When YouTube was launched in 2005, one of the most popular clips was when Ronaldinho - then a Barcelona player - takes the ball in training, juggles it, and then shoots straight into the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area. And so several times, while the ball returns to him, without touching the field.
We watched that clip for days, admiring Ronaldinho's genius. There were also those who shook their heads suspiciously, saying that it was a matter of editing. Even if it is so, the magic that the Brazilian spilled on the fields in those years gives us the right to believe that in his case anything is possible.
These days, Ronaldinho is back in the spotlight, but not for football. He spends his days in prison in Paraguay. He and his brother were arrested for possessing false documents when entering the country. Bail of 1,6 million euros was refused. The Prosecutor's Office has moved to the second stage of the investigation and has information that the famous Brazilian's entry into Paraguay with false documents is connected to an organization engaged in money laundering.
How did the football player end up using fake documents?
He was convicted in 2015 for illegal construction and environmental damage in his native Porto Alegre. He had to pay a certain amount, but since he didn't do it - because he didn't have money in his account, he lost his Brazilian passport.
MAGIC IN THE FEET AND A SMILE AS A TRADEMARK
Ronaldinho's life story is not much different from the fate of other footballers from the country of coffee, samba and football. He was born into a poor family in Porto Alegre in the south of the country. Life in the favelas, surrounded by crime and poverty, was not promising. He lost his father early and the burden of supporting the family fell on his mother - a nurse - who tried to provide the family with a normal life. She also had help from her older son, Ronaldinho's brother. Roberto de Asis Moreira made a living doing what he does best - he played football. He arrived at Gremio with the label of great talent, after the club promised to provide the family with better accommodation.
His biggest fan was his younger brother. Watching Roberto, Ronaldinho wanted to follow the same path. It turns out that more magic was in his legs.
The Brazilian spent his days playing football. He used the beach, the streets, every corner to show off his skills. He became an entertainer, and watching him play, many saw - freedom.
For him, football was fun, a way to escape from the difficult everyday life. He performed tricks with a big smile. With a smile, which will become his trademark.
At the age of seven, he arrived at Gremio and began to create a legend. It is known that he scored every goal in one match in the younger categories. Nothing would be strange if the club had not decided the game in their favor with - 23:0. Stories about the talented Brazilian immediately began to circulate around the country. Gremio got a diamond, which years later will be polished into one of the best footballers in the world.
The years passed, Ronaldinho progressed and in 1998 he made his debut for Gremio's first team in a Copa Libertadores match against Vasco da Gama. The following season, he established himself in the starting line-up, and won the Copa America with the Brazilian national team.
The good news is heard far and wide, and the one about Ronaldinho reached rich European clubs. After three years in the jersey of the Brazilian club, he left his homeland and signed for Paris Saint-Germain.
Mauricio Pochettino, Mikel Arteta, Gabriel Heinze, as well as two football geniuses - Nicolas Anjelka and JJ Okocha - were waiting for him in the French capital. Already in his first season in the City of Light, he showed all his magic and traveled to the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan with great confidence. Brazil won the fifth and - to this day - last title in Asia, and he and Ronaldo and Rivaldo formed a formidable trio. Just mention it to the English goalkeeper David Simen - the former goalkeeper of the Proud Albion will remember for the rest of his life the quarter-final match in Shizuoka and the miraculous free kick, which ended over his head and ended the English team's dreams of a trophy. Simen returned to his homeland in shame, and Ronaldinho continued his walk among the stars.
He did not remain immune to fame. Night outs and parties until dawn began to take off. He missed training in Paris, and transferred the fun from the field to nightclubs. He was losing strength and often said at halftime that he could only play another 15, 20 minutes at most. It was the last season in France. In the summer of 2003, he went to Barcelona. His ten in PSŽ was taken by Branko Bošković.
In the election for the club's first man in 2003, Joan Laporta promised Barcelona fans to bring David Beckham. The Englishman, however, ended up in Madrid, and Ronaldinho came to Camp Nou instead. A new chapter has begun in Barcelona...
"Balugrana" won the title in 1999 and was without a trophy until Roni's arrival - however, a period of great club prosperity followed.
SAMBA BOTH ON THE FIELD AND IN BARS
Magical moments in the blue-red jersey will be remembered more than the trophy. And there were many of them. From the first goal against Sevilla, then the masterpiece at "Stamford Bridge", when he kicked from his knee and checked Czech from the edge of the penalty area, to the scissors against Villarreal. The most memorable moment happened in the El Clasico on November 19, 2005, when Barcelona roared at the "Santiago Bernabeu", and the Real fans applauded the Brazilian, who scored twice in that match. Before him, there was only Maradona, playing for the Catalans accompanied by ovations from the fans of the great rival.
That year he won the Ballon d'Or. The only one in his career. He finished the season with 26 goals and 23 assists, and Barcelona won the championship and the Champions League.
The following season, "Blaugrana" was left without a trophy, and his stay in Spain was coming to an end. Pep Guardiola was appointed coach in 2008 and decided to thank Ronaldinho for his cooperation. The team had a new star - Lionel Messi - and the Brazilian continued his career in Milan. In Italy at the beginning of the adventure, he failed to be at the same level as in Spain. During the first season he had problems with fitness, injuries and weight. He played the best football in the Apennines in the 2009/2010 season. He was the best player of the Rossoneri, but even good games in Serie A and the Champions League did not convince Brazil coach Dunga to take him to the World Cup in South Africa.
It was the beginning of the end...
Not even the "Brazilian Trump" saved him from problems
With a bruised ego, because Brazil coach Carlos Dunga did not include him in the team for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Ronaldinho played his last season in Europe. In the summer of 2011, he returned to Brazil and played for Flamengo and Atletico Mineiro, with whom he won the Copa Libertadores. At one time he was in Mexico.
With a restless spirit, he reached India, where he played futsal. He officially announced the end of his career two years ago.
He was in the spotlight during the 2018 presidential elections in Brazil, when he supported the right-wing candidate at the time, and now the president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro. Because of his views and comments, Bolsonaro was nicknamed the "Brazilian Trump", and Ronaldinho drew the ire of a part of the population.
He was remembered as a great artist, a magician, a man who played football. But, who off the field did not always make the right decisions.
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