Ronaldo Nazário

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Ronaldo started his career at Cruzeiro, scoring 44 goals in 47 games and leading them to their first Copa do Brasil in 1993. He moved to PSV in 1994, scoring 30 league goals in his first season. At Barcelona in 1996, he scored 47 goals in 49 games, helping them win the 1996–97 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. Inter Milan broke the world record to sign him in 1997, making him the first player since Diego Maradona to break the world transfer record twice. After knee injuries sidelined him for almost three years, he joined Real Madrid in 2002, winning the 2002–03 La Liga title. He later played for AC Milan and Corinthians before retiring in 2011.

In Their Own Story

At the 1998 World Cup, Ronaldo received the Golden Ball as player of the tournament after helping Brazil reach the final, where he suffered a convulsive fit hours before kick-off. In 2002, he starred in a front three with Ronaldinho and Rivaldo, scoring twice in the final and winning the Golden Boot. This achievement was seen as redemption for 1998. He won the 2002 FIFA World Player of the Year, the 2002 Ballon d'Or, and the Laureus World Sports Award for Comeback of the Year. At the 2006 World Cup, he scored his 15th World Cup goal, a tournament record at the time. He also won the 1997 Copa América (player of the tournament) and the 1999 Copa América (top goalscorer).

Reader's Guide

Ronaldo played for Brazil in 98 matches, scoring 62 goals, making him the third-highest goalscorer for his national team. At 17, he was the youngest member of the 1994 World Cup-winning squad. He scored five goals in a single game for Cruzeiro against Bahia in 1993, becoming the second youngest South American to score a league hat-trick behind Pelé. At PSV, he scored 54 goals in 58 games and won the Dutch Cup in 1996. His signature trick, the elastico, and his stepovers became iconic. He was named in the FIFA 100 list in 2004 and inducted into the Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame, Italian Football Hall of Fame, Inter Milan Hall of Fame, and Real Madrid Hall of Fame. In 2020, he was named in the Ballon d'Or Dream Team.

Did You Know?

• Ronaldo is the youngest recipient of both the FIFA World Player of the Year award (at age 20) and the Ballon d'Or (at age 21).
• He scored 11 of his team's 12 goals in a single futsal match as a 12-year-old, finishing the season with 166 goals.
• At the 2006 World Cup, Ronaldo scored his 15th World Cup goal, setting a tournament record at the time.
• He was the first player since Diego Maradona to break the world transfer record twice.
• Ronaldo was appointed a United Nations Development Programme Goodwill Ambassador in 2000.