Just before the era of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo came to dominate discussions about who is the best footballer in the world, Ronaldinho held the title of the planet’s premier player.
During the mid-2000s, the Brazilian maestro dazzled at Barcelona, a period in which the Catalan side claimed the European Champions title in 2006 and secured La Liga twice with Ronaldinho in their ranks.
His exceptional form earned him the 2005 Ballon d’Or, and from 2003 to 2008, he netted an impressive 94 goals in 207 appearances for the Camp Nou outfit.
One of his most unforgettable moments came when he received applause from even Real Madrid supporters after a remarkable solo goal at the Santiago Bernabeu, a truly rare occurrence in the intense El Clasico clashes.
Another iconic moment in Ronaldinho’s illustrious career was his goal against Chelsea in the 2005 Champions League, a sublime toe-poke at Stamford Bridge that left goalkeeper Petr Cech completely stranded.
Ronaldinho great dummy vs pitch invader 61′
byu/amitkon insoccer
Ronaldinho also left a lasting mark on the international stage, scoring 33 goals in 97 appearances for Brazil. He is revered as one of the all-time greats for both Barcelona and his national team.
His journey began when he joined Paris Saint-Germain from Gremio in 2001, and two years later, he made a pivotal move to Barcelona. He remained with the Catalan club until 2008.
Following his time at Barcelona, Ronaldinho embarked on a remarkable journey that included stints at AC Milan, Flamengo, Atletico Mineiro, and Queretaro. He eventually hung up his boots after a brief spell with Fluminense in 2015, leaving an indelible legacy in the world of football.
Though he no longer plays professionally, Ronaldinho still puts his boots on for various legends games representing his old clubs, including Barcelona.
Most recently, a Barca legends side has been in Israel taking on Maccabi Tel Aviv, coming out on top with 5-3 and 5-1 scorelines.
And in one of the games, a spectator managed to get on the pitch, but Ronaldinho took it in his stride and showed his legendary skills have not deserted him despite retiring professionally from football.
Footage has shown the Brazilian smiling at the crowd as he notices a pitch invader, before jinking both ways to evade the oncoming person.
Eventually, the stadium security manage to catch the pitch invader and subdue them, as Ronaldinho showed he has lost none of the skill which was a hallmark of his playing career.