Brazilian legend Ronaldo has confirmed that he
is retiring from playing with immediate effect.
The 34-year-old has announced he is bringing down the curtain on
one of the most prestigious careers the world of football has seen
in recent years.
During his career he scored over 350 club goals and he won 97
caps for Brazil.
He also helped his country to two World Cup wins and was named
World Player of the Year three times.
“I can’t take any more,” he told Estado de Sao Paulo.
“I wanted to continue, but I can’t do it any more. I think of an
action, but I can’t do it the way I want to. It’s time.
“It’s the body that’s hurting me. The head wants to go on, but
the body can’t take any more.”
SOURCE: Sky Sports
It is somewhat sad that Ronaldo calls time on his
career with such breathtaking honesty as the Brazilian legend
really has had such an epic career with so many highs and a few
lows that it is something of an end of an era in football now that
the 34 year old has decided to hang up his boots.
Unfortunately over recent years people in the media have taken
to calling the former Barcelona, Real Madrid, PSV, Inter and AC
Milan man as ‘Fat Ronaldo’, so as to avoid confusion with the
Portuguese international, so it is only fair that for today we
re-appropriate his name from the current Bernabeu star.
For the record Ronaldo managed 352 goals from 515 games and
unlike some Brazilian stars, only a small portion of that effort
took place in the somewhat average Brazilian leagues. He won the
World Cup twice, albeit once as only a member of the 1994 squad. He
also picked up two La Liga titles but oddly enough never clinched a
Champions League triumph but was named World Footballer of the Year
on three occasions.
So long Ronaldo, you will be missed.
