Portrait of a gaucho from Argentina. Photographed in Peru, 1868

Gaucho (Spanish: [ˈɡautʃo]) or Gaúcho (Portuguese: [ɡaˈuʃu]) is a term commonly used to describe residents of the South American pampas, Gran Chaco, or Patagonian grasslands, found principally in parts of Southern Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, eastern and southern Bolivia and Southern Chile. In Brazil, gaúcho is also the main gentilic of the people from the state of Rio Grande do Sul.

Gaucho is a loose equivalent of the North American "cowboy" (vaquero, in Spanish). Like the North American word cowboy, the Chilean huaso, the Cuban guajiro, the Venezuelan or Colombian llanero or the Mexican charro, the term often connotes the 19th century more than the present day; then gauchos made up the majority of the rural population, herding cattle on the vast estancias, and practising hunting as their main economic activities.

There are several conflicting hypotheses concerning the origin of the term. It may derive from the Mapuche cauchu ("vagabond") ^[1] or from the Quechua huachu ("orphan"), which gives also a different word in American Spanish, guacho and Brazilian Portuguese gaúcho. The first recorded uses of the term date from around the time of Argentine independence in 1816.

History[link]

A Brazilian Gaúcho. Laçador Statue, Porto Alegre, Brazil

Dramatization of a fight between gauchos. Notice the ponchos wrapped around the arms, to function as shields against stabbing

Cattle were brought to the Pampas from Paraguay in 1580, by the colonial expedition of Juan de Garay.^[2] In the 18th century, the gauderios, who lived by hunting wild cattle, were recorded, most famously by the travel writer Alonso Carrió de la Vandera, when he passed through what is now northern Argentina.^[3] Commercial cattle ranching began in the second half of the 18th century.

Gauchos were generally nomadic, and lived in the Pampas, the plain that extends north from Patagonia, bounded on the west by the Andes and extending on the east to Uruguay and the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. These nomadic riders lived by hunting wild cattle. Most gauchos were of mixed Spanish, Portuguese and Amerindian (native American) ancestry. There are also gauchos of largely African or part African ancestry as well.

An inconclusive genetic study conducted by FAPESP (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo) in 2007 detected an Amerindian with a, perhaps, stronger Spanish than Portuguese admixture in Brazilian gaúchos. A small African admixture was also found.^[4] The area that is Rio Grande do Sul belonged to the Spanish Crown for over two centuries before it became a Portuguese possession in 1750 (Treaty of Madrid)^{[clarification needed]}. The results of the study were not conclusive, and raised questions that will require further attention. The study clearly showed that their MtDNA has much stronger affinities with Amerindian MtDNA in Argentina and Uruguay than with Amerindian MtDNA from other parts of Brazil and suggests that this is probably due to genetic ancestry from the now extinct Pampean Indians (Charrúa, Minuano).^[5][6]

Some gauchos were recorded as being in the Falkland Islands,^[7] and have left a few Spanish words in the local dialect e.g. camp from campo.

Culture[link]

Brazilian gaucho with typical clothing on 2006 Farroupilha Parade, in Rio Grande do Sul

Modern typical party of Gaúchos in Porto Alegre, Brazil

The gaucho plays an important symbolic role in the nationalist feelings of this region, especially that of Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. The epic poem Martín Fierro by José Hernández (considered by some^[8] the national epic of Argentina) used the gaucho as a symbol against corruption and of Argentine national tradition, pitted against Europeanising tendencies. Martín Fierro, the hero of the poem, is drafted into the Argentine military for a border war, deserts, and becomes an outlaw and fugitive. The image of the free gaucho is often contrasted to the slaves who worked the northern Brazilian lands. Further literary descriptions are found in Ricardo Güiraldes' Don Segundo Sombra. Like the North American cowboys, as discussed in Richard W. Slatta, Cowboys of the Americas, gauchos were generally reputed to be strong, honest, silent types, but proud and capable of violence when provoked. The gaucho tendency to violence over petty matters is also recognized as a typical trait. Gauchos' use of the famous "facón" (large knife generally tucked into the rear of the gaucho sash) is legendary, often associated with considerable bloodletting. Historically, the facón was typically the only eating instrument that a gaucho carried.

