Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)

Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima (Brazilian Portuguese: [ʁoˈnawdu luˈiz‿naˈzaɾju dʒi ˈlimɐ]; born 18 September 1976), mononymously known as Ronaldo, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a striker. He is the former owner and president of La Liga 2 club Real Valladolid. Nicknamed O Fenômeno and R9, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. As a multi-functional striker who brought a new dimension to the position, Ronaldo has been an influence for the following generation of strikers. His individual accolades include being named FIFA World Player of the Year three times and winning two Ballon d'Or awards. Ronaldo started his career at Cruzeiro and moved to PSV in 1994. He joined Barcelona in 1996 for a then world record transfer fee and at 20 years old, he was named the 1996 FIFA World Player of the Year, making him the youngest recipient of the award. In 1997, Inter Milan broke the world record fee to sign Ronaldo, making him the first player since Diego Maradona to break the world transfer record twice. At 21, he received the 1997 Ballon d'Or and remains the youngest recipient of the award. By the age of 23, Ronaldo had scored over 200 goals for club and country. However, after a series of knee injuries and recuperation, he was inactive for almost three years. Ronaldo joined Real Madrid in 2002 and won the 2002–03 La Liga title. He had spells at AC Milan and Corinthians before retiring in 2011, having suffered further injuries. Ronaldo played for Brazil in 98 matches, scoring 62 goals and is the third-highest goalscorer for his national team. At age 17, he was the youngest member of the Brazilian squad that won the 1994 FIFA World Cup. At the 1998 FIFA World Cup,...