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Ronaldo
Ronaldo Luis Nazário de Lima (born September 22, 1976), simply known as Ronaldo, is a Brazilian professional footballer who is widely regarded as one of the greatest players to have ever played the game. He plays as a striker for Brazil and the Italian club AC Milan. He has been nicknamed "The Phenomenon" (Portuguese: O Fenômeno, Spanish: El Fenómeno). He was named by Pelé as one of the 125 greatest footballers in March 2004.Ronaldo has enjoyed success at the international level, winning the 1994 and 2002 FIFA World Cups with Brazil. Ronaldo has won three FIFA World Player of the Year awards (1996, 1997, 2002). Ronaldo and former Real Madrid teammate Zinedine Zidane are the only two men to have won the award three times.Personal lifeRonaldo was born in Bento Ribeiro, a neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Like many of his friends, he began to play football in the streets of his neighborhood.In April 1999, Ronaldo married Milene Domingues. The marriage lasted four years and ended in divorce. The couple had a son, Ronald (born 2000). In 2005, he got engaged to Brazilian model and MTV VJ Daniela Cicarelli, who became pregnant but suffered a miscarriage; their relationship lasted 3 months after their engagement. He is currently dating Brazilian supermodel Raica Oliveira. Writer Andrew Downie asserted a correlation between Ronaldo's personal life and performance on the pitch, noting that his most prolific periods of goalscoring have coincided with the times when he was happily married. In 2005, Ronaldo became co-owner of A1 Team Brazil, alongside Brazilian motorsports legend Emerson Fittipaldi. The team participates in the newly launched A1 Grand Prix series, with Nelson Piquet, Jr., Tony Kanaan and João Paulo Oliveira as drivers.Football careerRonaldo's football abilities were first recognised when he was 14. He was recommended to the Brazil youth team by World Cup winner Jairzinho, who also arranged for his own former club, Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, to sign him when he was old enough for a professional contract.[citation needed]Ronaldo scored 12 goals in 14 games in the Brazilian National Championship, and in the Minas Gerais State Championship he scored all three goals in Cruzeiro's 3-1 victory against arch-rival Atlético Mineiro. After being scouted by Piet de Visser, he was soon transferred for US$6 million to PSV Eindhoven, where he scored 42 goals in 46 league games and reached a total of 55 goals in 57 official appearances. Later he attracted the attention of Spain's FC Barcelona. He played for Barça in the 1996-97 season, scoring 34 goals in 37 appearances (47 in 49, including appearances in the Copa del Rey and European Cup Winners Cup), and then transferred to Inter Milan the following year. As of 2006, Ronaldo is the last player to score more than 30 goals in 1 season in the Spanish La Liga.A year after the 1998 FIFA World Cup, he severely injured his right knee and was out of the game for several months. During his first comeback in 2000, he played only seven minutes during a league game against Lazio before injuring his knee for a second time.After two operations and 20 months of rehabilitation, Ronaldo came back for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, helping Brazil win their fifth World Cup title. Later in 2002 he won the World Player of the Year award for the third time, and transferred from Inter to Real Madrid for approximately €39,000,000, after frequent disputes with Inter coach Héctor Cúper. His transfer to Madrid was the subject of a media frenzy not just laced with the usual hype because of his reputation, but more so because he was now the third successive Galactico (or superstar) signed in as many years by the Spanish giants as part of their policy of signing the world's biggest superstar football players in order to maintain their levels of success whilst broadening their reaches of fame.Ronaldo was such a well-known signing that sales of his shirt on the day of his signing alone broke all records the world over. Proof of his fame came with the fact that even though Ronaldo was sidelined through injury until October 2002, fans continued to chant his name in the stands. Ronaldo scored twice in his debut for Real Madrid. That same reception was observed on the night of the final game of the season against Athletic Bilbao, where Ronaldo scored again to seal his first season with 23 league goals (not including the goals in the UEFA Champions League that included a hat-trick away at Manchester United - which the Manchester United fans gave him a standing ovation for, as he was substituted, which showed great respect for Ronaldo's ability) and the La Liga Championship title for 2003, which Ronaldo had previously failed to win whilst at FC Barcelona.On 18 January 2007 it was reported that Ronaldo has agreed terms with A.C. Milan for a transfer of about $7.8 million.Ronaldo was forced to pay for the remaining period on his contract which tied him to Real Madrid, only because the latter did not accept to release him, while AC Milan were not ready to pay such a sum. On Thursday, 25 January Ronaldo flew from Madrid to Milan to watch A.C. Milan in a cup tie against AS Roma. Statements on the clubs website said that Ronaldo was in Milan for a medical, and that a meeting had been arranged for Monday with Real Madrid officials to discuss and finalize his transfer to Milan. On January 26 Ronaldo successfully completed his medical tests at the Milanello training complex under the supervision of club doctors, and the transfer completed on 30 January[4] and got the jersey number 99. He made his debut as a substitute for Milan on the 11th February 2007, during the 2-1 victory over Livorno. The next game at Siena on 17th February 2007, Ronaldo scored twice in his first start for Milan as they won an exciting game 4-3.International careerRonaldo made his international debut for Brazil in 1994, in a friendly match in Recife against Argentina. He went to the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the USA as a 17-year-old but did not play. He was known then as Ronaldinho, since Ronaldo Guiaro, his older team-mate on the 1996 Olympic Games, was called Ronaldo. Another Brazilian player, Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, who is widely known as Ronaldinho, was then called Ronaldinho Gaúcho'Voted the FIFA World Player of the Year in 1996 and 1997, he scored four goals and made three assists[5] during the 1998 FIFA World Cup. The night before the final, he suffered a convulsive fit. He was initially removed from the starting lineup 72 minutes before the match but he requested to play and was later reinstated by coach Mario Zagallo. Ronaldo did not perform well and he was injured in a collision with French goalkeeper Fabien Barthez. Brazil lost the final to hosts France 3-0. Adrian Williams, professor of clinical neurology at Birmingham University, said that Ronaldo should not have played, saying that he would have been feeling the after effects of the seizure and that " there is no way that he would have been able to perform to the best of his ability within 24 hours of his first fit -- if it was his first fit." Ronaldo won the Golden Shoe as the top scorer in the 2002 FIFA World Cup with eight goals. He scored against every team he came up against except England in the quarter finals and scored two in the final against Germany, helping Brazil win their fifth World Cup title. He also equaled Pelé's Brazilian record of 12 World Cup goals, adding to the four he scored in the 1998 tournament.On June 2, 2004, Ronaldo scored an unusual hat-trick for Brazil against arch-rivals Argentina in a CONMEBOL qualifier for the 2006 World Cup, scoring all three of Brazil's goals from the penalty spot.Although Brazil won their first two group games against Croatia and Australia, respectively, Ronaldo was repeatedly jeered for being overweight and slow (Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva questioned the national coach "Ronaldo is fat or isn't he?"). Nonetheless, coach Carlos Alberto Parreira kept him in the starting lineup in face of calls to have Ronaldo replaced. With his two goals against Japan in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, he became the 20th player ever to score in three different FIFA World Cups. Ronaldo scored in the 1998, 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups. On June 27, 2006, he broke the all-time World Cup Finals scoring record of 14, held by Gerd Müller after scoring his 15th World Cup goal against Ghana in the 2006 FIFA World Cup Round of 16. He also equaled a much less talked about mark: with his third goal of the 2006 World Cup, Ronaldo became only the second player ever (Jürgen Klinsmann being the other) to score at least three goals in each of three World Cups. However, Brazil was eliminated by France 1-0 in the quarter-finals. During the game, he was booked for a handball when he and his teammates tried to deflect Zinedine Zidane's free kick. Though Ronaldo was criticized for his performance due to level of fitness and a few extra pounds, much of the blame went towards teammate Ronaldinho, who was partying after Brazil's defeat.As of July 1, 2006, he had scored 62 goals in 97 international matches. Following the 2006 World Cup, Ronaldo had surgery on July 16, 2006, to remove calcifications from his left tibia.