Also like the cowboy, as shown in Richard W. Slatta, Cowboys of the Americas, gauchos were and remain proud and great horseriders. Typically, a gaucho's horse constituted most of what he owned in the world. During the wars of the 19th century in the Southern Cone, the cavalries on all sides were composed almost entirely of gauchos. In Argentina, gaucho armies such as that of Martín Miguel de Güemes, slowed Spanish advances. Furthermore, many caudillos relied on gaucho armies to control the Argentine provinces.

The gaucho diet was composed almost entirely of beef while on the range, supplemented by yerba mate, an herbal tea-like drink rich in caffeine and nutrients. Argentine cooking draws influence from the simple but delicious recipes used in gaucho meals.^{[citation needed]}

Gauchos^[9] dressed quite distinctly from North American cowboys, and used bolas or boleadoras - in Portuguese boleadeiras - (three leather bound rocks tied together with approximately three feet long leather straps) in addition to the familiar "North American" lariat or riata. The typical gaucho outfit would include a poncho (which doubled as a saddle blanket and as sleeping gear), a facón (large knife), a rebenque (leather whip), and loose-fitting trousers called bombachas, belted with a tirador, or a chiripá, a piece of cloth used in the fashion—but not the function—of a diaper. In the wintertime, gauchos wore heavy wool ponchos to protect against cold. Nowadays, working gauchos are as likely to be found in overalls and wellington boots as in their traditional dress.

Just as the disappearance of the "Wild West" of the United States altered the character and employment of "cowboys," so too did the nature of gauchos become changed.^{[citation needed]} Those with urban and academic orientations typically continue to cling to an image of gauchos that is no longer accurate or consistent with contemporary rural environment.

Modern influences[link]

Gaúcho is also the common denomination of the current inhabitants of the Brazilian State of Rio Grande do Sul.

Gauchito (a boy in the Argentine colors and a gaucho hat) was the mascot for the 1978 FIFA World Cup.

In popular culture[link]

• Way of a Gaucho 1952 film starring Gene Tierney and Rory Calhoun.
• "The Gaucho" was a 1927 film starring Douglas Fairbanks. In it he plays the Gaucho, a heroic leader of a gang of outlaws that try to save a city overtaken by an evil general.
• La Guerra Gaucha was a 1942 Argentine film set during the Gaucho war against Spanish royalists in Salta, northern Argentina, in 1817. It is considered a classic of Argentine cinema.
• DC Comics owns two characters named El Gaucho. One was a Wonder Woman villain equipped with a flying robot horse and an electric lasso (from Wonder Woman #263) and the other one is an Argentinian masked hero (see Batmen of All Nations).
• Gaucho is the name of the 1980 album by American jazz fusion band Steely Dan, which featured a song by the same name.
• "Gaucho" is the codename of a soldier in Pallitoy's Action Force toyline. The figure was a repaint of the G.I. Joe Gung Ho figure. Gaucho was mistakenly listed as being of Mexican nationality, however.
• "Gaucho" is the name of a chain of upscale steak houses in London.
• Some teams are called the Gauchos, such as the University of California, Santa Barbara Gauchos athletic teams, the San Diego Gauchos and the San Diego Gauchos Women soccer teams, the sport teams that represent El Cerrito High School and the youth basketball program "New York Gauchos" managed by the non-profit organization Teamwork Foundation.
• The MTV show Wildboyz visited Argentina in one of their episodes and featured a skit where several local mounted Gauchos take down Steve-O and Chris Pontius, who are wearing a llama costume, using boleadoras.
• Gauchos of El Dorado was a 1941 American Western "Three Mesquiteers" B-movie directed by Lester Orlebeck.
• The Dave Matthews Band debuted a new song entitled Gaucho on 5/18/12 also releasing a studio version via email to fan club members on the same day.

Gallery[link]

• 

  Gaucho in authentic habiliments, including poncho, greatcoat, bombachas, chiripá, wide leather belt festooned with silver coins known as a rastra, long-bladed facon knife, and a rebenque whip, 1840's.

