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Ronaldo: Brazil can be world champions
(FIFA.com) Monday 16 April 2012
Now 35 years of age, there is little that has not already been said about
Brazilian superstar Ronaldo. Indeed, the
lethal goalgetter's achievements speak volumes, with O Fenômeno the
all-time leading scorer in FIFA World Cup
history, the proud owner of two FIFA World Cup winners' medals, a three-time
FIFA World Player and two-time
Ballon d'Or winner.
Having overcome adversity aplenty - particularly in the form of a series
of long-term knee injuries - in order to write
his name large in the annals of world football, the prolific former front-man
is currently a member of the Management
Board of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Local Organising Committee (LOC).
Taking time out from his busy role, the man who plundered goals aplenty for
the likes of PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona,
Inter Milan and Real Madrid spoke to FIFA.com on issues including his glittering
career, the pressure on today's
Seleção and their chances of success in 2014.
FIFA.com: As part of the Brazil 2014 LOC, what are your expectations
for the tournament??
Ronaldo: We're very proud to be hosting the World Cup in Brazil. We're
going to have a great opportunity for
growth, which is what's most important for the population as a whole, because
there'll be huge investment in
infrastructure, airports, motorways, hospitals and hotels. There'll be a
legacy that will remain for the rest of our lives,
one that only a World Cup can provide.
How ready do you think A Seleção are for the
tournament??
Ronaldo: There's been a generational overhaul in the national squad,
which definitely isn't playing its best football
yet. And I think it's going to take more time still for it to peak. But between
now and 2014 there's time to find a
good level of consistency, competitiveness and become capable of being crowned
champions.
Neymar, Alexandre Pato and Ganso would appear to be the standout players
of this new Brazilian
generation. What's your verdict on this trio? ?
Ronaldo: They're three very young and very talented Brazilians who
are shining for their clubs. I think Neymar is
the most gifted and, at just 19 years of age, he's already got incredible
ability. He scores loads of goals and has
won Brazil over. The international experience he had against Barcelona [in
Santos' 4-0 final defeat at the FIFA
Club World Cup 2011] wasn't a good one, but I'm sure it'll have taught him
a lot. Pato, for his part, has already
proven his talent in Europe, while Ganso is also very good - he just needs
better luck with injuries.
"Leandro Damiao [would be 'the new Ronaldo']. He's tall, strong,
a very good goalscorer,
a threat in the air and skilful with both feet."
Brazilian legend Ronaldo names his successor
Do you think there's still room for experienced performers such as Ronaldinho
or Kaka??
Ronaldo: They're important players, of course. In terms of their role
out on the pitch, it'll depend on their form
and if they're playing their best football once the World Cup comes around.
But they've also got an important
role off the pitch, and their experience will be vital in a squad of such
young players.
Where would you rank the current Brazil side in global terms??
Ronaldo: We're not in the top three right now, but I do think we're among
the world's top five national teams,
even though we're not on fire at the moment. Making changes is never easy
and these new young players need time
to mature. There's no need to panic, they must be given time to get good
results.
If you had to pick out one player to tag as 'the new Ronaldo', who would
it be??
Ronaldo: Leandro Damiao, from Internacional de Porto Alegre. He's
tall, strong, a very good goalscorer, a threat
in the air and skilful with both feet. He'll play a big part in 2014.
Let's look back at your own playing days. You played in Brazil, Spain
and Italy, so where would you say
are the fans most passionate? ?
Ronaldo: I think that they're all football-mad countries, though they
enjoy the game in different ways. In Brazil the
stadiums are very old and in a lot of them the fans have to stand, and support
their team by jumping up and down
and breaking a sweat. Aside from the heat, it's not as formal as in Europe
and the atmosphere's more passionate.
In Europe, even though it's colder, the spectators also really make their
presence felt, particularly in big derbies,
which are a great spectacle.
Based on your own experience, how would you compare European and Brazilian
club football??
Ronaldo: The European game continues to be faster, more competitive
and harder-fought than in Brazil, where it's
still in our culture to play a slower and more controlled style of football.
The game has changed everywhere and that's
something we've got to get to grips with. I think that the standard in Europe
is better than anywhere else. However, I
think that once the World Cup is over, and thanks to the new stadiums and
improved infrastructure, this change will
take place in Brazil too.
Of all the teams you've played for, which have remained closest to your
heart? ?
Ronaldo: I look back at my time at Real Madrid with a lot of affection,
I think it was the best period of my career.
I also really enjoyed it at Inter, I fell in love with the team and the city
of Milan. But wherever I played I made a lot
of friends and had a great time.
Looking back at your early career, how important was it for you to travel
to USA 1994 at just 17 years of age??
It was very important. Seeing players of the calibre of Romario and Bebeto
up close had a real impact on my future. I was
able to learn from them, look out for the small details, how they trained,
how they found their focus. Romario used to
boss me about, getting me to fetch his boots and his coffee, as if I was
a youth-team player! But he'd always treat me
with respect, that was just the pecking order in the side.
"I'd go with Taffarel; Cafu, Aldair, Lucio, Roberto Carlos; Junior,
Zico, Rivelino; Pele,
Romario and me, of course!"
Ronaldo names his all-time Brazil XI
By France 1998 you had made a starting berth your own, though the team
went on to lose in the Final against
the hosts. What feelings does that experience stir in you??
Ronaldo: I've got very good memories of 1998. We had a spectacular
World Cup until the Final, when we played
really poorly against France. But I prefer to remember the atmosphere that
day. I tried to play well in that match, we all
did, but it's very tough to play a World Cup Final against the host nation,
particularly when [Zinedine] Zidane is enjoying
an inspired evening. Later on when we were team-mates he'd wind me up about
that, but of course I got my own back
in 2002, when we won the title and they went home after the first round.
Tell us more about your experiences at Korea/Japan 2002
?
Ronaldo: I got injured and there were doubts as to whether I'd be ready
in time. But as soon as I started playing our
warm-up friendlies I knew we were going to have a great World Cup. We had
a really top side, which was very solid,
very united and ended up being very effective. That was the best Brazil team
I played in; we had quality to spare in
every area. Moreover, it's my greatest memory, because you simply can't describe
what it's like to win a World Cup.
Coming back to the present day, which team do you like most at the
moment??
Ronaldo: I'm Merengue and I really like the way Madrid are playing, but
you can't ignore Barcelona, who have a
fantastic team. They may not be the most spectacular, but they make everything
look so simple. Every single player in
every area of the side knows what they have to do at any given time, then
you've got their ability to keep hold of the ball
and the way they patiently work their way towards the opposition goal. The
great job that [Pep] Guardiola's done shines
through: it's one of the best teams I've seen in my 35 years on the planet.
It hurts to say that, since I'm Madridista, but I
still think we can pip them to some titles this year.
When you see them play, does it make you want to slip your boots on once
more??
Ronaldo: No, no! (laughs) I enjoyed my time as a player and now I'm enjoying
myself as a fan.
Finally, which players would be included in your all-time Brazil
XI??
Ronaldo: That's a tough one, but I'd go with Taffarel; Cafu, Aldair,
Lucio, Roberto Carlos; Junior, Zico, Rivelino;
Pele, Romario and me, of course! It's a very attacking team! Everyone would
be bombing forward! (laughs)
Source: FIFA.COM