004–05 La Liga title.

The next season was one of his best. He helped Barcelona win the 2005–06 UEFA Champions League, their first in 14 years. They also won another La Liga title. This gave Ronaldinho his first career double. He also won the 2005 Ballon d'Or and his second FIFA World Player of the Year award. In a famous match against Real Madrid, he scored two solo goals. Real Madrid fans even gave him a standing ovation. Many believe Ronaldinho changed Barcelona's history.

After Barcelona, he joined AC Milan in 2008 and won the 2010–11 Serie A. He then returned to Brazil, playing for Flamengo and Atlético Mineiro. With Atlético Mineiro, he won the 2013 Copa Libertadores. He also played for Querétaro in Mexico and Fluminense in Brazil.

Ronaldinho won many individual awards. He was in the UEFA Team of the Year and FIFPro World XI three times each. He was named UEFA Club Footballer of the Year for the 2005–06 season. In 2004, Pelé included him in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players. In 2009, he was voted World Player of the Decade 2000s.

For Brazil, Ronaldinho played 97 games and scored 33 goals. He played in two FIFA World Cups. He won the 1999 Copa América and was a key player in the 2002 FIFA World Cup winning team. He was part of an amazing attacking trio with Ronaldo and Rivaldo. He also captained Brazil to win the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup. He helped the Brazil Olympic team win a bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Early Life and Football Beginnings

Born in Porto Alegre in 1980, Ronaldinho moved into an affluent suburb at the age of eight

Ronaldo de Assis Moreira was born on 21 March 1980 in Porto Alegre, Brazil. His mother was a salesperson and nurse. His father was a shipyard worker and a local footballer. Ronaldinho's older brother, Roberto, also played football for Grêmio. The family moved to a nicer home, a gift from Grêmio to keep Roberto at the club. Sadly, when Ronaldinho was eight, his father passed away in a swimming pool accident. Today, Roberto is Ronaldinho's manager, and his sister is his press coordinator.

Ronaldinho's football skills started to shine at age eight. He got the nickname Ronaldinho ("inho" means small) because he was often the youngest and smallest player. He loved futsal and beach football, which helped him develop his amazing ball control. Many of his famous moves come from futsal. At 13, he became famous for scoring all 23 goals in a 23–0 win against a local team. He was seen as a rising star at the 1997 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Egypt, where he scored two goals.

His childhood heroes were World Cup winners like Rivellino, Diego Maradona, and Romário. He also looked up to his future teammates, Ronaldo and Rivaldo. Ronaldinho has a son named João, born in 2005. He gained Spanish citizenship in 2007.

Club Career Highlights

Grêmio Years

Ronaldinho started his professional career with the Grêmio youth team. He made his first team debut in 1998. In 1999, at 18, he scored 22 goals in 47 matches. He played brilliantly in big games, especially against Internacional. He even tricked Dunga, a famous Brazilian captain, with his dribbling. Ronaldinho won the first Copa Sul with Grêmio.

In 2001, Arsenal wanted to sign him, but he couldn't get a work permit. He also considered playing for St Mirren in Scotland, but this didn't happen.

Paris Saint-Germain Adventure

Ronaldinho arrived at the Parc des Princes (pictured) to much fanfare.

In 2001, Ronaldinho moved to French club Paris Saint-Germain for €5 million. He wore the number 21 shirt. He scored his first goal for the club in October. He then scored in four straight matches after the winter break. He scored two goals in a 3–1 win against Troyes. Ronaldinho also helped PSG reach the semi-finals of the 2001–02 Coupe de la Ligue.

In his second season (2002–03), he switched to the number 10 shirt. He scored two goals in a 3–1 win over rivals Marseille. One was a fantastic free kick. In another game, he ran half the field and chipped the ball over the goalkeeper. He also scored two goals in the Coupe de France semi-finals, sending PSG to the final. Despite his great play, the club finished 11th in the league. After this, Ronaldinho wanted to leave.

Barcelona Glory Days

Ronaldinho (pictured in 2004) was named world player of the year in his second season with the club

In 2003, FC Barcelona signed Ronaldinho for €30 million. He made his debut in a friendly match. His first league goal for Barcelona was a spectacular long-range shot that hit the crossbar and went in. Ronaldinho scored 15 goals in his first season, helping Barcelona finish second in the league. He also made a key pass for Xavi's winning goal against Real Madrid in 2004. This win was seen as the start of Barcelona's rise.