• Work17c.jpg

  Two gauchos in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1880.

• 

  Falklanders on horseback in 1936, mounted in typical Falklands style with the usual gaucho horse gear.

• 

  Folklore dance: Zamba, Argentina. Gaucho.

• 

  A Chilean gaucho herding sheep.

• 

  Emperor Dom Pedro II of Brazil in typical Gaucho outfit.

See also[link]

• Charro
• Estancia
• Stockman

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Gauchos

• (Spanish) Confederacion Gaucha Argentina
• (Spanish) Folklore del Norte Argentino
• (Portuguese) Movimento Tradicionalista Gaúcho
• (Portuguese) Página do Gaúcho
• Aldo Sessas – Gauchos
• Richard W. Slatta – Gauchos and the Vanishing Frontier
• Richard W. Slatta – Cowboys of the Americas
• The Gauchos- Horsemen of the Pampas
• The Gaucho Tradition
• Cowboys in the city - Buenos Aires's gaucho market - video
• site of Gauchos and traditional estancias

v t e National symbols of Argentina National flag  · Coat of arms  · Cockade  · Sun of May  · Himno Nacional Argentino (National Anthem)  · En unión y libertad (Motto)  · Logo  · José de San Martín (Father of the Fatherland)  · Effigy of the Republic - Gaucho (National personifications)  · Ceibo (National tree)  · Red Quebracho (National forest tree)  · Ceibo flower (Floral emblem)  · Hornero (National animal/National bird)  · Rhodochrosite (National stone)  · Pato (National Sport)  · Wine (National liquor)  · Asado - Locro (National dishes)  · Our Lady of Luján (Patron saint)

Ronaldinho

Ronaldinho with Brazil
Personal information
Full name	Ronaldo de Assis Moreira
Date of birth	(1980-03-21) 21 March 1980 (age 32)
Place of birth	Porto Alegre, Brazil
Height	1.81 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)[1]
Playing position	Attacking midfielder / Forward
Club information
Current club	Free agent
Youth career
1987–1998	Grêmio
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1998–2001	Grêmio	52	(21)
2001–2003	Paris Saint-Germain	55	(17)
2003–2008	Barcelona	145	(70)
2008–2010	Milan	76	(20)
2011–2012	Flamengo	33	(15)
National team‡
1996	Brazil U17	6	(2)
1999	Brazil U20	5	(3)
2000–2008	Brazil U23	10	(3)
1999–	Brazil	94	(33)
Honours Competitor for  Brazil Men's Football Bronze 2008 Beijing Team Competition
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 31 May 2012. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 31 May 2012

Ronaldo de Assis Moreira (born 21 March 1980 in Porto Alegre), commonly known as Ronaldinho (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʁonawˈdʒĩɲu]) or Ronaldinho Gaúcho,^[2] is a Brazilian footballer who is currently a free agent and plays for the Brazilian national team as an attacking midfielder or forward. He is a two-time winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year, awarded to the best player over the year. He won the award in both 2004 and 2005.

"Ronaldinho," the diminutive and term of endearment for "Ronaldo," is accompanied in Brazilian usage by the nickname "Gaúcho," in order to distinguish him from fellow footballer and countryman Ronaldo, who was known as "Ronaldinho" in Brazil beforehand. Ronaldo simply went by his first name upon his move to Europe, thereby allowing Ronaldinho to drop the "Gaúcho" and go by the name Ronaldinho abroad.

Prior to his move to Flamengo, he played for Paris Saint-Germain F.C., FC Barcelona and A.C. Milan. With the Spanish club, he won his first Champions League in 2006 and the Ballon d'Or in 2005. He became a Spanish citizen in January 2007.^[3]

He was also named in the FIFA 100, a list of the greatest footballers compiled by fellow countryman Pelé, and in the FIFPro World XI consecutively from 2004–2007.

