Steeped in beach football and futsal trickery from childhood (in one game he scored every goal in a 23-0 victory), the forward’s skill repertoire included back heels, nutmegs, rainbow flicks, bicycle kicks and more, leaving defenders for dust and captivating crowds around the world.

"The ball has always been a life companion, my best friend,” said Ronaldinho in an interview with Spanish television last year. Pelé and Ali are the two biggest sportsmen in history who have given plenty of entertainment, but they did so when coverage isn’t as extensive as it is now.

'In football, there is a dribbling move known as the 'elastico'.It works by having the attacker push the ball away from themselves with the outside of the foot, in order to sucker a defender into believing they are going to dribble one way. Samuel Eto’o has posted an emotional birthday message to ‘friend’ and ‘brother’ Ronaldinho. Lol Thank you Ronaldinhino, for all the magic sporting moments!! About five metres off. To use comments you will need to have JavaScript enabled. He made us question what was possible on a football pitch. Too slickly made. I really aimed at the goal, although not exactly where [the ball] went. Sign in to like videos, comment, and subscribe. !This guys up there for entertainment value on a football pitch. In some parts of Africa, and especially Nigeria, they decided to call it 'The Gaucho', in honour of the birthplace of the move’s modern day master, one Ronaldo de Assis Moreira.Ronaldinho treated the game of football as if he was a magician at a children’s party, wowing fans and onlookers with feats of skill that boggled the mind.

The only modern day player I’d rank above him in terms of talent is Messi. PSG & more!

Or was it a complete fluke?In the same way a magician never reveals his tricks, Ronaldinho kept his cards close to his chest when asked about the goal, and why wouldn't he?Years later, in an interview with FourFourTwo, he said, “I saw he was off his line. Watch Queue Queue
Top, top class.While I wouldn't put him down as the greatest player of all time, he would definitely be the one I would pay to watch out of them all. “I've not been with anybody for longer than I've been with her. The then Paris Saint-Germain-based Ronaldinho looked set to sign for Real Madrid in the summer of 2003, until one Los Blancos director A potential move to Manchester United arose, but two days before the deal was finalised, would-be Barcelona President Sandro Rosell phoned the Brazilian to ask, “If I become Barça president, will you come?” Ronaldinho said yes. Too many people that have worked with him that say he’s the best for it not to be the case (Mourinho, Kaká, B.Robson, Van Nistelrooy etc.).

Lionel Messi inherited his shirt at Barcelona and another age was born.

The elastico is a classic three-act magic trick: now you see the ball, now the ball is gone, now the ball has reappeared here.In some parts of the world they call the move the 'flip flap', because of how your foot has to move in then out quickly to make it work. Sensing Frank Lampard bearing down on him from behind, Ronaldinho feinted to shoot twice with his right foot, shimmed his hips twice and then did… something.Before we knew it, the ball was nestled in Petr Cech’s net, propelled by what later transpired to be a no-lift toe punt.“It’s like someone pressed pause and for three seconds all the players stopped and I’m the only one that moves,” Ronaldinho later described. Up next The GREATEST DRIBBLERS In Football History - Duration: 14:12. His free-kick goal against England in the 2002 World Cup was typical Ronaldinho. Ronaldinho Best.

That blend is also what makes them one of the best players of all time, but not quite on the Gaucho planet when it comes to pure, unworldly skill. Sign in. Football was a love affair for the big-grinned Brazilian.Strangely, it was this theme of romance that took the magician to the site of his greatest success. Images of iconic football moments behind closed doorsEvery question you ever had about female ejaculation, answeredYoung shielders: ‘Isolation felt like a parallel universe, but I'm scared to leave’The young people turned away from therapy in lockdown: ‘My mental health crashed’Young shielders: ‘Isolation felt like a parallel universe, but I'm scared to leave’50 great World Cup moments: Ronaldinho lobs England's David Seaman - 2002 Ronaldinho was worth it.Looks like this post is no longer available from its original source. But somehow, every time Ronaldinho hits the ball off the crossbar, the ball returns to him, like a ship to a siren's song.It couldn’t be real. Ronaldinho continue à régaler son monde au Brésil. While queuing for autographs I heard him tell the band's manager that his favourite song was "Weatherman".