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PLAYER FILE

RONALDINHO

Ronaldo de Assis Moreira
BRAZIL · BRA · FORWARD · #10
21 MAR 1980 · Grêmio · Paris Saint-Germain · Barcelona · Milan · Flamengo · Atlético Mineiro · Querétaro · Fluminense
★ 1 WORLD CUPS
Ronaldinho GaúchoR10
BRAZIL · #10

🌎 WORLD CUP RECORD

1
TITLES
10
MATCHES
2
GOALS
YEARHOSTAPPSGOALSRESULT
2002South Korea / Japan52 ★ WINNER
2006Germany50 QUARTER-FINAL
█ ATTRIBUTES
PACE 88
SHOOTING 87
PASSING 91
DRIBBLING 97
DEFENDING 38
PHYSICAL 74

⚡ DEFINING MOMENTS

▲ 2002 · The Lob Over Seaman
In the quarter-final against England, level at 1–1, Ronaldinho took a free-kick from fully 40 yards and floated it over a back-pedalling David Seaman into the far corner. The world argued for years over whether he meant it; he never gave them the satisfaction of a straight answer.
▲ 2002 · Sent Off, Then a Champion
Minutes after his goal against England he was dismissed for a foul on Danny Mills and missed the semi-final through suspension. He returned for the final in Yokohama, where Brazil beat Germany 2–0 and he collected a winner's medal at twenty-two.
▲ 2005 · Applauded by the Bernabéu
Not a World Cup moment, but the one that sealed his legend: two solo goals at the Santiago Bernabéu drew an ovation from Real Madrid's own supporters, the rarest tribute the rivalry allows. It was the year he was named the world's best player.

📜 CAREER TIMELINE

1999
Made his senior debut for Brazil, having already starred at youth level for Grêmio.
2002
Formed the '3 Rs' attack with Ronaldo and Rivaldo and won the World Cup in South Korea and Japan, lobbing Seaman along the way.
2004
Won the first of two consecutive World Player of the Year awards while lighting up Barcelona.
2006
Returned to the World Cup in Germany as the world's best player, but a flat Brazil went out to France in the quarter-final and he did not score.
2011
Recalled to the Brazil squad under Mano Menezes; he won his last caps over the next two seasons, closing an international career of 97 caps and 33 goals with his final appearance in 2013.
2018
Formally announced his retirement from football, his peak years long since folded into legend.
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█ THE ALMANAC SPEAKS
PROF. INKSWORTH:

Ronaldinho's World Cup ledger is short and lopsided: one tournament of pure joy and one of quiet disappointment. In 2002 he was the grin behind the '3 Rs', scoring the free-kick over Seaman that nobody could prove he meant and lifting the trophy at twenty-two despite missing the semi-final to a red card. By 2006 he was the best player on earth at club level and somehow invisible in Germany, and Brazil went home in the quarter-finals with his net untroubled — a reminder that the archive records what happened, not what should have.

  • His entire World Cup goal tally is two, both in 2002 — the Seaman lob and a penalty against China.
  • He scored against England and was sent off in the same match, then returned to win the final.
  • Twice named the world's best player, yet he never found the net at a World Cup after the age of twenty-two.
Ready.
Zone: Historical