What comes to mind when you hear the name “Ronaldo”? Of course, your first thought will be football—no doubt about it. But then comes the next question: Which Ronaldo?In the football world, this is a question without a definitive answer—much like the classic “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” debate.Younger football fans will immediately point to the Portuguese superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner and undoubtedly one of the greatest players to ever grace the sport.Argentina legend: “Ronaldo is not the best ever, another player has magic”However, if you’re a bit older—or a young football enthusiast with a passion for history—you might answer: “The real Ronaldo.”So, who is the real Ronaldo?Ronaldo Luís Nazario de Lima may not have the staggering stats of today’s Ronaldo, but he has “only” two Ballon d’Or awards, two World Cup titles, two Copa América trophies, and an endless list of achievements. Yet, he is still considered one of the greatest of all time because, let’s be honest, Brazilians have something in their feet that can’t be described—something that simply takes your breath away.One of the greatest if not the greatest, R9 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/2GJCnelsDR— 90s Footballers (@90sPlayers) February 14, 2025 Now, almost 15 years after retiring, this “real Ronaldo” has spoken about the role of Brazilian players at a club with a rich history of South American magic—Barcelona. And not just with anyone, but with another legendary figure who left a significant mark at the Catalan club—Romario.”They have had a very big management problem for a long time” said R9.Speaking on the topic, the legendary Brazilian expressed his regret that almost all great Brazilian footballers have left the Spanish club on bad terms. He then mentioned the cases of Romario, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, and Neymar.”Rivaldo left in a fight. Ronaldinho left in a fight, Neymar left in a fight (…) Look at the story that Barcelona created with so many successful Brazilians, but in the end the relationship deteriorated and ended very badly” sadly added “Il Fenomeno”.🎙️ Ronaldo Nazário, speaking to Romário in his YouTube channel on Brazilian players leaving Barcelona.🗣️: “It’s unfortunate that Brazilian players have consistently left Barcelona on bad terms. It happened to both of us, plus Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, and Neymar.” pic.twitter.com/aUlLgAqzlm— Barça Buzz (@Barca_Buzz) February 15, 2025 The World Cup champion with Brazil also expressed his disappointment with the treatment he and his fellow countrymen received at the club. Referring to his own case, he said that after a spectacular season at the club, he had agreed with them to continue the partnership, but just five days later, he was informed that they could not proceed with the agreement. He eventually ended up at Inter Milan.”It was a punch in the stomach. I was loving the city” said the 48-year-old Brazilian.The youngest veteran ever!?When asked if this was a case of poor club management, Ronaldo stated that it was the club’s board that made decisions at crucial moments which were unexpected by the fans.To recall, after winning the aforementioned World Cup in South Korea and Japan, he signed with Real Madrid and became one of the famous “Galacticos,” a team that promised much but ultimately did not deliver as expected.LA LIGA – MATCHDAY 24Friday Girona – Getafe 1-2 (0-1)/Herrera 54 – Uche 3, Mayoral 62/Saturday 16.00: (3.20) Leganes (2.95) Alaves (2.65)18.15: (5.90) Osasuna (4.00) Real Madrid (1.58)20.30: (1.43) Atl.Madrid (4.50) Celta (7.50)23.00: (1.55) Villareal (4.10) Valencia (6.25)Sunday 16.00: (4.90) Espanyol (3.60) Ath.Bilbao (1.85)18.15: (3.90) Valladolid (3.40) Sevilla (2.00)20.30: (1.80) Mallorca (3.50) Las Palmas (5.40)23.00: (2.60) Betis (3.15) Sociedad (3.10)Monday 23.00: (1.22) Barcelona (7.75) Rayo Vallecano (13.0)***odds are subject to change***
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