RonaldoRonaldo Luis Nazário de Lima (born September 22, 1976), simply known as Ronaldo, is a Brazilian professional footballer who is widely regarded as one of the greatest players to have ever played the game. He plays as a striker for Brazil and the Italian club AC Milan. He has been nicknamed "The Phenomenon" (Portuguese: O Fenômeno, Spanish: El Fenómeno). He was named by Pelé as one of the 125 greatest footballers in March 2004.Ronaldo has enjoyed success at the international level, winning the 1994 and 2002 FIFA World Cups with Brazil. Ronaldo has won three FIFA World Player of the Year awards (1996, 1997, 2002). Ronaldo and former Real Madrid teammate Zinedine Zidane are the only two men to have won the award three times.Personal lifeRonaldo was born in Bento Ribeiro, a neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Like many of his friends, he began to play football in the streets of his neighborhood.In April 1999, Ronaldo married Milene Domingues. The marriage lasted four years and ended in divorce. The couple had a son, Ronald (born 2000). In 2005, he got engaged to Brazilian model and MTV VJ Daniela Cicarelli, who became pregnant but suffered a miscarriage; their relationship lasted 3 months after their engagement. He is currently dating Brazilian supermodel Raica Oliveira. Writer Andrew Downie asserted a correlation between Ronaldo's personal life and performance on the pitch, noting that his most prolific periods of goalscoring have coincided with the times when he was happily married. In 2005, Ronaldo became co-owner of A1 Team Brazil, alongside Brazilian motorsports legend Emerson Fittipaldi. The team participates in the newly launched A1 Grand Prix series, with Nelson Piquet, Jr., Tony Kanaan and João Paulo Oliveira as drivers.Football careerRonaldo's football abilities were first recognised when he was 14. He was recommended to the Brazil youth team by World Cup winner Jairzinho, who also arranged for his own former club, Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, to sign him when he was old enough for a professional contract.[citation needed]Ronaldo scored 12 goals in 14 games in the Brazilian National Championship, and in the Minas Gerais State Championship he scored all three goals in Cruzeiro's 3-1 victory against arch-rival Atlético Mineiro. After being scouted by Piet de Visser, he was soon transferred for US$6 million to PSV Eindhoven, where he scored 42 goals in 46 league games and reached a total of 55 goals in 57 official appearances. Later he attracted the attention of Spain's FC Barcelona. He played for Barça in the 1996-97 season, scoring 34 goals in 37 appearances (47 in 49, including appearances in the Copa del Rey and European Cup Winners Cup), and then transferred to Inter Milan the following year. As of 2006, Ronaldo is the last player to score more than 30 goals in 1 season in the Spanish La Liga.A year after the 1998 FIFA World Cup, he severely injured his right knee and was out of the game for several months. During his first comeback in 2000, he played only seven minutes during a league game against Lazio before injuring his knee for a second time.After two operations and 20 months of rehabilitation, Ronaldo came back for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, helping Brazil win their fifth World Cup title. Later in 2002 he won the World Player of the Year award for the third time, and transferred from Inter to Real Madrid for approximately €39,000,000, after frequent disputes with Inter coach Héctor Cúper. His transfer to Madrid was the subject of a media frenzy not just laced with the usual hype because of his reputation, but more so because he was now the third successive Galactico (or superstar) signed in as many years by the Spanish giants as part of their policy of signing the world's biggest superstar football players in order to maintain their levels of success whilst broadening their reaches of fame.Ronaldo was such a well-known signing that sales of his shirt on the day of his signing alone broke all records the world over. Proof of his fame came with the fact that even though Ronaldo was sidelined through injury until October 2002, fans continued to chant his name in the stands. Ronaldo scored twice in his debut for Real Madrid. That same reception was observed on the night of the final game of the season against Athletic Bilbao, where Ronaldo scored again to seal his first season with 23 league goals (not including the goals in the UEFA Champions League that included a hat-trick away at Manchester United - which the Manchester United fans gave him a standing ovation for, as he was substituted, which showed great respect for Ronaldo's ability) and the La Liga Championship title for 2003, which Ronaldo had previously failed to win whilst at FC Barcelona.On 18 January 2007 it was reported that Ronaldo has agreed terms with A.C. Milan for a transfer of about $7.8 million.Ronaldo was forced to pay for the remaining period on his contract which tied him to Real Madrid, only because the latter did not accept to release him, while AC Milan were not ready to pay such a sum. On Thursday, 25 January Ronaldo flew from Madrid to Milan to watch A.C. Milan in a cup tie against AS Roma. Statements on the clubs website said that Ronaldo was in Milan for a medical, and that a meeting had been arranged for Monday with Real Madrid officials to discuss and finalize his transfer to Milan. On January 26 Ronaldo successfully completed his medical tests at the Milanello training complex under the supervision of club doctors, and the transfer completed on 30 January[4] and got the jersey number 99. He made his debut as a substitute for Milan on the 11th February 2007, during the 2-1 victory over Livorno. The next game at Siena on 17th February 2007, Ronaldo scored twice in his first start for Milan as they won an exciting game 4-3.International careerRonaldo made his international debut for Brazil in 1994, in a friendly match in Recife against Argentina. He went to the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the USA as a 17-year-old but did not play. He was known then as Ronaldinho, since Ronaldo Guiaro, his older team-mate on the 1996 Olympic Games, was called Ronaldo. Another Brazilian player, Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, who is widely known as Ronaldinho, was then called Ronaldinho Gaúcho'Voted the FIFA World Player of the Year in 1996 and 1997, he scored four goals and made three assists[5] during the 1998 FIFA World Cup. The night before the final, he suffered a convulsive fit. He was initially removed from the starting lineup 72 minutes before the match but he requested to play and was later reinstated by coach Mario Zagallo. Ronaldo did not perform well and he was injured in a collision with French goalkeeper Fabien Barthez. Brazil lost the final to hosts France 3-0. Adrian Williams, professor of clinical neurology at Birmingham University, said that Ronaldo should not have played, saying that he would have been feeling the after effects of the seizure and that " there is no way that he would have been able to perform to the best of his ability within 24 hours of his first fit -- if it was his first fit." Ronaldo won the Golden Shoe as the top scorer in the 2002 FIFA World Cup with eight goals. He scored against every team he came up against except England in the quarter finals and scored two in the final against Germany, helping Brazil win their fifth World Cup title. He also equaled Pelé's Brazilian record of 12 World Cup goals, adding to the four he scored in the 1998 tournament.On June 2, 2004, Ronaldo scored an unusual hat-trick for Brazil against arch-rivals Argentina in a CONMEBOL qualifier for the 2006 World Cup, scoring all three of Brazil's goals from the penalty spot.Although Brazil won their first two group games against Croatia and Australia, respectively, Ronaldo was repeatedly jeered for being overweight and slow (Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva questioned the national coach "Ronaldo is fat or isn't he?"). Nonetheless, coach Carlos Alberto Parreira kept him in the starting lineup in face of calls to have Ronaldo replaced. With his two goals against Japan in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, he became the 20th player ever to score in three different FIFA World Cups. Ronaldo scored in the 1998, 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups. On June 27, 2006, he broke the all-time World Cup Finals scoring record of 14, held by Gerd Müller after scoring his 15th World Cup goal against Ghana in the 2006 FIFA World Cup Round of 16. He also equaled a much less talked about mark: with his third goal of the 2006 World Cup, Ronaldo became only the second player ever (Jürgen Klinsmann being the other) to score at least three goals in each of three World Cups. However, Brazil was eliminated by France 1-0 in the quarter-finals. During the game, he was booked for a handball when he and his teammates tried to deflect Zinedine Zidane's free kick. Though Ronaldo was criticized for his performance due to level of fitness and a few extra pounds, much of the blame went towards teammate Ronaldinho, who was partying after Brazil's defeat.As of July 1, 2006, he had scored 62 goals in 97 international matches. Following the 2006 World Cup, Ronaldo had surgery on July 16, 2006, to remove calcifications from his left tibia.