In the 2004–05 season, Ronaldinho won his first league title with Barcelona. He was named FIFA World Player of the Year in December 2004. His captain, Carles Puyol, said Ronaldinho brought Barcelona's spirit back. On 8 March 2005, he scored two goals against Chelsea in the Champions League, including a famous no-look shot. On 1 May 2005, he assisted Lionel Messi's first goal for Barcelona with a scooped pass.

Ronaldinho taking a corner against Celta de Vigo at the Camp Nou in 2005

By the end of 2005, Ronaldinho won many awards. He won the first FIFPro World Player of the Year and the 2005 Ballon d'Or. He was also named FIFA World Player of the Year for the second year in a row. On 19 November, he scored two goals as Barcelona beat Real Madrid 3–0. Real Madrid fans even stood up and applauded him, a very rare honor.

The 2005–06 season was one of Ronaldinho's best. He helped Barcelona win their first Champions League title in 14 years. He scored a key goal against Chelsea in the Round of 16. Barcelona also won their second straight La Liga title. Ronaldinho had a career-best 26 goals that season. He was chosen for the UEFA Team of the Year and named UEFA Club Footballer of the Year.

Ronaldinho with Frank Rijkaard at NASA's Johnson Space Center in 2006

In the 2006–07 season, Ronaldinho scored his 50th league goal with a spectacular bicycle kick. He said it was a goal he had dreamed of scoring since he was a boy. He helped Barcelona reach the Club World Cup final, where they lost. He finished third in the 2006 FIFA World Player of the Year award. He scored 21 league goals, his career best, but Barcelona lost the title to Real Madrid.

The 2007–08 season was difficult due to injuries. Ronaldinho played his 200th game for Barcelona in February 2008. A muscle injury ended his season early in April. Barcelona's president said Ronaldinho needed a "new challenge." Ronaldinho later said he regretted leaving Barcelona without playing longer with Messi.

AC Milan and Return to Brazil

In July 2008, Ronaldinho joined Italian club AC Milan. He chose 80 as his jersey number, because he was born in 1980. He scored his first goal for Milan in a derby win against Inter Milan. He finished his first season with 10 goals.

Ronaldinho playing for Milan in 2010 wearing number 80 – the year of his birth.

In his second season (2009–10), Ronaldinho found his best form again. He scored two goals against Juventus in a 3–0 win. He also scored his first hat-trick for Milan against Siena. He finished the season as the top player for assists in Serie A. Milan won the 2010–11 Serie A title, and Ronaldinho was part of the team.

Ronaldinho celebrates scoring for Flamengo in February 2011.

In 2011, Ronaldinho returned to Brazil and joined Flamengo. Over 20,000 fans welcomed him. He scored his first goal for Flamengo in February. He helped Flamengo win the Taça Guanabara and the Campeonato Carioca titles. In July 2011, he scored a hat-trick in a 5–4 win against Santos. He left Flamengo in May 2012.

Ronaldinho with Atlético Mineiro in the Brazilian Série A in October 2012

Ronaldinho then joined Atlético Mineiro in June 2012. He wore number 49 as a tribute to his mother's birth year. He helped Atlético Mineiro finish second in the league in 2012. The next year, he led the club to its first Copa Libertadores title. He scored four goals and had eight assists in this amazing run. He was voted the 2013 South American Footballer of the Year. At the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup, he scored a free-kick. He left Atlético Mineiro in July 2014.

Later Career and Retirement

In September 2014, Ronaldinho signed with Mexican club Querétaro. He scored his first goal for them from a penalty kick. In April 2015, he scored twice against Club América in a 4–0 away win. The opposing fans gave him a standing ovation, which made him emotional. Querétaro reached the Liga MX playoffs final, but lost. Ronaldinho left the club in June 2015.

On 11 July 2015, Ronaldinho returned to Brazil and signed with Fluminense. However, he left the club in September after only nine games. He felt he wasn't playing as well as he wanted.

Ronaldinho signing a football at the Web Summit in November 2016

In July 2016, Ronaldinho played futsal in India for the Goa 5′s. He then became an ambassador for the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio. In 2017, he played futsal again in India for the Delhi Dragons, scoring 16 goals in eight games.

