Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima, or "The Real Ronaldo", as we tend to know him these days, was probably the first superstar footballer of the 21st Century.
He won the Ballon D'or three times, winning his first at just 20, before claiming it again the next year in 1997. He on his third, obviously, after his 8 goal World Cup in 2002.
The striker played 98 times for Brazil scoring 62 goals in the process, and was a member of four Brazilian squads that competed at the World Cup.
It wasn't all plain sailing though.
The World Cup Final in 1998 was a disaster for Ronaldo, with all kinds of rumours of illness and panic attacks attached to his poor performance in France's 3-0 win. It seemed to undo his amazing performances in the tournament up to then.
Following the World Cup, the striker suffered two horrific knee injuries which threatened to end his career altogether but, incredibly, he recovered in time for the World Cup in 2002 to not only inspire his country to victory, but to inspire the entire world with the kind of performances that made it "Ronaldo's World Cup".
The Brazilian recalled what was going through his head as he left the field in the final in an article for the Players Tribune,
So when I scored twice to put us ahead of Germany, I thought, This is it. Everything was right there … a World Cup trophy, minutes away from being ours … I had never felt anything like that on a pitch.
And then at the 90th minute, I was subbed off. It was the most incredible thing — what Luiz did for me — because I could see everything. I could take in the moment of what we had just done. As I walked off the pitch, I thought about the people who’d said I’d never be back. That I’d never play again. That I might never even be able to walk again.
This was 2002, and people were just getting cellphones. So when I looked around the stadium, I saw all these little white squares, like a disco. It took me a minute to realize what was happening. People had their flip phones pointed at me and they were taking pictures.
Nowadays, Ronaldo tends to be butt of jokes because of his now chunky frame, but in his pomp, he was an unstoppable force of pace, strength and clinical finishing in front of goal.
Medical treatments have come a long way in 15 years but his comeback from the two career threatening injuries at the time and to go on and win a World Cup for his country must be seen as one of the greatest sporting comebacks of all time.
Read the full article on the Players Tribune here
