Ronaldinho Gaucho Retires

Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? Whatever
one’s thoughts of the legitimacy of the comparison, there is no denying that it is a question which has defined a generation.
Everyone picks one or the other. Well, almost everyone.
In Deco, one could not hope for a more impartial judge, and when the former Portugal and Barcelona midfielder was asked for his preference in the summer of 2016, he found fault with the question.
“Ronaldinho was far more gifted than Leo or
Cristiano,” he countered. “He was a natural with special ability. Whenever we gave the ball to him, the moves and goals were from a different world.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ugMAsZh-fw

It is difficult to disagree. After Ronaldo (the
Brazilian version) had changed the entire
perception of what a No.9 could do,Ronaldinho came along and changed the entire perception of what a footballer could do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9WIWC__i_o

He brought the tricks and flicks of futsal to a full-sized football field. He pulled off pieces of skill that nobody had seen before.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JUyHL3v1QQ

Kevin-Prince Boateng tells remarkable tales of Ronaldinho hitting the crossbar three times in a row in training just because he could. “We wondered how it was possible there was so much talent in one body,” he gushed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8Vuxs9_NFA

Eidur Gudjohnsen, meanwhile, became convinced that Ronaldinho was capable of
defying the laws of physics.
“When you play with him and see what he does with a ball, nothing surprises me any more,” the former Barca forward admitted. “One of these days, he will make the ball talk.”

He could certainly do anything he wanted with it but, as Brazil and Real Madrid legend Roberto Carlos pointed out, “it wasn’t just about the tricks - he created and scored the goals to match his ability.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB3yTPI6Aqw

Indeed,his stunning strike against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in 2004, from a standing
position, was the most exhilarating,bewitching and bemusing illustration of him marrying skill and substance.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=9O3otJu2FWE

David Beckham once said, “There was a period in Ronaldinho’s time at Barcelona where he was almost unplayable.” It was between 2004 and 2006, when Barca won back to back Liga titles,as well as the Champions League.
He wasn’t wrong, either. Even some supporters of Barca’s bitter rivals Real Madrid could not help but stand and applaud when he tore their beloved Blancos asunder on a famous night at the Santiago Bernabeu in November 2005.
Ronaldinho admitted afterwards, “I will never
forget this because it is very rare for any footballer to be applauded in this way by the
opposition fans.”

Ronaldinho, though, transcended the traditional lines of tribal warfare. He was above competition. He wasn’t driven by being the best. He just wanted to have fun.

From his demeanour, his behaviour, it was
obvious that he didn’t just enjoy football, he
enjoyed life, and he just wanted others to enjoy it too.

When Barcelona travelled to Los Angeles in the summer of 2006 for a couple of pre season friendlies, basketball legend Kobe Bryant attended one of the Catalan club’s training sessions.
“Ronaldinho was a good friend of mine,” the
American reminisced a couple of years ago.
"And while I was talking to him, he told me,
‘Kobe, look, I’m going to introduce you to the guy who’s going to be the greatest player of all time.’
"And I said, ‘What? You’re the greatest!’
“And he said, ‘No, this kid right here is going to be the best.’ And that guy was Lionel Messi and he was only 18 or 19 at the time.”
Ronaldinho was both humble and humorous.
Many felt he didn’t take the game as seriously as he should have done; that he wasted his talent,which is both staggering and scary when one considers that he won a World Cup, a Copa America, a Copa Libertadores and a Champions League.

Nonetheless, he is often asked about his regrets,and that will become an increasingly common question now that he has decided to call time on his professional career.
However, he insists that he has only one. “I would have loved to have played more with
Messi, he’s a great player and I’m very glad to have helped him at the beginning of his career with the assist for his first Barca goal,” he revealed.
“Having seen him go on to become such a great player, it would have been fantastic to have played more with him, but at that time my period at Barca was over and it was time for me to move to achieve new things and set new objectives, so the time had come for me to leave.”
Now, the time has come for him to walk away from a game that he enriched with his skills and his smile.
Sure, he could have won more trophies, and
could have claimed more Ballons d’Or, but he is rightly proud of his career: “I’ve achieved everything I wanted to and I’m grateful for that.”

Legend…

Soccer fans will endeavor remember Gaucho… Art in motion.

love this guy and the skill he had mastered, pure talent

Legend…

phenom mwenyewe but kuna jamaa aliwachanga , jamaa akatafuta mawe amurushie kwa pitch akakosa :D:D:D:D:D:D:D

https://media.giphy.com/media/CkqP5KnrOB6Y8/giphy.gif

The goal he scored against Chelsea in UCl. Timeless.

kitu sijaelewa ni vile alikuwa anahepa kiatu vile wasee walikuwa na hasira za aibu , akuje afunze wilshire kuhepa kiatu . kuna clip nimeona ametoka waee kama fifty akapea Etoo ball , Etoo akabaki na keeper akachanganyikiwa vile alipata hio ball akawacha .

Nimeskia ile fala ya peeling away like the skin of a tangerine in the last video…kwani huyo msee ni immortal.

Boss how can you miss this fideo…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GqEy_j1LoY

when you realise Gaucho was the one to give leo his first goal for barca…real recogonizes real…
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This shit gets me in tears…the guy who made this video deserves the 39mil views

Only one gaucho. Played in diff teams and made it. Messi not bad but a jaribu kuchange team

The Chelsea players were following the movements of his waist the guy wasn’t moving anywhere.

The look on Cech’s eyes is priceless, seems to be asking ‘wtf just happened’

Gaucho was a magician.

It used to be a pleasure watching him do what only he could do… le Gaucho!

salute to this guy
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Gudjohnsen - “one of these days, he will make the ball talk” :D:D:D:D:D

That goal against England in the World Cup though. Seaman never saw a thing!

Ronaldinho got a standing ovation from Real Madrid fans after he destroyed their defense and scored against them…Now that’s truly something.

The true legend, respect, salute

Please do not ask me what I mean by saying “primetime Gaucho was pure unrivalled football wizardry,” 'cause I wouldn’t want to cry trying to explain!