On 16 January 2018, Ronaldinho officially announced his retirement from football. He is one of only eight players to have won the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League, and the Ballon d'Or. He appeared at the closing ceremony of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Moscow, playing an African drum.

International Career for Brazil

Youth Team Success

In 1997, Ronaldinho was part of the first Brazilian team to win the 1997 FIFA U-17 World Championship in Egypt. He scored two goals and won the Bronze Ball award. In 1999, he played in the 1999 South American Youth Championship, helping the U20s finish third. He also played in the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship in Nigeria, scoring three goals.

Early Senior Team Success

Ronaldinho with Brazilian president Lula at Wembley Stadium, London

Ronaldinho earned his first cap for Brazil on 26 June 1999. He scored one goal as Brazil won the 1999 Copa América. A week later, he played in the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup. He scored in every match except the final, including a hat-trick against Saudi Arabia. Brazil lost the final to Mexico. Ronaldinho won the Golden Ball for best player and the Golden Boot for top scorer.

In 2000, Ronaldinho played for the U23 national team at the Summer Olympics in Sydney. He had helped Brazil win the CONMEBOL Men Pre-Olympic Tournament earlier that year, scoring nine goals. In the Olympics, Brazil lost in the quarter-finals.

2002 World Cup Victory

Ronaldinho played in his first 2002 FIFA World Cup in 2002. He was part of the famous "Three Rs" attacking trio with Ronaldo and Rivaldo. He played in five matches, scoring two goals and assisting three. His first goal was against China PR.

His most memorable World Cup moment was in the quarter-final against England. Brazil was losing, but Ronaldinho helped turn the game around. He passed to Rivaldo for the equalizer. Then, from 40 yards out, he scored a stunning free-kick that surprised England's goalkeeper, David Seaman. Brazil won 2–1. Ronaldinho was suspended for the semi-final but returned for the 2–0 win over Germany in the final. Brazil won its record fifth World Cup title.

Ronaldinho against Switzerland's Xavier Margairaz

2005 Confederations Cup Title

Ronaldinho captained Brazil to their second Confederations Cup title in 2005. He scored a penalty in the semi-final win against Germany. He was named Man of the Match in the 4–1 final victory over Argentina. Ronaldinho scored three goals in the tournament. He is tied as the tournament's all-time top scorer with nine goals.

2006 World Cup and Later Years

Ronaldinho with Brazil in 2006

For the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Ronaldinho was part of Brazil's "magic quartet" with Adriano, Ronaldo, and Kaká. The team was expected to play beautiful football, but they had a disappointing tournament. Ronaldinho did not score any goals. Brazil lost 1–0 to France in the quarter-finals. Fans and media criticized the team. A statue of Ronaldinho in Brazil was even destroyed. Many saw this World Cup as a turning point in his career.

Ronaldinho at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing

In 2008, Ronaldinho was part of Brazil's 2008 Summer Olympics squad. He captained the team and scored two goals against New Zealand. Brazil won the bronze medal after beating Belgium 3–0.

Ronaldinho was not chosen for the 2010 FIFA World Cup or the 2014 FIFA World Cup squads. He made a return to the national team in 2011 and captained Brazil in a friendly in 2013.

How Ronaldinho Played

Barcelona 2005–06 season home shirt. Ronaldinho wore the number 10 for much of his club and international career

Ronaldinho is known as one of the most skilled players ever. He could play in many attacking positions, like on the wing or as a central attacking midfielder. He often played as a classic number 10. He was naturally right-footed but could play on the left wing, cutting inside to shoot. He was also good at scoring goals and creating goals for others.

He was great at free-kicks and penalty kicks. He could bend the ball or shoot it with power. His free-kick skills even influenced Lionel Messi. Ronaldinho was praised for his amazing technical skills, creativity, and first touch. He was fast and balanced, with incredible dribbling ability. He used many tricks and feints to get past defenders, like step overs and nutmegs. He also used flashy moves like back-heels and no-look passes. One of his famous moves is the "elastico", which he learned from his idol, Rivellino. In some parts of Africa, the feint move is even called 'The Gaúcho' because of him.

Outside Football

Ronaldinho (pictured with Barcelona in 2007) has been a UNICEF ambassador since February 2006.

