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Top 20 Fascinating Facts about Ronaldinho   

Originally published by Beatrice W in September 2022 and Updated by Ian S in May 2024.

Ronaldo De Assis Moreira, who is commonly known as Ronaldinho Ga煤cho or simply Ronaldinho, is a Brazilian retired professional footballer who played mostly as an attacking midfielder but was also deployed as a winger. 

He was first given the nickname Ronaldinho 鈥� “inho” meaning small 鈥� because he was often the youngest and the smallest player in youth club matches. 

Ronaldinho is considered one of the best and most talented players of all time. He is famous for his technical skills, creativity, dribbling ability, and accuracy. 

His free kicks, use of tricks, feints, no-look passes, and overhead kicks place him well above the other players, and is feared on the field for his ability to score and create goals. 

Here are the top 20 fascinating facts about Ronaldinho. 

1. His Late Father and His Brother Were Footballers 

Ronaldo de Assis Moreira was born on 21st March 1980 in the city of Porto Alegre, the state capital of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.  

He was the son of Miguelina El贸i Assis dos Santos and Jo茫o de Assis Moreira, a nurse and a shipyard worker who was also a football player. 

Ronaldinho鈥檚 older brother Roberto was a professional footballer too. He was doing so well that a club that was trying to entice him, gifted him a house.  

Following this, the family moved to a home in the Guaruj谩 section of Porto Alegre, a more affluent neighborhood. Roberto stopped playing football due to an injury.  

2. Ronaldinho鈥檚 Father drowned at the Family Swimming Pool 

Ronaldinho. Photo by By Agencia de Noticias –

The house that the family moved to was a big, beautiful and modern one, that had a swimming pool.

It is while swimming here that Ronaldinho鈥檚 father had an accident. He hit his head and drowned. 

At that time, Ronaldo was just eight years old and his football skills had just begun to blossom.   

3. His Elder Brother Is His Manager 

He was given the nickname Ronaldinho because “inho” means small and he was often the youngest and the smallest player in youth club matches. 

He developed an interest in futsal and beach football, which later expanded to organized football.

Many of his signature moves originate from futsal, which is indoor football, especially his ball control because the ball is much faster indoors on a floor than it is on a grass field. 

His older brother, Roberto, acts as his manager while his sister, Deisi, works as his press coordinator.  

4. Ronaldinho Once Scored 23 Goals in One Game 

Ronaldinho’s talent was too obvious. At the tender age of 13, he scored 23 goals for his goal in his local youth league which resulted in his first brush with the media.

While he has not achieved the same feats in his professional career, he has nevertheless scored multiple hat tricks. 

Before he played for Brazil in the under-17 World Cup, Ronaldinho had been selected in the Gremio youth squad. Later, 18-year-old Ronaldinho scored 22 goals in 47 matches. 

Ronaldinho spent the bulk of his career with European clubs Paris Saint-Germain, FC Barcelona, and Milan.  He then returned to Brazil to play for Flamengo and Atl茅tico Mineiro before moving to Mexico to play for Quertaro. 

5. He Was Part of The All-Star World Cup Team 

Ronaldinho. Photo By 袣懈褉懈谢谢 –

Ronaldinho participated in his first World Cup in 2002. He was part of the FIFA World Cup-winning team then, starring alongside Ronaldo and Rivaldo in an attacking trio.

The “Three Rs” were named in the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team and had also been on the 1999 Copa Am茅rica winning squad 

The World Cup was held in South Korea and Japan, and Ronaldinho appeared in five matches during the tournament and scored two goals, as well as contributed with three assists. 

Ronaldinho has played 97 matches and scored 33 goals for the Brazil national football team.   

6. Ronaldinho was Featured in the First YouTube Video to Reach 1Millionn Views  

In 2005, Nike launched an advertisement featuring Ronaldinho where he was trying on a new pair of boots before smashing the crossbar four times without letting the ball touch the ground.  

The advertisement was the video that 鈥渂roke the internet鈥� and it was later confirmed as the first video to reach 1 million views on YouTube. 

Ronaldinho鈥檚 juggling skills were second to none and Nike celebrated the anniversary of the video by releasing a remastered version of the video plus a limited edition of the 鈥淕olden Touch鈥� boots. 

7. He Has Many Awards and Honours 

Ronaldinho in Action. Photo By abdallahh –

Being a global icon of football, Ronaldinho won two FIFA World Player of the Year awards and a Ballon d’Or.

