Ronaldinho celebrates his 42nd birthday today but the footballing world has still not forgotten the star.
At his peak, the Barcelona icon was a game-changer, adept at winning major championships and deciding crucial games while appearing oblivious to the circumstances. His popularity stemmed from how he adored playing the game.
At the age of 22, Ronaldinho won the World Cup in 2002. Eleven years later, in front of 56,557 spectators in his native Brazil, he contributed to Atletico Mineiro winning the Copa Libertadores. After joining Barcelona in 2003, he reached new heights, but his slide began quickly after capturing the Champions League in 2006.
It is critical to maintaining success. But even the best players in history may never be able to match the sheer awe of witnessing Ronaldinho at his height, toying with teams simply because he could. That show has yet to be topped. Ronaldinho was a unique individual. He popularised the no-look pass, and when dribbling, he appeared to possess an extra dimension at his disposal, lifting balls over and around opponents. He could calm and soothe by gliding his foot over the ball. But he could perhaps also throw a spark of urgency into the situation, causing something that no one in the stadium had expected.
Athleticism has never been more crucial. Towards the finish of his period in Europe, Ronaldinho became recognised as a pleasure, a luxury for fans to relish and modern coaches to endure. The game has progressed, but has it made any progress? Since then, no one has managed to make it look as much fun.
