First, he was an elusive lightning bolt, heavenly light, and then he was a hundred-kilogram fat man. Everyone was afraid of him. They trembled before him. And everyone admired him. He liked dribbling, passing, he liked to make us happy. He was a phenomenon of his kind.He also loved life, of course. The way the greatest artists love life. Because he was their kind too. In his free time he was the best in the world.Today is his birthday, 46. And somewhere, don’t doubt it, there is the best party in the world. Or was it four days ago? There are two dates of his birth… (He doesn’t mind that, be sure. Congratulate him whenever you want.) That party, actually, has probably been going on since Sunday.One word – Ronaldo. A spectacle that will lasts, a spectacle that never ends.Etched into memory for all time…ADRIANO GALLIANI:You have the players who always like to learn and you have the lazy ones. Lazy people are usually the most talented. Surreal gifted. Ronaldo Fenomeno is one of them. I remember Sienna. His second game for us after his debut, six days earlier when he played half an hour against Livorno. It’s Friday evening, we’re sitting at the table. He ate two large plates of pasta with tomato sauce and another pound of bread. I tell him:”Fenomeno, you know we have a game tomorrow. I don’t think you should overdo it with food.”He looked up from his plate and answered with his mouth full:”The one who will guard me knows he plays against O Fenomeno. He is the one in trouble”.He scored two goals.KAKA:Mister Ancelotti asked him:- Ronaldo, do you know who we are playing tomorrow?- Yes I know. Against Siena.- Very good. Do you know the names of their players?- I don’t know Mister. But I’m sure they know who I am.Ronaldo Nazario scored 51 goals in 54 appearances for PSV Eindhoven.He was only 18.Happy Birthday. pic.twitter.com/0ZNabsY9yS— SPORTbible (@sportbible) September 22, 2022 CARLO ANCELLOTI:When we brought Ronaldo, he weighed 100 kilograms. Before the first game, I told him that he can’t do that and that he has to lose weight. He answered me: ‘Mister, what do you want from me? Should I run or score goals? I put him to play, he didn’t run, but he scored two goals.CARLO PALLAVICINO (Ronaldo’s agent):He signed for Inter when he was still at Barca. He came to Italy to play the semifinals of the Cup Winners’ Cup with Barcelona, after which he would be free and travel to the national team meeting. That evening, after the game, directly from the dressing rooms at Artemio Franchi, we organized an escape to my house in Lungarno, where we were supposed to arrange everything. We had offers from Lazio, Glasgow Rangers and Inter. He chose Inter. We had a sleepless night and waited for the morning to immediately put him on the first plane, so that no one would see him. Everything was perfect until that moment. At dawn we left the house and ran into some Brazilian transvestites standing on the street. They recognized him and at that moment started shouting Ronaldo’s name. We only managed to jump into the car and escape. Luckily they didn’t alert the journalists. If Barcelona had found out then, everything would have collapsed…PETER CROUCH:I met him while on holiday in Ibiza. I saw him on the beach. He was busy drinking beer and cocktails. There was also an ashtray. Ronaldo held a bottle of beer on his stomach and balanced it so it wouldn’t fall. When he drank it, the model who was with him went to get a new one. It was a good opportunity and I approached him to introduce myself. I was hoping he’d say, Oh, you’re Crouch.’ Instead, I don’t think he had the slightest idea who I was. I took a picture with him and left. I don’t think he was aware of the fact that I am also a footballer.Happy Birthday to the real Ronaldo. 🤴 pic.twitter.com/ce9ePeqtJ4— Umir (@umirf1) September 22, 2022 MATIAS DEFEDERICO (Teammate at Corinthians):We were preparing in a training camp, which is about 300 kilometers from our houses. We had training at 11 in the morning and then were free until 10 in the evening, when we have to show up in the rooms. Ronaldo told me: Let’s go somewhere. I don’t feel like staying here’. I answered him: ‘Fatso, what’s wrong with you? It takes us three hours to Sao Paulo, then three hours back again. Don’t be crazy’. He called a helicopter that landed directly at our training camp and told me: ‘Let’s go to my house’. There were several of us, the captain, Dentinho… An hour later we were in São Paulo, we landed on the roof of his house. We all split the bill for the helicopter because it wasn’t cheap. 10 security guys were waiting for us at his house. He just organized them: ‘You go buy meat, you go get drinks, you go get this girl, you go get that man, you go get this friend, you get that… Half an hour later, he was barbecuing by the pool for 60 people. He personally prepared the meat. Later we remembered that we rented a helicopter that only flies during the day and does not drive at night, so we had to go back by car. We arrived around one at night, we were late and coach Mano Menezes was waiting for us. Ronaldo took all the blame, apologized and the coach forgave us.MARCEL DESAILLY:I played in AC Milan when he came to Inter. I was at the peak of my career. That’s the only time I’ve seen Paolo Maldini worried before a game. Before the city derby against Ronaldo’s Inter, Maldini told me: ‘Look, Marcel. You need to be closer to me. I need your help. We have to double him. When he takes the ball and runs, we both have to get at him…Ronaldo Nazario in one season at Barça: ◾ 49 Games◾ 47 Goals◾ 7 Assists◾ 3 Trophies◾ LaLiga Top Scorer ◾ Golden Boot◾ Ballon D’Or Happy Birthday to Ronaldo Nazario, The Greatest Number 9️⃣ 💙❤️The Original Ronaldo 🙏 pic.twitter.com/ByU4sEm7eU— 𝗔𝗠𝟬𝟰 𓃵 (@AM04_FOOTBALL) September 22, 2022 ARRIGO SACCHI (at one time director at Real Madrid):After one game we decided to look at his statistics. Ronaldo had less kilometers ran than Iker Casillas in 90 minutes?! It was obvious that we had to talk to him and tell him that. When I told him, he replied: ‘Mister, it’s not my fault that you have a goalkeeper that likes to run’. Brilliant answer, we forgave him everything.CHRISTIAN VIERI:Ronaldo was the player who trained the least because he was the best in the world. It is true that we returned from nightclubs at five or six in the morning. The problem was that I would sleep for two or three hours and have to train, while he was lying in bed, eating pastries and drinking cappuccino. Another problem is that he would show up with his car in front of my house the same evening and honk until I give in and go out with him again to nightclubs.Happy birthday to Ronaldo Nazário, who turns 46. The greatest striker ever one of the greatest ever🏟 Games: 616⚽ Goals: 414🏆 La Liga: 2🏆 Supercopa: 2🏆 World Cup: 2🏆 Copa Del Rey: 1🏆 UEFA Cup: 1🥇 FIFA World POTY: 3🥇 Ballon d’Or: 2 🏆Copa America:2O Fenômeno. 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/OTHUpu63YM— Gilbert Owusu Kusi (@GilbertkusiHov) September 22, 2022