He became the second Barcelona player, after Diego Maradona in 1983, to receive a standing ovation from Real Madrid fans at the Santiago Bernab茅u. 

The player was included in the UEFA Team of the Year three times and the FIFA World XI three times.

He was named UEFA Club Footballer of the Year for the 2005鈥�06 season and South American Footballer of the Year in 2013 as well. 

In 2004, he was named by Pel茅 in the FIFA 100 list of the world’s greatest living players. These are just some of his awards and honors.

8. Ronaldinho Loves His Cars 

It is not unusual for rich athletes to drive fancy cars, but Ronaldinho鈥檚 collection of luxurious rides takes it to the next level.

Among the cars in his collection are an Audi Q7, a Hummer 2, and a $1.3 million Bugatti Veyron. 

This collection includes one of the fastest cars on the planet with a top speed of 253 miles per hour, a W16 engine, and 1001 horsepower.  

9. He Breached a Coca-Cola Sponsorship Deal

Ronaldinho. Photo By Marcos

Ronaldinho has had endorsements with many companies, including Nike, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, EA Sports, and Danone.

He is one of the world’s highest-paid players and in 2006 he earned over $19 million from endorsements. 

He however lost a lucrative $750,000 sponsorship deal with Coca-Cola after he was pictured with a Pepsi drink at a press conference.

Pepsi was sponsoring his then club Atletico Mineiro and due to a conflict of interest and a breach of contract, the deal was canceled less than a year after it was signed. 

10. He is an Entrepreneur With His Brand of Condoms 

Ronaldinho joined forces with the United Nations to educate the public about AIDS in 2011. Two years later, he released his brand of club-themed condoms called 鈥楽ex Free鈥�. 

11. He sits among the few players applauded by rival fans

, , via Wikimedia Commons

A few moments in sports history transcend team loyalties and capture the hearts of fans worldwide. Ronaldinho, the Brazilian magician, wove his spell one night in 2005 at the hallowed Santiago Bernab茅u. 

As Barcelona’s talisman danced through Real Madrid’s defense, slicing them with two breathtaking goals, the home crowd stood in awe. Bitter rivals became admirers, rising as one to applaud the artistry unfolding before their eyes. 

In that moment, Ronaldinho’s genius united sworn enemies, his joyous exhibition a reminder that true greatness knows no boundaries.

12. FIFA included Ronaldinho on their list of 100 Greatest Living Players

For FIFA to bestow their prestigious 100 Greatest Living Players honor on Ronaldinho in 2004 spoke volumes about the Brazilian magician’s brilliance.

 The game’s governing body recognized a once-in-a-generation talent, a player who could bewitch audiences with a mere flick of his boots. Ronaldinho’s artistry manifested in feathered touches, defense-splitting passes, and goals that defied logic – a maestro orchestrating poetry on the pitch.

In elevating him among the immortals, FIFA celebrated a showman who made the game even more beautiful, his flair etching indelible memories in fans’ minds worldwide.

13. He is a two-time FIFA World Player of the Year

, , via Wikimedia Commons

All of football stood in awe as Ronaldinho achieved the unthinkable – winning FIFA World Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons, 2004 and 2005. A feat reserved for the true greats, the Brazilian genius left jaws agape with his wizardry. 

For Barcelona and Brazil, he wove magic with every touch, bewildering defenders and casting spells over awestruck crowds. Whether ghosting past players or finding the net with audacious finishes, Ronaldinho’s genius shone brightly.

As he collected those prestigious awards, the world recognized not just talent, but a once-in-a-lifetime entertainer who redefined the boundaries of possibility on a football pitch.

14. Ronaldinho is also a musician

Talk of Ronaldinho’s magical feet often overshadows his rhythmic soul. The Brazilian genius is as adept at strumming strings as he is at weaving through defenses.

When not dazzling on the pitch, he channels his infectious joy into samba and pagode beats that pulse with the energy of his homeland. Ronaldinho’s music celebrates life’s simple pleasures – love, family, that irrepressible Brazilian spirit.

His lyrics are an open invitation to dance, to smile, to embrace the moment as he has always done on the field. Though forever renowned as a soccer icon, his forays into melody reveal a multifaceted artist who spreads happiness through every creative outlet.

