ronaldinho

By Soledad Podlipnik

His real name is Ronaldo de Assís Moreira

Born March 21, 1980 in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

He is a soccer player also know as Ronaldinho Gaúcho Height: 1.81 m

His childhood was spent among fields and gardens, where he ran behind a ball.

His humble home was a modest neighborhood in the south

of Porto Alegre.

Ronaldinho is better known in Brazil by the nickname Ronaldinho Gaúcho, in order to distinguish him from Ronaldo (already called Ronaldinho in Brazil). However, upon Ronaldo's move to Europe, he began to be known simply as 'Ronaldo', thereby allowing Ronaldinho to drop Gaúcho and remain simply as 'Ronaldinho'.

When he was 7 years old, Ronaldinho began to play at the Porto Alegre Guild soccer school.

When he was 8 years old, his dad, Joao, died.

In 1997 he won the under-17 World Cup and was named top goal scorer and best player of the tournament.

FIFA World Player of the Year award twice (2004, 2005)

European Footballer of the Year award FIFPro World Player of the Year award

twice (2005, 2006).[

There is one thing Ronaldinho loves more than soccer: His family. He says that he would give up

everything for them.

His family

Ronaldinho’s other great passion is Music. The brazilian player has rhythm in his blood, and when he get together with his friends, they improvise samba.

He enjoys his mother’s steak-and-beans and spending an afternoon with his videogames.

In 2005, Ronaldinho assumed the paternity of João (named after his father). João's mother, Janaína Nattielle Viana Mendes, is an ex-dancer of a popular TV show in Brazil, Faustão. Janaína and João live in a penthouse in Rio de Janeiro, and have good relations with Ronaldinho and his family.

Despite all the fame and money, Ronaldinho is still

simple and humble. Interview

Q: What do you do with your money?

A: I give it all to my motherQ: So, your mother takes care

of your money?A: No, she doesn't take care of

it; the money is all hers.

Ronaldinho also declared: "Even if I were not paid anything to play, I would keep playing the same way".

Now ronaldinho is in the position #54 on all the celebrities in the ranking of more money earned.

He has earn $26 million dollars and this Brazilian soccer star set to plug sponsors like Nike at World Cup.

Besides having the most famous smile in the sports world, Ronaldinho is a world-class athlete.

He not only scores beautiful goals on a whim, but dances the samba while doing it.