Ronaldinho
Ronaldo de Assis Moreira (born 21 March 1980 in Porto Alegre) is a Brazilian footballer, commonly known as Ronaldinho Gaúcho (due to his being from the Rio Grande do Sul state of Brazil), or simply Ronaldinho. He became a naturalized Spanish citizen in January 2007.His name Ronaldinho (IPA, Brazilian Portuguese - [Portuguese for "little Ronaldo", was originally devised as a means of distinguishing between himself and fellow Brazilian football star Ronaldo, with the additional title Gaúcho being used when the current Ronaldo was also known as Ronaldinho. Among his many achievements and accolades, Ronaldinho has been awarded the FIFA World Player of the Year award twice (2004, 2005), as well as the European Footballer of the Year award and the FIFPro World Player of the Year award twice (2005, 2006).[1] He has downplayed suggestions that he is the best footballer in the world, telling FourFourTwo magazine, "I don't even feel I'm the best at Barça."[2]Early lifeRonaldinho was born in Porto Alegre, a city in the Rio Grande do Sul region of Brazil. Ronaldinho's mother Miguelina is a former salesperson who later studied to become a nurse. His father João was a shipyard worker and footballer for Cruzeiro. The family moved to a more affluent home in Porto Alegre when Ronaldinho's older brother Roberto signed to play professional football for Grêmio. João died when Ronaldinho was eight, after suffering a heart attack while swimming in the family's pool. This house was given to Roberto Assis as a present from Gremio to convince him to stay at the club. At the time, Torino were interested in him. Injuries ended Roberto's career prematurely, and he now manages Ronaldinho. Ronaldinho's sister Deisi works as his press coordinator.[3][4] Ronaldinho's son, named João after his father, was born on February 25, 2005. João's mother is Janaína Nattielle Viana Mendes, a former dancer on the Brazilian television show Domingão do Faustão.[5]In his childhood, Ronaldinho's skill in football began to blossom due to his particular interest in futsal and beach football, which later developed into a fondness for more standardised football. His first brush with the media came after he scored all 23 goals in a 23-0 victory against a local team, at just 13 years of age.[2] His reputation as a footballer was built up through his childhood, particularly since he was identified as a rising star at the Egypt 1997 under-17 world championship.[6] He scored two goals in the tournament, both penalty kicks.[7]Club careerGrêmioRonaldinho's career began in the youth team at Porto Alegre club Grêmio, under head coach Celso Roth, who only played him due to immense pressure from the Gremio supporters. His first senior appearance came in the 1998 Libertadores Cup,[8] and his penchant for goalscoring was quickly displayed, his career soon generating interest due to his phenomenal ball control and ability to score. This was followed by his introduction into the Brazilian national team in 1999.Towards the end of his career at Grêmio, in 2001, many clubs from all over the world, particularly Premiership teams in England such as Arsenal who tried but failed, were eager to sign him as an attempt to attain a player who was both a "big name" and was also performing well. Despite several generous bids from Premiership teams (who would not have been able to sign him due to work permit restrictions) and several requests from Grêmio (they offered £ 7000-a-week), Ronaldinho signed a five-year contract with Paris Saint-Germain FC, to which he moved at the beginning of the following season.Paris Saint-GermainIn 2001 Ronaldinho left Grêmio to play European football. Despite bids from much larger clubs,[citation needed] he opted to play for PSG. During his time at PSG, the manager, Luis Fernandez, claimed that Ronaldinho was too focused on the Parisian nightlife rather than on his football, and complained that his holidays in Brazil would always drag on and never end at the scheduled times.[8]After the 2002 World Cup, having shown his worth on the international scene, there was no shortage of interest from bigger clubs. In 2003, Ronaldinho made it clear he wanted to leave PSG after they failed to qualify for any European competitions. Ronaldinho's desire to leave set off a bidding war among the top European clubs (Manchester United and FC Barcelona the notable examples) for his services.[8] The club that ended up winning the battle for his services was FC Barcelona. Manchester United also wanted him, but he rejected it.BarcelonaRonaldinho in 2004.On July 19, 2003, FC Barcelona acquired Ronaldinho for £20 million.[8] Originally, Barcelona chairman Joan Laporta had promised to bring David Beckham to the club, but following his transfer to Real Madrid, Barcelona entered the running for Ronaldinho and beat Manchester United to his signature. It was thought that a failure on the part of the English and French clubs to agree on a fee was the reason Manchester United's deal fell through. Ronaldinho is also said to have signed with Barcelona instead of Manchester United because of his friendship with former Nike executive in Brazil and Barcelona's then vice-president in charge of sports, Sandro Rosell.[9] Ronaldinho's signing with Barcelona follows in the footsteps of a number of illustrious fellow countrymen who enjoyed successful careers with the club, including Romário, Ronaldo and Rivaldo.2003-04 seasonBarcelona quickly showcased the talents of their new striker in an exhibition match against AC Milan. The match took place in front of a crowd of 45,000 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. Barcelona had a 1-0 lead through most of the first half, and they increased their lead to 2-0 when Ronaldinho scored in the 51st minute. Having received a short pass from Xavi, Ronaldinho fired a shot that spun around Fernando Redondo and into the net, landing him his first goal for the club.After returning from injury in the first half of the campaign, Ronaldinho continued to justify his price tag by leading Barcelona to a second-place finish in La Liga during the 2003/2004 season.2004-05 seasonAlong with Samuel Eto'o, Deco, Xavi, Ludovic Giuly and Henrik Larsson, Ronaldinho comprised part of a strike force which helped bring the 2004-05 La Liga title for FC Barcelona. On December 20, 2004, Ronaldinho was named FIFA World Player of the Year ahead of Arsenal's Thierry Henry and AC Milan's Andriy Shevchenko. It was then that Barcelona rejected a £60 million bid made for him by Chelsea F.C., according to Sandro Rosell.[8] .In March 2005, Barcelona were knocked out of the Champions League by Chelsea in the first knockout round. Ronaldinho scored a penalty kick and an impressive solo goal in the 4-2 defeat at Stamford Bridge. [10] After the match, he was involved in a physical altercation with Chelsea stewards following allegations that the stewards had behaved in a racist and provocative manner.[11] Neither team was punished by UEFA, who downplayed the incident as "a very minor scuffle" and lacked firm evidence about the alleged racism.[12]In June 2005, Rosell resigned from the Barcelona administration following a bust-up with Joan Laporta, and it was feared that his resignation would spell the end for Ronaldinho and Barcelona's association as well. With Ronaldinho's contract running only into 2008, he was offered a contract until 2014 that would net him £85 million over those 9 years,[9] which he rejected. Later that year in September, he signed a two-year extension of his original contract on with FC Barcelona. The new contract contains a minimum fee release clause that allows him to leave should a club make an offer to Barcelona of at least £85 million for him.