Ronaldinho has had many endorsement deals with companies like Nike, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, and EA Sports. In 2006, he earned over $19 million from these deals. He appeared on the cover of several FIFA video games. His 2005 Nike ad, where he juggled a football and hit the crossbar repeatedly, became one of the first viral videos on YouTube.

A wax statue of Ronaldinho was put in Madame Tussauds Hong Kong in 2007. He has been a UNICEF ambassador since 2006. In 2011, he worked with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS to teach young people about the disease. In 2015, he was one of the most popular sportspeople on Facebook. In 2017, Barcelona announced that Ronaldinho would be an ambassador for the club. In 2018, he announced a partnership to create a new cryptocurrency, the Ronaldinho Soccer Coin.

In 2018, he appeared in the American martial arts film Kickboxer: Retaliation.

Ronaldinho Gaúcho (Comic Strip)

Ronaldinho Gaúcho is a Brazilian comic strip by Mauricio de Sousa. It shows a fictional version of Ronaldinho as a child. The comic started in 2006. It was also made into an animated TV series called Ronaldinho Gaúcho's Team.

Career Statistics

Ronaldinho played 853 games and scored 328 goals for his clubs and country combined.

Club

International

Notes

Scores and results list Brazil's goal tally first.

International goals by number, cap, date, venue, opponent, score, result and competition

No.	Cap	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition	Ref.
1	2	30 June 1999	Estádio 3 de Febrero, Ciudad del Este, Paraguay	Venezuela	5–0	5–0	1999 Copa América
2	6	24 July 1999	Estadio Jalisco, Guadalajara, Mexico	Germany	2–0	4–0	1999 FIFA Confederations Cup
3	7	28 July 1999	Estadio Jalisco, Guadalajara, Mexico	United States	1–0	1–0	1999 FIFA Confederations Cup
4	8	30 July 1999	Estadio Jalisco, Guadalajara, Mexico	New Zealand	2–0	2–0	1999 FIFA Confederations Cup
5	9	1 August 1999	Estadio Jalisco, Guadalajara, Mexico	Saudi Arabia	2–0	8–2	1999 FIFA Confederations Cup
6					6–2
7					8–2
8	14	23 February 2000	Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand	Thailand	3–0	7–0	2000 King's Cup
9	19	3 March 2001	Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, United States	United States	1–0	2–1	Friendly
10	24	17 April 2002	Estádio da Luz, Lisbon, Portugal	Portugal	1–1	1–1	Friendly
11	27	8 June 2002	Jeju World Cup Stadium, Seogwipo, South Korea	China	3–0	4–0	2002 FIFA World Cup
12	29	21 June 2002	Shizuoka Stadium, Shizuoka, Japan	England	2–1	2–1	2002 FIFA World Cup
13	32	20 November 2002	Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea	South Korea	3–2	3–2	Friendly
14	34	29 March 2003	Estádio das Antas, Porto, Portugal	Portugal	1–1	1–2	Friendly
15	40	10 September 2003	Vivaldão, Manaus, Brazil	Ecuador	1-0	1–0	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
16	43	28 April 2004	Ferenc Puskás Stadium, Budapest, Hungary	Hungary	4–1	4–1	Friendly
17	45	18 August 2004	Stade Sylvio Cator, Port-au-Prince, Haiti	Haiti	2–0	6–0	Friendly
18					4–0
19					5–0
20	46	5 September 2004	Estádio do Morumbi, São Paulo, Brazil	Bolivia	2–0	3–1	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
21	47	8 September 2004	Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany	Germany	1–1	1–1	Friendly
22	51	9 February 2005	Hong Kong Stadium, So Kon Po, Hong Kong	Hong Kong	4–0	7–1	2005 Lunar New Year Cup
23	54	5 June 2005	Estádio Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre, Brazil	Paraguay	1–0	4–1	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
24					2–0
25	58	22 June 2005	RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne, Germany	Japan	2–1	2–2	2005 FIFA Confederations Cup
26	59	25 June 2005	Frankenstadion, Nuremberg, Germany	Germany	2–1	3–2	2005 FIFA Confederations Cup
27	60	29 June 2005	Waldstadion, Frankfurt, Germany	Argentina	3–0	4–1	2005 FIFA Confederations Cup
28	72	24 March 2007	Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden	Chile	1–0	4–0	Friendly
29					3–0
30	76	22 August 2007	Stade de la Mosson, Montpellier, France	Algeria	2–0	2–0	Friendly
31	77	9 September 2007	Soldier Field, Chicago, United States	United States	3–2	4–2	Friendly
32	80	17 October 2007	Estádio do Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	Ecuador	2–0	5–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
33	93	11 October 2011	Estadio Corona, Torreón, Mexico	Mexico	1–1	2–1	Friendly

