[drivemein]

As a World Cup legend finally hangs up his boots, Sportsmail pays tribute to... the original Ronaldo
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When his career began in the early 1990s there were other players called Ronaldo and two of them, a goalkeeper and a centre half, were in the Brazil squad; now his retirement has been announced in the time of another Ronaldo, the glitzy Cristiano.

Yet Ronaldo Luiz Nazario de Lima was such a footballer, such a global presence, that he became and remains the undisputed Ronaldo. It was just one of many achievements.

He hung up his boots yesterday at the age of 34 and the reaction around the world indicated just how special and important he was.

CRUZEIRO 1993: APPS................... 44 GOALS................ 4
PSV 1994-1996: APPS................... 57 GOALS................ 54
BARCELONA 1996-1997: APPS................... 49 GOALS................ 47
INTER MILAN 1997-2002: APPS................... 99 GOALS................ 59

This space could be filled with the torrent of individual and team honours Ronaldo amassed, but the fact he won the World Cup in 2002, having been part of the Brazil squad - at 17 - that also won it eight years earlier should identify his talent.

Ronaldo was named European Footballer of the Year in 2002 to add to the title he first won aged 21 in 1997.

In 1998 Ronaldo finished third behind Zinedine Zidane and it is with the France star that Ronaldo merits bracketing.

Diego Maradona effectively ended his playing career in 1994 and, in terms of all-time players, Ronaldo and Zidane are the bridge between Maradona and Lionel Messi.

REAL MADRID 2002-2007: APPS..................177 GOALS...............104
AC MILAN 2007-2008: APPS................... 20 GOALS.................. 9
CORINTHIANS 2009-2011: APPS................... 69 GOALS................ 35

He reached this elite despite defenders, despite his body and sometimes despite himself. On July 12, 1998, he was the most famous man on the planet. A satisfying explanation of the events of the previous evening, when Ronaldo was said to have suffered something akin to an epileptic fit as Brazil prepared to meet France in the World Cup final, has never emerged.

But Ronaldo was initially not on the Brazil team sheet at the Stade de France; then suddenly he was. France triumphed and the Brazilian Football Federation was accused of selling itself to sponsors Nike.

Ronaldo appeared in front of Brazil’s parliament to give his version. He played down the JFK-type intrigue.

But because of that, four years later in Japan, when Ronaldo guided in the goals that defeated Germany in the final, the World Cup was again absorbed by the striker born into poverty in Rio de Janeiro, whose father sold his son’s negotiating rights to three agents.

Ronaldo’s redemption became the theme of the tournament. The agents ensured he moved around, too. But they did OK: Ronaldo retires with Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and AC Milan on his cv.

Four years later in Germany, he broke Gerd Muller’s scoring record by reaching 15 World Cup goals. But Brazil were again beaten by France and Ronaldo, 29, never again played for the national side. He had acquired the nickname O Fenomeno and his Brazil scoring record was phenomenal: 62 goals in 97 appearances.

It was usually that way. At his first major club, Cruzeiro, at 16 Ronaldo scored 44 goals in 44 games. When he first came to Europe at PSV Eindhoven there were 54 in 57.

Bobby Robson then persuaded Barcelona to break their transfer record and Robson later recalled: ‘In my year coaching Barcelona I had the world’s best player.’

Robson went as far to say ‘as good as Pele’, adding: ‘Ronaldo could beat opponents
just like George Best. He reminded me of Diego Maradona the way he went past defenders. He was beautifully built, big but not muscle-bound.

‘Romario was lightning-quick over 10 metres but this boy could sustain his pace for 50.’

Marcello Lippi, who managed Ronaldo at Inter, emphasised that Ronaldo was always double-marked.

Real Madrid great Emilio Butragueno said Ronaldo could ‘create a goal opportunity where it does not exist’.

AND FOR BRAZIL: APPEARANCES..........................97 GOALS.......................................62
HONOURS: World Cup 1994, 2002; Copa America 1997, 1999; Confederations Cup 1997; Olympic bronze medal 1996.

The exceptional, ugly, beautiful, instinctive toepoke (above) summoned from nothing to win the World Cup semi-final against Turkey in 2002 encapsulated Ronaldo.

Older footage shows the slimline physique of the young Ronaldo whom Robson, and Jose Mourinho, adored.

But serious knee injuries took their toll, as did Ronaldo’s verdant lifestyle, and by 2006 he was ‘fat Ronaldo’, to differentiate him from the rising Cristiano.

‘I’ve lost the struggle against my body,’ Ronaldo explained on Monday. His last club were Corinthians.

That name is appropriate. Old Trafford understood the undisputed Ronaldo. The ovation it gave him following his Real hat-trick there against Manchester United in 2003 was stirring. And the memory of it yesterday was also appropriate.