[13]2005-06 seasonOn November 19, 2005, Ronaldinho scored two solo goals to help FC Barcelona to a 3–0 win over arch-rivals Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid. After he scored his second goal of the night, his team's third, a large part of the Madrid followers gave him a standing ovation, a rare feat which had not occurred since Diego Maradona played for Barcelona in 1985.Ronaldinho taking a corner for FC Barcelona.In September 2005, Ronaldinho was crowned FifPro Player of the year, an award voted for by his fellow professionals. He was also named in the FifPro team of the year alongside the likes of Zidane and Maldini. In November 2005 Ronaldinho was named as both the European Footballer of the Year and the best striker in the 2004-05 Champions League. In 2005, Ronaldinho became the third Brazilian to win the Ballon d'Or. On December 19, 2005, he was again named FIFA World Player of the Year with 956 points, more than three times the 306 points of Chelsea's Frank Lampard, who finished second in the poll, and the 190 points of Barcelona team mate Samuel Eto'o who finished third. He was chosen for the UEFA team of 2005 for the third time running in January 2006.On March 7, 2006, in the 2nd leg of the Champions League first knockout round at Nou Camp, Ronaldinho avenged Barcelona's defeat to Chelsea in the same competition the previous year, running past the Chelsea defence to score. Although the game ended 1-1 with Chelsea equalling through a dubious penalty in the second half stoppage time[14][15], Barcelona progressed to the Champions League quarterfinal on aggregate(3-2), in which they beat SL Benfica 2-0 at Nou Camp (Ronaldinho having scored the first goal after missing an early penalty kick) after a goalless draw at the Estádio da Luz. In the first semi-final leg, against AC Milan in the San Siro, Ronaldinho once again proved his worth with a superb pass for the goal volleyed in by Ludovic Giuly, which brought Barcelona a 1-0 victory. The second leg game ended in a goalless draw despite a disallowed goal from Andriy Shevchenko in the 70th minute. The 0-0 result with AC Milan brought Barcelona to the 2006 Champions League Final in Paris against Arsenal F.C., who had not conceded a goal in ten Champions League matches, a competition record.On May 3, 2006, Barcelona were crowned 2005-06 La Liga champions after they beat Celta Vigo 1-0.On May 17, 2006, Barcelona became European champions after defeating Arsenal 2-1 in the Champions League final. In this match Ronaldinho was kept relatively subdued and the goals came from Samuel Eto'o and Juliano Belletti, who were both assisted by Henrik Larsson. Ronaldinho finished the season with 26 goals in all competitions, his best goalscoring tally ever. It was rumoured on the 3rd of August that Ronaldinho might move to AC Milan, but Ronaldinho denied it. On August 24, 2006, Ronaldinho was named Champions League player of the year for the 2005-06 season.2006-07 seasonRonaldinho celebrates a goal with Belletti and Giuly.On November 25, 2006, Ronaldinho scored his 50th league goal against Villarreal during a Spanish League match at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. In that same match he scored a second goal by an over head bicycle kick, after controlling the ball with his chest. He later said that it was a goal he had dreamed of scoring since he was a boy.[16]On December 5, 2006, Ronaldinho scored a low free kick against Werder Bremen in the first round of the Champions League to help Barcelona to a 2-0 win and send them through to the next round. He tricked the Bremen defenders by sending his free-kick under the wall, when his trademark is to bend it high, for Barcelona’s first goal and then picked out team mate Ludovic Giuly who passed to Eidur Gudjohnsen for the second.[17]On December 14, 2006, Ronaldinho inspired Barcelona to beat Mexico's Club America 4-0 by scoring one and setting up two other goals to book a spot in the final of the Club World Cup at Yokohama, Japan where Brazil lifted their fifth World Cup trophy in 2002.[18]On December 17, 2006, at the same Yokohama Stadium, Ronaldinho's efforts were not enough to beat his ex-rival team, the Sport Club Internacional, from Brazil. Barcelona lost 1-0 in the final. Ronaldinho won the Bronze ball award for the tournament.The next day Ronaldinho appeared at the World Player of the Year Gala in Zurich to claim third place in the 2006 FIFA World Player of the Year poll, behind the Italian World Cup winning captain Fabio Cannavaro and Zinedine Zidane.[19]In January, 2007, Ronaldinho was named among the UEFA Team of the Year for the third time in a row, receiving the highest number of votes in almost 292,000 nominations.[1]On January 28, 2007, Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti announced his intention to bid for Ronaldinhino in response to AC Milan's acquisition of Ronaldo just days before [20].International careerRonaldinho is one of few players to play at every footballing level, for he has played at under 15, under 17, under 20, under 23, and senior level. He made his first ever appearance for Brazil playing against Scotland on the 7th of March 1995 in an under 15s match, Brazil lost the game 1-0.Under 17 championship Egypt 1997Ronaldinho was part of the first ever Brazilian team to win the Under 17s championship. His first goal was scored from a penalty against Austria in the first group match, which Brazil won 7-0, and eventually went on to finish top of their group. In the quarter-finals Brazil beat Argentina 2-0, in which Ronaldinho was named the Man of the match after setting up his teammate Fabio Pinto and creating numerous scoring chances. In the semi-finals Brazil had there first game against a European team, they had to play Germany, Brazil won the match 4-0 and Ronaldinho scored the fourth goal with a penalty. In the final Brazil had to play reigning champions Ghana, the game went 1-0 up for Ghana just before the half time break, only for Brazil to win the game 2-1 with the second goal being scored in the 87th minute. During the six matches of the tournament Brazil conceded only 2 goals and scored 21. Ronaldinho was named one of the best players of the tournament, receiving the Bronze Ball award. After the under 17's championship, he debuted for the Brazilian national team on June 26, 1999 against Latvia in a game which Brazil won 3-0.Copa America 1999Ronaldinho first tournament participation with the Brazilian national team came in when he was included in the Brazilian squad that won the 1999 Copa América. He scored a goal against Venezuela in the 1999 Copa América, a game that the Brazilian team won 7-0.1999 FIFA Confederations CupRonaldinho was both top player and scorer in the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup. He scored in all of the games of the tournament including a hat-trick against Saudi Arabia in the semi-finals to give Brazil a 8-2 win. Although Brazil lost to Mexico 4-3 in the final in which Ronaldinho did not participate due to injury.2002 World CupRonaldinho played a part in Brazil's successful 2002 campaign to win the World Cup, forming the famed "3 R's" with Ronaldo and Rivaldo. He scored two goals in the tournament. One of the highlights was an unconventional 30-yard free kick he scored against England in the quarter-finals in Shizuoka. The ball lobbed over the English keeper David Seaman, who was out of position as he expected a pass into the penalty area, to make the score line 2-1 for Brazil. He was also the provider for Brazil's first goal which tied the match. However, he was sent off soon after for a foul on Danny Mills. Following the sending-off, he was suspended for the semifinal, but returned to Brazil's starting line-up for the 2-0 victory over Germany in the final.Ronaldinho playing against Switzerland2005 Confederations CupOn June 29, 2005, he played a pivotal role as the captain of the Brazilian squad that won its second FIFA Confederations Cup title, and was named Man of the Match in a 4–1 victory over Argentina in the final.2006 World CupIn the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Ronaldinho was a starting player for all of Brazil's five matches, but his performances were considered disappointing by both fans and commentators. He scored no goals and made only one assist (for Gilberto's goal in a 4-1 victory over Japan). When Brazil were eliminated by France 1-0 in the quarterfinal, he failed to make an impression.[21]Immediately after the World Cup disappointment, the team was criticized by many Brazilians, and vandals immolated and destroyed a 7.5-meter (23-foot) tall fiberglass and resin statue of Ronaldinho in the Brazilian city of Chapecó.[22] The statue had been erected in 2004 to celebrate his first election as FIFA World Player of the Year. Two days after the loss, Ronaldinho, joined by Adriano, returned to Barcelona and held a party at his home, which was continued into the early morning hours at a nightclub. This increased the feeling of Brazilian fans that they were betrayed by the lack of effort from their national team.