Ronaldo Retires

[Godzke]

Hats off to the lad on a stellar career.

He will formally end his career at a press conference at Corinthians headquarters at 12:40pm local time (15:40 CET, 14:40 BST, 09:40 EST.)

"My body aches. In my head I want to continue, but this body can't take much more," Ronaldo told Fantastico online magazine. "In recent days I have cried like a baby."

 

[Coledinho]

Unfortunately he will be remembered for the wrong reasons

 

[BlowJobe]

Unfortunately he will be remembered for the wrong reasons

If you don't have the mental capacity to look past the fact everyone has problems and outside of those problems he was simply one of the best strikers of our generation then yeah, I guess you might remember him for the wrong reasons.

 

[Mr_Bojangles]

Fair play to the lad, was one of the best of his generation. I've never like Brazil at the World Cup so I never liked him scoring tbh but to come back from that injury and play like he did at 2002 was something special.

God speed you glorious fat bastard.

 

[Punchy Bassett]

Chanting "One tonne Ronaldo" on the trains to the Allianz Arena and watching the Brazilian fans trying to figure out what the hell was going on one of the funniest moments of my 06 WC trip. But fair play to the lad could play and had a damn fine career.

 

[Smyth94]

One of the greastest.

 

[kid_a]

in the top 10 brazilian's of all time imo, his last few years were very....meh, but my god from about 96-04 he was amazing

 

[DB10]

it's a shame those knee injuries robbed him of so much though. 352 career goals despite not playing for two years, it's damn impressive.

one of the greats.

 

[SupportMe]

He is one of the best of all time.

An absolute machine. Too many people have forgotten already.

 

[indieswan96]

Hats off on a great career and easliy one of the best of the last 20 years.

 

[that_dood]

He will always be the number one Ronaldo. Great player and defined the World Cups he was at.

Vale fatty.

 

[Coledinho]

If you don't have the mental capacity to look past the fact everyone has problems and outside of those problems he was simply one of the best strikers of our generation then yeah, I guess you might remember him for the wrong reasons.

I do, the general public on the other hand. You got to be kidding.

 

[belfast_bomber]

Come on Coledinho, he's one of the few players even people who don't like football know the name of.

Was watching the 2002 final on ESPN Classic the other day. Bugger me he was good then. Might have been capable of eating an apple through a tennis racket, but the deadliest finisher in the world. And one of few opposition players who've received a standing ovation at Old Trafford.

Wish he'd played for us, I really do.

 

[cesc fabregas]

This is how i will remember him...
[YOUTUBE]YePFGhCC7ro[/YOUTUBE]

 

[youngsaint]

One of my all time favourites. A major reason why i starting following Madrid. The hat trick at OT was incredible.

 

[folester41]

childhood hero, respect.

 

[smiddaz123]

Was the first player I admired. Absolute legend.

 

[Leon]

Best striker I've ever seen.

His record at Barca is scary - almost a goal a game

Have fond memories of watching him at the 1998 and 2002 World Cups.

 

[youngsaint]

[YOUTUBE]egCyHUiHsjM[/YOUTUBE]

Farewell O Fenomeno! Forget the belly, this guy was the 'real' Ronaldo...
By Ashley Gray

The greatest goalscorer in World Cup history was passed off as 'Fat Ronaldo' for too many in recent years - the adjective needed to distinguish the Brazil legend from some Portuguese of the same name.

To those captured by his majesty, he will always be the real Ronaldo. Let the brilliantly talented Cristiano have his CR7, or whatever other trademark he fancies.

The real Ronaldo says he has cried like a baby these last few days after conceding it is time to retire. His enlarged frame and weakened knees no longer painting the futebol arte his mind creates.

Brazil hitman Ronaldo is hanging up his boots after a magical career in football. As well as his exploits for his country - guiding them to the World Cup in 2002 - he starred for PSV, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Real Madrid before injuries took their toll. Where does he rate in your list of heroes? 'My body aches,' said the 34-year-old who had battled four serious knee injuries in his glittering career. 'The head wants to continue, but the body cannot handle it.

'I can't take it anymore. I think of a move, but can't perform it as I want. It's time. But hell it was beautiful.'

