In one of his first matches for the 1993 Brazilian championship, he scored five goals and one of them lifted the fans from their seats.
Ronaldo, the ‘Phenomenon’, who currently serves as president of Real Valladolid, a team that will face Real Madrid for the day 24 of Laliga, Made his professional debut at just 16 years old in the first team of the cruise ship. In a year and a half Toca da Raposa, the former striker he scored 56 goals in 58 games, was called up to the Brazilian national team and won the 1994 World Cup before earning his place in European football.
However, at the beginning of his career, he was a young stranger.
From São Cristóvão, Ronaldo spent little time in the youth categories of the Cruzeiro before ascending to the main equipment and making debut before the Caldense in the Mineiro Championship. The match, held on May 25, 1993 at the Ronaldão Stadium in Poços de Caldas, ended in a 1-0 victory.
“We made a pact so that we all slapped him on the head before the games. He was a 17-year-old boy who started to be the boy in the whole group. We support him a lot. Nonat, Paulo Roberto, Roberto Gaúcho … we think a relationship to help him and we saw great potential, “Toninho Cecílio, a former Cruzeiro defender, told ESPN.com.
One of the most striking moments for the youngster with the Mines Gerais team was the 6-0 victory over Badia. In the match, valid for the 1993 Brazilian championship, he scored five goals, in the last of which, the striker stole the ball from Uruguayan goalkeeper Rodolfo Rodríguez.
“Rodolfo didn’t notice. It was an unusual play, especially with him as a goalkeeper. I turned my back on the defense and I didn’t see the play because the ball was dominated. I heard the noise of the crowd and when I I turned around, the goal had already passed (laughs). We didn’t believe in the play and we made a lot of jokes in the dressing room, “said Toninho.
In August 1994, the striker was sold to the Dutch PSV for six million dollars. He then played for Barcelona, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Milan and Corinthians, a club where he hung up his boots in 2011.
“Being very honest, what impressed me the most was that he solved the matches for us. But at 17 I had the clear idea that he would be a monster for the World Cup. He got to where he was in real life, that he would be a “It’s the best in history. It’s above Careca, Ibra, Baggio … I couldn’t measure that level at the time,” admitted Toninho.
With the Brazilian team, the ‘Phenomenon’ scored 67 goals in 98 games and is only behind Pelé. In four World Cups, he scored 15 times in 19 duels, one less than Miroslav Klose.