[23] This reaction contrasted with other players such as Rogerio Ceni, who was ashamed of the game and said "some defeats are marked by struggle, but we lost in an infelicitous way, that wasn't what we had hoped for"[24] and Zé Roberto, who cried and said that "the unity that we had outside the pitch, lacked inside it".[25]After the World CupAfter the World Cup, he has played in three of five official matches under Dunga's command (one start and two substitute appearances). After coming off the bench against Ecuador, Ronaldinho excelled, creating the winning goal for Kaká and hitting the post twice.Business and triviaHe is a fan of Brazilian music, and occasionally plays the drums and sings with friends in Barcelona. In December 2005, Ronaldinho and Mauricio de Sousa, a famous Brazilian comic book author, announced the creation of cartoon characters based on Ronaldinho, his brother and his mother. In the UK, the comic is published exclusively in children's football magazine, KiCK!, while in Spain it is being published by Panini Comics and in Greece by Compupress. Ronaldinho appears in advertising campaigns for international companies Nike, Pepsi, ASPIRE, and Lenovo, as well as at least eight brands in Brazil, including Kibon.[26] Ronaldinho appears on the front cover of Electronic Arts games FIFA Soccer 06, FIFA 07 along with Wayne Rooney. He was also on the front cover of FIFA 06: Road to FIFA World Cup on the Xbox 360.[27] He has surpassed David Beckham as the most marketable player in the world, generating $57.8m (£30.8m) annually,[28] though still trails Beckham in estimated yearly income.[29] After playing a friendly match in Stockholm, Ronaldinho received a trophy rating him as the best Brazilian Player in history, according to a survey by Swedish television.[2] Ronaldinho played in the largest friendly soccer match hosted in the United States when his Barcelona team played Chivas Guadalajara at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.[30] Ronaldinho newly presented his new series of clothing; R10. He has created different clothing and a new boot. Ronaldinho shares his birthday with a fellow heroic Brazilian, the late Ayrton Senna He has endorsements with PepsiCo, Unilever, Nike, Grupo Santander and American Express. He broke a window in the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in 2004 while filming a commercial. He has been voted into the all-time favourite Gremio team in a survey conducted by the brazilian Placar magazine at the end of 2006.
Diego Maradona
Diego Armando Maradona (born October 30, 1960) is an Argentine former football player regarded by many as the greatest football player of all time. Maradona won various trophies with Boca Juniors, FC Barcelona and SSC Napoli over the course of his career. During an international career that included 91 caps and 34 goals, he played in four FIFA World Cup tournaments, leading the Argentina national team to its victory over West Germany in 1986, in which he collected the Golden Ball award as the tournament's best player. His second goal against England -- a spectacular 60-meter weave through six England players -- is commonly referred to as "The Goal of the Century."He was also considered one of the sport's most controversial figures. Maradona was suspended for 15 months in 1991 after a failed doping test for cocaine in Italy, and then again for ephedrine during the 1994 World Cup.After retirement from professional football on October 30, 1997, he suffered ill health and weight gain, along with ongoing cocaine abuse. However, a stomach-stapling operation helped control his weight gain. Since overcoming his cocaine addiction, he has become a TV host in Argentina. Soccer styleMaradona had a short, strong physique and could withstand physical pressure well. His strong legs and low center of gravity gave him an advantage in short sprints. His physical strengths were illustrated by his two goals against Belgium in the 1986 World Cup. Maradona was a strategist and a team player, as well as highly technical with the ball. He could manage himself effectively in limited spaces, and would attract defenders only to quickly dash out of the melee (as in the second 1986 goal against England),[6] or give an assist to a free teammate. Being short, but strong, he could hold the ball long enough with a defender on his back to wait for a teammate making a run or to find a gap for a quick shot.One of Maradona's trademark moves was dribbling full-speed as a left wing, and on reaching the opponent's goal line, delivering lethally accurate passes to his teammates. Another trademark was the Rabona, a reverse-cross pass shot behind the leg that holds all the weight. This maneuver led to several assists, such as the powerful cross for Ramón Díaz's header in the 1980 friendly against Switzerland. He was also a dangerous free kick taker.Early yearsDiego Armando Maradona was born in Villa Fiorito, a shantytown on the southern outskirts of Buenos Aires, to a poor family that had moved from Corrientes Province. He was the first son after three daughters. He has two younger brothers, Hugo (el Turco) and Eduardo (Lalo), both of whom were also professional footballers.At age 10, Maradona was spotted by a talent scout while he was playing in his neighborhood club Estrella Roja. He became a staple of Los Cebollitas (The Little Onions), the junior team of Buenos Aires side Argentinos Juniors.[5] As a 12-year-old ball boy, he amused spectators by showing his wizardry with the ball during the halftime intermissions of first division games.[8]Club careerMaradona's Boca 1981 match-worn shirt. In his first season with his favorite team, he won the Argentine Apertura Metropolitan league.Maradona made his professional debut on October 20, 1976 ten days before his sixteenth birthday, with Argentinos Juniors.[3] He played there between 1976 and 1981, before his £1.0m transfer to the club that he supported, Boca Juniors. Joining the squad midway through the 1981 season, Maradona played through 1982, and secured his first league title.After the 1982 World Cup, in June, Maradona was transferred to FC Barcelona in Spain for a then world record £5.0m.[3] In 1983, under coach César Luis Menotti, Barcelona and Maradona won the Copa del Rey (Spain's annual national cup competition), beating Real Madrid. However, Maradona had a difficult tenure in Barcelona.[9] first a bout with hepatitis An ill-timed tackle by Athletic Bilbao's Andoni Goikoetxea jeopardized his career,[3] but Maradona's physical strength and willpower made it possible for him to be back on the pitch after only 14 weeks. It is believed that it was while playing for Barcelona that Maradona was introduced to cocaine, to which he would become addicted.[10]The Napoli eraMaradona got into frequent disputes with Barcelona's directors, especially club president Josep Lluís Nuñez. In 1984, he demanded a transfer out of Nou Camp. He subsequently went to Serie A and SSC Napoli for another record fee, £6.9m, and became an adored star among the club's fans, as he elevated the team to its most successful era. Napoli won their only Italian Championships (1986/87 and 1989/1990), a Coppa Italia (1987), a UEFA Cup (1989) and an Italian Supercup (1990). Napoli were also runners-up in the Italian Championship twice, in 1987/88 and 1988/89.In Naples, Maradona was present for a transformation of the local club. They had traditionally been overshadowed by the teams from the industrial cities in the north, but Maradona's arrival (along with Careca and others) brought them a first scudetto in 1987.[3] A second followed in 1990, along with cup successes. However, Maradona also faced a scandal there regarding an illegitimate son; he was also the object of some suspicion over his friendship with the Camorra, the local mafia.Maradona left Napoli in 1992, after serving a 15-month ban for failing a drug test for cocaine. He played for Sevilla FC (1992–93), Newell's Old Boys (1993) and Boca Juniors (1995–97).[3] He also attempted to work as a coach on two short stints, leading Mandiyú of Corrientes (1994) and Racing Club (1995), but without much success. He retired from football on October 30, 1997, his 37th birthday.
