Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho with Brazil | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Ronaldo de Assis Moreira | ||
Date of birth | 21 March 1980 | ||
Place of birth | Porto Alegre, Brazil | ||
Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[1] | ||
Playing position | Attacking midfielder / Forward | ||
Club information | |||
Current club | Flamengo | ||
Number | 10 | ||
Youth career | |||
1987–1998 | Grêmio | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
1998–2001 | Grêmio | 44 | (21) |
2001–2003 | Paris Saint-Germain | 55 | (17) |
2003–2008 | Barcelona | 145 | (70) |
2008–2011 | Milan | 76 | (20) |
2011– | Flamengo | 12 | (9) |
National team‡ | |||
1996 | Brazil U-17 | 6 | (2) |
1999 | Brazil U-20 | 5 | (3) |
2000–2008 | Brazil U-23 | 10 | (3) |
1999– | Brazil | 88 | (32) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 28 July 2011. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 28 July 2011 |
"Ronaldinho," the diminutive and term of endearment for "Ronaldo," is accompanied in Brazilian usage by the nickname "Gaúcho," in order to distinguish him from fellow footballer and countryman Ronaldo, who was known as "Ronaldinho" in Brazil beforehand. Ronaldo simply went by his first name upon his move to Europe, thereby allowing Ronaldinho to drop the "Gaúcho" and go by the name Ronaldinho abroad.
Prior to his move to Flamengo, he played for Paris Saint-Germain, FC Barcelona and Milan. With the Spanish club, he won his first Champions League in 2006 and the Ballon d'Or in 2005. He became a Spanish citizen in January 2007.[3]
He was also named in the FIFA 100, a list of the greatest footballers compiled by fellow countryman Pelé, and in the FIFPro World XI consecutively from 2004–2007