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Ronaldinho – The man who plays with a smile
Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, better known as Ronaldinho
Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, better known to the world as Ronaldinho, was at one time or another a favourite of every football fan. With his skill, goals, and stylish looks (maybe just his smile), everyone of a certain age wanted to be Ronaldinho. Who could blame them?
Born in the city of Porto Alegre, the state capital of Rio Grande do Sul, Ronaldinho lost his father at the early age of eight to a heart attack and was raised by his mother, Dona Miguelina Elói Assis dos Santos, with the help of his big brother Assis and sister Deisi. The first time anyone really took notice of him as a footballer was when he was still a young boy and managed to score an incredible 23 goals in a match that his local side won, well, 23-0. He was certainly noticed again at the 1997 under 17′s World Championship which Brazil won; he scored two goals in the tournament. People started whispering how young Ronaldinho was like past players Garrincha and Didi.
Didi: The Ethiopian Prince
Didi - Master of the "Dry Leaf" free-kick
When remembering Brazil’s World Cup winning sides of 1958 and 1962 it is easy to focus entirely on Pele and Garrincha. The twin giants of Brazilian football made such an impression at the two tournaments that so many other great characters fade into the background. For the emergence of a boy who would be king and a little bird so captured the imagination of the world at large that many other heroes were forced into the periphery.
The result of the natural fascination with Pele and Garrincha is the marginalisation of a host of other legends. From goalkeeper Gilmar, to full-backs Djalma and Nilton Santos and the likes of Mario Zagallo and Vava in attack, Brazil possessed all-time greats in every position. No man’s legacy has been more frequently forgotten though than Didi.
The Bucket List, part seven
7. International Football Fever
Welcome to the Headers & Volleys Bucket List. World football is a big place and sometimes there seems almost too much to see. In this series we will be looking at the top things to see and do, before you pop your clogs. Feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments section below, or contact us here and we will feature the best entries on the site.
Ryan Leverton of SportsLeviathan.com continues his journey through his own Bucket List. In today’s penultimate instalment, Ryan looks at the biggest global football competition, the World Cup.
The Bucket List, part three
3. The Boys from Brazil
Welcome to the Headers & Volleys Bucket List. World football is a big place and sometimes there seems almost too much to see. In this series we will be looking at the top things to see and do, before you pop your clogs. Feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments section below, or contact us here and we will feature the best entries on the site.
Ryan Leverton of SportsLeviathan.com continues his journey through his own Bucket List. In today’s instalment, Ryan travels further afield to the land of the Copacabana, the permanent home of the Jules Rimet trophy and the joy of favela football as he visits, The Boys from Brazil.
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Chaos at The Cottage
This morning I wrote to Fulham Football Club to express my anger and disappointment at the organisation of last night’s friendly international between Ghana and Brazil. The ticketing system and the non-existent crowd control so badly needed outside of the ground shortly before kick-off were nothing short of ludicrous.