International careerMaradona and the Youth World Cup trophy in 1979.He debuted with the Argentina national football team ("la selección"), at age 16, against Hungary. At age 18, he played the Football World Youth Championship for Argentina, and was the star of the tournament, shining in their 3–1 final win over the USSR team.1982 World CupMaradona played his first World Cup tournament in 1982. In the first round, Argentina, the defending champions, lost to Belgium. Although the team convincingly beat Hungary and El Salvador to progress to the second round, they were defeated in the second round by eventual winners Italy. Maradona played in all five matches without being substituted, scoring twice against Hungary, but was sent off with 5 minutes remaining in the game against Brazil for serious foul play.1986 World CupThe Hand of God incident in the quarter-final against England (Peter Shilton also shown)Maradona captained the Argentine national team to victory in the 1986 FIFA World Cup, winning the final against West Germany. Throughout the 1986 World Cup, Maradona asserted his dominance and was the most dynamic player of the tournament. He played every minute of every game, scored 5 goals and made 5 assists. However, it was the two goals he scored in a 2-1 quarter-final win against England which cemented his legend.Replays showed that the first goal was scored with the aid of his hand. Maradona was coyly evasive, describing it as "a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God." The play became known as the "Hand of God," or "la mano de Dios." Ultimately, on 22 August 2005 Maradona acknowledged on his television show that he hit the ball with his hand purposely, and that he immediately knew the goal was illegitimate. He recalled thinking right after the goal thatIn contrast, Maradona's second goal was a technically pure display of Maradona's astonishing dribbling ability. He picked up the ball in his own half, swiveled around and ran more than half the length of the field, dribbling past five English players: (Glenn Hoddle, Peter Reid, Kenny Sansom, Terry Butcher, and Terry Fenwick) and goalkeeper Peter Shilton. This goal was voted the Goal of the Century in a 2002 online poll conducted by FIFA. In 2002, the two goals were ranked 6th in the 100 Greatest Sporting Moments by the UK's Channel 4 television channel.Maradona followed this with two more goals in the semifinal against Belgium. In the final, the opposing German side attempted to contain him by double-marking, but he nevertheless found the space to give the final service to Jorge Burruchaga for the winning goal. Argentina beat West Germany 3-2 and Maradona lifted the World Cup trophy after dominating the tournament in an historic fashion.He later admited to being a cheat with his 'Hand of God' goal but claimed his goal was nothing more than 'an instinctive reaction'.1990 World CupMaradona captained Argentina again in the 1990 FIFA World Cup. An ankle injury affected his overall performance, and he was much less dominant than four years earlier. Argentina were almost eliminated in the first round, only qualifying in third position from their group. In the round of 16 match against Brazil, a Maradona run from his own half set up the opportunity for Claudio Caniggia to score the game's only goal. Argentina then faced Yugoslavia in the quarterfinal round, the match ending 0-0 after 120 minutes, and Argentina advancing on penalty kicks, despite Maradona missing one of the penalties in the shootout. The semifinal against the host nation Italy was also resolved on penalties after a 1-1 draw; this time, Maradona was successful with his effort. In the final, Argentina lost 1-0 to West Germany, the only goal being a penalty by Andreas Brehme in the 85th minute after a controversial foul on Rudi Voller. Many thought that this was the beginning of the end of Maradona.[12]1994 World CupAt the 1994 FIFA World Cup Maradona played in two games, scoring one goal against Greece, before being sent home after failing a drug test for ephedrine doping. In his autobiography, Maradona argued that the test result was due to his personal trainer giving him the power drink Rip Fuel. His claim was that the U.S. version, unlike the Argentinian, contained the chemical and that, having run out of his Argentinian dosage, his trainer unwittingly bought the U.S. formula. FIFA subsequently expelled him from USA '94 and the Argentinians, affected by his absence, went home in the second round. Maradona has also separately claimed that he had an agreement with FIFA, on which the organization reneged, to allow him to use the drug for weight loss before the competition in order to be able to play. According to Maradona, this was so that the World Cup would not lose prestige because of his absence. This allegation was never proved, and many fans attribute his comment ("they cut off my legs") to his anger at being suspended.Retirement and honoursIn 2000, Maradona published his autobiography Yo Soy El Diego ("I am The Diego"), which became an instant bestseller[13] in his home country. Two years later, Maradona donated the Cuban royalties of his book to "the Cuban people and Fidel."[14]Also in 2000, while Napoli was retiring the number 10 jersey in his honour, FIFA conducted a fan poll on the Internet, to determine the Player of the Century. Maradona, with 53.6% of the votes, was the clear winner. After Brazilian commentators claimed the voting was flawed (because a younger internet demographic would have seen Maradona play, but not Pelé), FIFA appointed a "Football Family" committee of football experts that voted to award Pelé the title. Maradona protested at the change in procedure, and declared he would not attend the ceremony if Pelé replaced him. Eventually, two awards were made, one to each of the pair. Maradona accepted his prize, but left the ceremony without waiting to see Pelé receive his accolade.[1]In 2001, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) asked FIFA for authorization to retire the jersey number 10 for Maradona. FIFA did not grant the request, even though Argentine officials have maintained that FIFA hinted that it would.[15]Maradona has won other fan polls, including a 2002 FIFA poll in which his second goal against England was chosen as the best goal ever scored in a World Cup; he also won the most votes in a poll to determine the All-Time Ultimate World Cup Team.Asociación Atlética Argentinos Juniors named the team's stadium after Maradona on December 26, 2003.On 22 June 2005, it was announced that Maradona would return to Boca Juniors as a sports vice president in charge of managing the First Division roster (after a disappointing 2004–05 season, which coincided with Boca's centenary).[16] His contract began 1 August 2005, and one of his first recommendations proved to be very effective: he was the one who decided to hire Alfio Basile as the new coach. With Maradona fostering a close relationship with the players, Boca went on to win the 2005 Apertura title, the 2006 Clausura title, the 2005 Copa Sudamericana and the 2005 Recopa Sudamericana.On 15 August 2005, Maradona made his debut as host of a talk-variety show on Argentine television, La Noche del 10 ("The Night of the no. 10"). His main guest on opening night was Pelé; the two had a friendly chat, showing no signs of past differences. In subsequent evenings, he led the ratings on all occasions but one. Most guests were drawn from the worlds of football and show business, including Zidane, Ronaldo and Hernán Crespo, but also included interviews with other notable personalities such as Fidel Castro and Mike Tyson.During 2006, Maradona remained aloof from day-to-day activities. He was seen mostly on game days, cheering the Boca from his private box in the Bombonera. On August 26, 2006, it was announced that Maradona was quitting his position in the club Boca Juniors because of disagreements with the AFA, who selected Basile to be the new coach of the Argentina National Football Team.