Honours

Grêmio

• Copa Sul: 1999
• Campeonato Gaúcho: 1999

Barcelona

• La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06
• Supercopa de España: 2005, 2006
• UEFA Champions League: 2005–06

Flamengo

• Campeonato Carioca: 2011

Atlético Mineiro

• Campeonato Mineiro: 2013
• Copa Libertadores: 2013
• Recopa Sudamericana: 2014

Brazil U17

• South American U-17 Championship: 1997
• FIFA U-17 World Championship: 1997

Brazil U23

• CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic Tournament: 2000
• Olympic Bronze Medal: 2008

Brazil

• Copa América: 1999
• FIFA World Cup: 2002
• FIFA Confederations Cup: 2005, runner-up 1999

Individual

• Campeonato Gaucho top scorer: 1999
• FIFA Confederations Cup Golden Ball: 1999
• FIFA Confederations Cup Golden Shoe: 1999
• South American Team of the Year: 1999
• CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic Tournament top scorer: 2000
• Bola de Prata: 2000, 2011, 2012
• FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2002
• Ligue 1 Goal of The Year: 2003
• FIFA 100: 2004
• Don Balón Award: 2003–04, 2005–06
• Trofeo EFE: 2003–04
• FIFA World Player of the Year: 2004, 2005
• UEFA Team of the Year: 2004, 2005, 2006
• World Soccer Magazine World Player of The Year: 2004, 2005
• UEFA Club Forward of the Year: 2004–05
• FIFA Confederations Cup Bronze Ball: 2005
• Ballon d'Or: 2005
• Onze d'Or: 2005
• FIFPro World Player of the Year: 2005, 2006
• FIFPro World XI: 2005, 2006, 2007
• UEFA Club Footballer of the Year: 2005–06
• La Liga top assist provider: 2005–06
• UEFA Champions League top assist provider: 2005–06
• FIFA Club World Cup Bronze Ball: 2006
• FIFA World Player of the Year Bronze award: 2006
• Golden Foot: 2009
• Sports Illustrated Team of the Decade: 2009
• World Player of the Decade 2000s: 2009
• Serie A top assist provider: 2009–10
• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Team of the Year: 2011, 2012
• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Best Fan's Player: 2012
• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A top assist provider: 2012
• Bola de Ouro: 2012
• Copa Libertadores top assist provider: 2012, 2013
• FIFA Club World Cup top scorer: 2013
• South American Footballer of the Year: 2013
• UEFA Ultimate Team of the Year (substitute; published in 2015)
• Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame
• AC Milan Hall of Fame
• Ballon d'Or Dream Team (Silver): 2020
• Globe Soccer Awards Player Career Award: 2021

Other

In 2012, two Brazilian scientists named a new species of bee Eulaema quadragintanovem. This name honors Ronaldinho, as Quadraginta novem means 'forty-nine' in Latin. This was the number of his jersey at Atlético Mineiro, chosen to honor his mother, who was born in 1949.

Images for kids

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  Ronaldinho was born in Porto Alegre in 1980.

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  Ronaldinho arrived at the Parc des Princes in Paris.

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  Ronaldinho in 2004, when he was named world player of the year.

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  Ronaldinho taking a corner for Barcelona in 2005.

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  Ronaldinho with Frank Rijkaard at NASA's Johnson Space Center in 2006.

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  Ronaldinho playing for Barcelona.

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  Ronaldinho playing for Milan in 2010.

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  Ronaldinho celebrates scoring for Flamengo in February 2011.

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  Ronaldinho with Atlético Mineiro in 2012.

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  Ronaldinho signing a football at the Web Summit in November 2016.

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  Ronaldinho playing for Brazil against Switzerland in 2006.

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  Ronaldinho with Brazilian president Lula at Wembley Stadium.

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  Ronaldinho at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

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  Barcelona 2005–06 season home shirt.

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  Ronaldinho with Barcelona in 2007.

See also

In Spanish: Ronaldinho para niños

• List of association football families