A three-time World Player of the Year who scored more than 400 goals in little over 600 games has many highlights, but for this writer, April 23, 2003 will always be the date most associated with the man Brazil calls O Fenomeno.

An away goal at the Bernabeu had given Manchester United a glimmer of hope as they started the Champions League quarter-final second leg 3-1 down at Old Trafford.

But this was to be Ronaldo's night. Twelve minutes in he showed the kind of movement and blistering pace so lacking from his Corinthians swansong. Guti played a through ball from midfield, Ronaldo spun away from Rio Ferdinand and the striker hit it first time from the edge of the area, low and hard into a stunned Fabien Barthez's near post.

The second was a simple tap-in after a good Madrid team move and the third sealed one of his greatest performances.

With United back to 2-2 and still dreaming, Ronaldo unleashed a curling shot from 25 yards that flew over Barthez and into the goal.

As he ran towards the small number of away supporters, this supporter draped in a red and white scarf, dealing with the pain of impending Champions League exit, stood up and clapped the genius dressed in black. By the time he was replaced by Santiago Solari eight minutes later, virtually everyone in the stadium was offering a standing ovation.

Brazilians will more readily remember his heroics of 10 months earlier when two goals in the World Cup final against Germany made the difference and helped him towards an unbettered 15 goals in football greatest competition - across three tournaments from 1998 to 2006.

And though relatively light on league and cup titles for a player so prodigious, Ronaldo will be remembered among the greats at each of the European clubs he was at: PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona and both Milan clubs, as well as the Real Madrid he still considers his team.

The Premier League was denied his talents and we can be thankful a mooted swansong at Manchester City three years ago failed to materialise.
But one Englishman played a major role in his career during a brief but vital period at Barcelona. When Sir Bobby Robson died 19 months ago, Ronaldo told Sportsmail: 'I will always remember him as one of the most inspiring managers I have had the honour to work with.

'We had wonderful moments together and shared one of the most important chapters of my career. With his family I share this sad moment.'

There were mysteries and scandals along the way. Ronaldo feared for his life when suffering a convulsive fit on the eve of the 1998 World Cup final, but still lined up in Saint-Denis. Clearly affected and unable to make an impact, France won 3-0.

But it was activity away from football which also grabbed the headlines for a player who was an original Galactico and a product of the game's Nineties boom.

He was friends with rock stars, married in a French chateau, met the Pope, appeared in the Simpsons, became the toothy face of Nike and fed an intrigue in WAGs from the moment that fetching actress Susana Werner became a favourite for the TV cameras at France 98.

Then there were the transvestite prostitutes. Three of them, no less, who Ronaldo met in a Rio de Janeiro nightclub three years ago and has regretted ever since.

Allegations of drug abuse have also been levelled and rejected, while the confirmation of a fourth child by three different women led to his vasectomy last year.

But it is football he should be remembered for. His final chapter was supposed to come later and a minority of so-called Corinthians fans should ask if they are to blame.

Ronaldo signed a contract to the end of 2011 and hoped to win the Copa Libertadores - South America's equivalent of the Champions League - as a final act.

It was not to be. When Corinthians were dumped out in the qualifying round early this month, graffiti was daubed on the club's stadium, while criticism and threats came thick and fast for the star players.

Ronaldo concluded it was time to go and Roberto Carlos, fearing for his safety, has torn up his contract to move to the Russian republic of Dagestan of all places.

A sad end to a glorious career, but thank you, Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima, it's been phenomenal.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1356836/Ronaldo-retires--tribute-Brazil-striker.html

 

[charcoalchicken]

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[Normy132]

In his prime he was absolutely untouchable. Will be remembered as one of the best ever.

 

[Mr_Bojangles]

"I've had many defeats but also many infinite victories."

Quite the quote from his final press conference it must be said.

 

[Godzke]

rsrsrs

 

[TheGreatBambino]

The REAL Ronaldo

 

[glenferry23]

magnificent career for a magnificent player....one of the all time greats, at his prime he dominated for a long period of time in a number of different leagues, and of course the biggest stage of all - the world cup. a legend