[17]The award-winning Serbian filmmaker Emir Kusturica is preparing a documentary about Maradona's life, entitled Maradona. The film is currently in post-production, and its release is anticipated in 2007. Italian-Australian actor Marco Leonardi has been confirmed to play the prolific footballer in the film.In September 2006, Maradona, in his famous blue and white number 10, was the captain for Argentina in a three-day World Cup of Indoor Football tournament in Spain. Against Spain, Maradona set up the first goal for Argentina with a lob over the top of the defense for his teammate to head it home.Personal agentsJorge Cyterszpiller, a childhood friend, was Maradona's first agent. He set up Maradona Producciones but did not score any major successes with merchandising, as counterfeiters would quickly imitate any product that came on the market. On his advice, Maradona started charging for interviews, a move that generated some controversy.After breaking up with Cyterszpiller, Maradona hooked up with Guillermo Coppola, a bank employee who had started representing players as a hobby and was already a major agent in the mid-1980s. Coppola oversaw the biggest contracts of Maradona's career, but also was involved in the drug scandals of the early 1990s. Maradona and Coppola parted ways acrimoniously, and they still refer to the end of their relations as an "open wound".Personal lifeMaradona married long-time fiancée Claudia Villafañe on November 7, 1989 in Buenos Aires, after the birth of their daughters, Dalma Nerea (b. 1987) and Giannina Dinorah (b. 1989). In his autobiography, Maradona admits he was not always faithful to Claudia, even though he refers to her as the love of his life.Maradona and Villafañe divorced in 2004. Daughter Dalma has since asserted that the divorce was the best solution for all, as her parents remained on friendly terms. They traveled together to Napoli for a series of homages in June 2005[18] and were seen together on many other occasions, including the Argentina matches during 2006 FIFA World Cup.During the divorce proceedings, Maradona admitted he was the father of Diego Sinagra (b. Naples, 1986), as was claimed by the youth's mother Cristiana Sinagra. (The Italian courts had so ruled in 1993, after Maradona refused to undergo DNA tests for proving or disproving his paternity.) Diego Jr. met Maradona for the first time in May 2003 after tricking his way onto a golf course in Naples where Maradona was playing. [19]After the divorce, Claudia embarked on a career as a theatre producer, and Dalma is seeking an acting career; she has expressed her desire to attend the Actor's Studio in Los Angeles.[20][21]Drug abuse and health situationMaradona has had a series of health problems since retirement. Since the 1990s, Maradona has been battling a cocaine addiction, which included spells in Swiss and Cuban detox clinics. Between 2002 and 2005, Maradona spent most of his time in Cuba.On April 18, 2004, doctors reported that Maradona had suffered a major heart attack following a cocaine overdose; he was admitted to intensive care in a Buenos Aires hospital. Scores of fans gathered around the clinic. Days after the heart attack, a nurse was caught taking photos of Maradona with a mobile phone and was promptly fired by the hospital managers.After he showed improvement, Maradona was taken off the respirator on April 23 and remained in intensive care for several days before being discharged on April 29. He returned to Cuba in May.Maradona has always had a tendency to put on weight, and suffered increasingly with obesity from the end of his playing career until undergoing gastric bypass surgery in a clinic in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia on March 6, 2005. When Maradona resumed public appearances shortly thereafter, he displayed a notably thinner figure.Political viewsMaradona with the Argentinian president Néstor KirchnerDuring the nineties, Diego Maradona supported the presidency of neoliberal Carlos Menem in Argentina. In more recent years, Maradona has shown more sympathy to left-wing ideologies. He became friends with Fidel Castro while in treatment in Cuba. He has a portrait of Castro tattooed on his left leg and one of Ernesto Che Guevara on his right arm.[22] He has declared his opposition to imperialism, notably during the 2005 Summit of the Americas in Mar del Plata, Argentina. There he protested George W. Bush's presence in Argentina, wearing a Stop Bush T-shirt and referring to Bush as "human garbage".[23]ReputationEver since 1986, it is common for Argentines abroad to hear Maradona's name as a token of recognition, even in remote places.[9] In Argentina, Maradona is often talked about in terms reserved for legends. In the Argentine film El Hijo de la Novia ("The bride's son"), an actor who plays a fake Catholic priest says to a bar patron: "they idolized him and then crucified him". When scolded by a friend for taking the prank too far, the fake priest retorts: "But I was talking about Maradona".In Buenos Aires, fans organized the "Church of Maradona." Maradona's 43rd birthday in 2003 marked the start of the Year 43 D.D. - "Después de Diego" or After Diego - for its founding 200 members. Tens of thousands more[24] have become members via the church's official web site.Hounded for years by the press, Maradona even fired a compressed-air rifle against reporters who, so he claimed, invaded his privacy. This quote from former teammate Jorge Valdano summarizes the feelings of many:Maradona still generates controversy in England. In 1988, he played in an invitational game at London's Wembley Stadium celebrating the centenary of the English Football League. Maradona was part of the 'Rest of the World XI' playing against the English League XI. Each time that Maradona touched the ball he was subject to angry chants and boos from the crowd. It was reported that he received threats while in England.A columnist for the sports daily Olé welcomed Maradona's hosting a TV show in 2005, noting that "for the first time, he seems to have found his place in the world outside the football pitch".A television commercial for Brazilian soft drink Guaraná Antarctica portrayed Maradona as a member of the Brazilian national football team, including wearing the yellow jersey and singing the Brazilian national anthem with Brazilian caps Kaká and Ronaldo. Later on in the commercial he wakes up realizing it was nightmare after having drank to much of the soft drink. This generated some controversy in the Argentinean media after its release (although the commercial was not supposed to air on the Argentine market, fans became aware of it through YouTube.In May 2006, Maradona agreed to take part in UK's Soccer Aid (a program to raise money for Unicef). Maradona showed his skill with the ball and even scored a penalty.[26]

This morning i wake up at 12.00 I so tried because last night I come back from party with my friend last night I drunk a lot I can't remember what I do last night. That’s so terrible ,after I wake up I go to toilet to take a bath after that I very hungry I walk to find something eat after I finish I went back to my room and sleep again I sleep about 2 hour I wake up again because my mom call me I don't know what I talk with my mom because I so sleepy so I sleep again and wake about 17.00 this I and my friend have plan to play tennis together we go play tennis at Rama 3 road we play tennis for 2 hour after that we find something eat at central we eat Zen it is Japan food we love it after I went back to my room to shower and watch TV and then I sleep . This morning I wake up and know good new from my brother because we have plan to go Singapore in Christmas day when I know this new I thing about Singapore again, I really miss there. This year I went to Singapore 2 times before but it Ok for me because go outside better than in Thailand I though about in Singapore few moment and go to shower because I so hungry. After I finished shower, I invite my friend to have a breakfast but my friend told me he was so sleepy and need a time for take a bath then I give him ten minutes. After that he came to my room. We plan to eat something near my room. We decide to go BKK’s Grill, and then we walk to there. I decide to eat pork chop and fish’s steak. My friend order pork chop and fish steak same as me. During a meal we plan to go party again. I really love December because the air is so comfort and have many holidays. We plan to go Booze pub today. I loved there enjoy the music and dance. This shop has a live band and hip hop music. After I finished my breakfast I go back to my room. I have to prepare myself to have a class. I have class on 2pm, really lazy today. I change my suit then and go to study. I have 2 class today I will finish class at 7pm. Today teacher is too enjoy I don’t know why. After I finish my class, I go back to my room. I change my suit and take some rest. I sleep about 4 hour my friend phone to me. He told me woke up now. We have to go now then I woke up and go to take a bath again, ahh it’s too cold in the night. My room didn’t have a heater. It’s too cold!