15. He acquired Spanish Citizenship in 2007

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Too good for mere borders to contain, Ronaldinho’s genius transcended boundaries when he acquired Spanish citizenship in 2007.

A stroke of bureaucratic brilliance, this move allowed the Brazilian maverick to shed the shackles of “foreign player” status at Barcelona. Suddenly, the Catalan giants could scour the globe unfettered, signing the world’s top talents to complement their homegrown wizard. 

By embracing a new nationality, Ronaldinho unlocked unprecedented freedom not just for himself, but for his club to construct a dream team around his mercurial talents. 

16. Ronaldinho won the Ballon d’Or in 2005

Talk about reaching the mountaintop of world football. In 2005, Ronaldinho ascended to rarified air by claiming the Ballon d’Or, the ultimate individual accolade. 

Barca’s bewitching Brazilian had it all that season – the vision to unlock defenses, the technique to humiliate markers, and a knack for the sublime. His wands for feet propelled the Blaugrana to La Liga glory while dazzling for the Sele莽茫o.

As the votes poured in, the world recognized a generational talent at his electrifying peak. In Ronaldinho’s gifted hands, the game became an art form, each performance a masterclass of imagination and joy. 

17. His son is also a football player

Football runs in the blood of Ronaldinho’s son, Jo茫o Mendes. Born with the beautiful game coursing through his veins, the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree.

From kicking a ball at four to signing with Barcelona’s famed La Masia at 18, Jo茫o has chased his father’s footsteps with unwavering determination. His journey saw him hone his skills at Flamengo, Vasco, Boavista, even keeping the Ronaldinho legacy a secret during a trial at Cruzeiro.

But greatness cannot be contained. Two goals in a Chinese youth tournament announced his arrival, and Bar莽a came calling – the same hallowed ground where his dad cast spells. 

Now, with Ronaldinho’s blessing, Jo茫o embarks on writing his chapter, the latest in a storied lineage of Brazilian magic. 

18. Ronaldinho is the sole player won World Cup, Copa Am茅rica, Confederations Cup, Champions League, Copa Libertadores, Ballon d’Or

, , via Wikimedia Commons

No one painted a more vibrant tapestry across the global football canvas than Ronaldinho. The Brazilian magician’s wizardry knew no boundaries – from Shizuoka to Pasadena, Berlin to Johannesburg, his artistry mesmerized. 

World Cup, Copa Am茅rica, Confederations Cup – he conquered them all with flair. Then came the European odyssey, La Decima for Bar莽a, the Copa Libertadores fairy tale at Atl茅tico Mineiro.

And immortalizing it all, that gilded 2005 Ballon d’Or, the ultimate individual coronation. Ronaldinho didn’t just collect trophies, he painted masterpieces, transforming pitches into his canvas. 

An icon who reigned over multiple eras and every corner of the globe – nobody could match his kaleidoscope of greatness.

19. He was a lethal free-kick taker

A master at bending reality, Ronaldinho’s free-kick artistry defied all logic. The ball obeyed his every whim, arcing through space and time to nestle perfectly past the world’s best keepers.

Ask David Seaman about that 35-yard postage stamp at the 2002 World Cup. Or the Werder Bremen wall left utterly bewitched in ’06, rooted by a knuckleball from the Brazilian sorcerer. Villarreal can testify too – their keeper was merely a bystander as Ronaldinho’s strike scorched the top corner.

With every dead-ball situation, the little genius reimagined possibility. Gravity, wind, human limitation – these were mere playthings for him to manipulate with his wands of feet. 

Scoring from free-kicks wasn’t just his specialty, it was an expression of superiority over the laws of nature itself and this made him join some of the most phenomenal soccer players like David Beckham. 

20. Ronaldinho hung his boots  in 2018

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A legendary career deserves a curtain call befitting the grandest of stages. When Ronaldinho hung up his boots in 2018, the football world mourned the exit of its brightest star.

A genius who had ascended the very summit – World Cup, Champions League, Ballon d’Or – he belonged to that rarified air occupied by immortals. So it was only fitting that his retirement party was slated for the aftermath of Russia’s World Cup. 

The global spotlight Ronaldinho so often commanded would shine on him one last time as the carnival came to Moscow.

Though that poetic send-off has yet to materialize, the image of the smiling sorcerer jamming on drum alongside an operatic Kalinka captured his eternal essence – an entertainer who injected every moment with rhythm, joy, and unstoppable flair. The game missed him already.