I change my suit and go to meet my friend at the in front of my room, we take a taxi to booze pub, we didn’t ride a car to there because it has law about drunker we didn’t know how much we will drunk in one night so we think didn’t ride car it’s the best choice for us. About 10.30pm we arrive at booze It’s at eakkamai road use 10 or 20 minutes from my room. I love night live.
Today didn’t have many people, easy to have a seat. I think it’s near New Year
Many people take rest for that long weekend. Tonight I go with 4 people my brother come to join with us. He is a soldier. He like live band but didn’t enjoy with hip hop music. Today we didn’t drink a lot because tomorrow I have a class at 9.oo am, about 1.30 we plan to go back room. Before we go back home we think we will go to eat something, my mind told me it’s too fat that eat before sleep but my brain told me I’m hungry. We go to eat dim sum then
It’s delicious. About 2.30 I arrived at my room. I go to wash my face and go to sleep then. Today I have a terrible dream. Many people told me bad dream will bring good news I hope its true.
This day I wake up at 8.oo am I have class at 9.ooam. Today is a one hard day I have 5 subjects today; all of it will finish at 9.oopm. I go to take a bath after that I go to class its so sleepy today I sleep in class, lucky that teacher didn’t saw me sleep. About 12.20 my friend called me he is so hungry I told him meet me at niti’s noodle. We go to have lunch there. I eat 2 bowl of it,
2tomyum noodle. After I finish lunch I go to study again. I have a little late when I get in to class teacher smile at me. I know why lol. After I finish all class I go back to my room. We go to find something to eat again. I’, so tried today after I finish eating I go back to my room take a bath and play msn.
Enjoy my chatting with some girl and my friend. Today I go to sleep about 00.00
This day I wake up at 11.oo am. It’s good I sleep as well I really like sleep too much. I have class at 12.30 I just remember something. I have homework for this class too bad news. I phone to my friend and ask him, did you finish it already? He told me yes; I ask him for a little and do my work with his guide. It’s easy now I use about 20 minutes to finish it. Then I go to take a bath and change suit, after I finish all of it I go to class. I finish all of class about 7.oopm today then I go back to my room. My friend invites me to play basketball today. I didn’t like it but it’s good for my health. I said I will go with him. About 7.30 pm I go to play basketball with him, he is good of basketball player but I’m not good as him. About 20.30 I finish play basketball and go back to my room. My friend told me do you want to find something to eat with him? I said yes then I go back to my room take a bath and change suit.
After I finish it I go to call my friend at his room. We go to eat noodle near abac we eat a lot of it. Its use many energy for play sport. That’s why I eat a lot of food. After I finish dinner I go back to my room and get some exercise it’s good for my body, smart looking. After it I play msn chatting I talk with my friend again and then I play online game with my friend its name is warcraft3 I really like this game. Before I sleep I do my homework again. Today I go to sleep about 1.00am.
Today I wake up at 8.ooam, I have class at 9.ooam. I go to take a bath and change my suit, and then I go to find something for breakfast. I go to eat something after I finish eating I go to class. When I go to class I forget my homework at room so I run to my room and get it so tried. Today I finish my class at 2.oo pm, after I finished all of it I go back to my room. I want to see some movie. I called my friend, he will go with me. I told him met me at major ramkhumhang at 4.oopm we go to watch Eragon. It’s about dragon’s rider. It’s so funny. After I watch it I go back to my room. Today I have invited from my friend to go to nunglen pub. It’s on ekamai road. I go to there about 10.30pm, many people there. Today have many friend go to this party it’s about 8 person at my table. Its funny pub, it has a good live band but music is so bad for me, I don’t know why many people think its good music. Today I drink a lot because tomorrow I didn’t have any class, really like weekend. About 1.30 we plan to find something eat before go back home. We go to eat dim sum again, I like it. We eat a lot of it. Some of my friends have many jokes. They make me laugh a lot of time, good meal, funny and delicious. After I finished eating I go back room. My friend rides his car to send me at the room. His home is near my room. I’m so headache I go to wash my face and go to sleep then.
Today I get up about 2.00 pm. A long time sleep for me. I am so tired because of last night drunk, and I’m so hungry now.

Today (friday 10) after I finish learning Law of International Business Trans,I talk with my friend his name is Auky and he said today is friday night we should go somewhere to hangout,after that I and another friend talk about to go hangout and I plan to go Booze pub at soiTonglhor. In 9.30 pm I and firends in front of Booze pub. Booze pub is hiphop style and sometime there are live band. Tonight i and friends drink 4 red-lable I got drunk. After that we decide to find something eat and back to my room at 3.00 am.
On saturday I wake up at 2.30 pm because I got drunk last night but on thai day i have class on 2.00 pm i miss my class so sad. I sad about 10 minute my telephone have a call my brother call me and ark about my class I said to him class is cancle after I finish tall with my brother I go to shower and decide to find someting eat but before i go out side my telephone have a call from my brother again, he invite me to go siam for shoping and dinner I say yes. In
4.00 pm I arrive at siam i wait my brother about 10-15 mintue. After finish shoping and dinner my telephone have call agian from my friend, he invite me to hangout again I think about 1 second and I say yes to him. Now 20.00 pm i leave from my brother and call taxi to soi Thonglhor but this time I stay at Booze pub 2 hour becouse a lot of people in that pub i can't breath and I still drunk from last night i back to room and watch football then I sleep.
On sunday I wake up on 13.00 am this day I appiontment with my sister to go Fat Festival it is about concert after I shower finish. I go to Fat festival when I arrive I so excite becoure to many people and so many cute girl I like it very much. In Fat Festival many singer after I finish that I come back home. At 10.00 pm I and my borther go to Patpong and come back to my room prepare to learn in tomorrow.