Biography[link]

Ronaldinho was born in the city of Porto Alegre, the state capital of Rio Grande do Sul. His mother, Dona Miguelina Elói Assis dos Santos (daughter of Enviro Assis),^[4] is a former salesperson who studied to become a nurse. His father, João de Assis Moreira, was a shipyard worker and footballer for local club Esporte Clube Cruzeiro (not to be confused with Cruzeiro).^[5] He suffered a fatal heart attack in the family swimming pool when Ronaldinho was eight. After Ronaldinho's older brother, Roberto, signed with Grêmio, the family moved to a home in the more affluent Guarujá section of Porto Alegre, which was a gift from Grêmio to convince Roberto to stay at the club. Roberto's career was ultimately cut short by injury.

Ronaldinho's football skills began to blossom at the of age 8, and he was first given the nickname Ronaldinho because he was often the youngest and the smallest player in youth club matches.^[6] He developed an interest in futsal and beach football, which later expanded to organized football. His first brush with the media came at the age of thirteen, when he scored all 23 goals in a 23–0 victory against a local team.^[7] Ronaldinho was identified as a rising star at the 1997 U-17 World Championship in Egypt, in which he scored two goals on penalty kicks.^[8][9]

Today, Roberto acts as Ronaldinho's manager, while his sister Deisi works as his press coordinator.^[6][10] Ronaldinho became a father for the first time on 25 February 2005, after Brazilian dancer Janaína Mendes gave birth to their son, who was named João after Ronaldinho's late father.^[11]

Ronaldinho's 2005 Nike advertisement, where he is given a new pair of boots and then proceeds to juggle a football and repeatedly volley it against the crossbar of a goal and recover it without the ball touching the ground, went viral on YouTube, becoming the site's first video to reach one million views.^[12]

Club career[link]

Grêmio[link]

Ronaldinho's career began with the Grêmio youth squad. He made his senior side debut during the 1998 Copa Libertadores.^[13] In 2001, Arsenal expressed interest in signing Ronaldinho, but the move collapsed after he could not obtain a work permit because he was a non-EU player who had not played enough international matches.^[14] He considered playing on loan with Scottish Premier League side St. Mirren, which never happened due to his involvement in a fake passport scandal in Brazil.^[15]

Paris Saint-Germain[link]

In 2001, Ronaldinho signed a five-year contract with French side Paris Saint-Germain in a €5 million transfer.^[16] Upon his arrival in Paris, Ronaldinho was given the number 21 shirt and inserted into a lineup that included fellow Brazilian Aloísio and midfielders Mikel Arteta and Jay-Jay Okocha. Ronaldinho made his league debut for the club on 4 August 2001 appearing as a substitute in a 1–1 draw with Auxerre.^[17] Ronaldinho spent the majority of the 2001 portion of the season alternated between the bench and starter's role. He scored his first goal for the club on 13 October in a 2–2 draw against Lyon converting the equalizing penalty in the 79th minute after having come on 10 minutes prior.^[18] After returning from the winter break, Ronaldinho went on a tear scoring a goal in four consecutive matches to open the new campaign. He recorded impressive goals against Monaco, Rennes, Lens and Lorient. On 16 March 2002, Ronaldinho recorded a double in PSG's 3–1 victory against relegation strugglers Troyes.^[19] He scored his final league goal of the season in the club's 2–0 win over Metz on 27 April.^[20]

Ronaldinho was also influential in the 2001–02 edition of the Coupe de la Ligue, helping Paris Saint-Germain reach the semi-finals where they were eliminated by Bordeaux. In a Round of 16 match against Guingamp, Ronaldinho scored two second half goals in the game after having entered the match as a half-time substitute. Despite Ronaldinho's initial success with the club, the season was marred by controversy with Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Fernández claiming that the Brazilian was too focused on the Parisian nightlife rather than football, and complained that his holidays in Brazil never ended at the scheduled times.^[13]

Despite repeated rifts with Fernández, Ronaldinho returned to the team for the 2002–03 season with the player switching to the number 10 shirt. Though his performances in his sophomore season with the club were underwhelming compared to his first, Ronaldinho performed admirably with the club. On 26 October 2002, he scored two goals in Paris Saint-Germain's 3–1 victory over Classique rivals Marseille. The first goal was a free kick, which curled past numerous Marseille players in the 18-yard box before sailing past goalkeeper Vedran Runje. In the return match, he again scored in Paris Saint-Germain's 3–0 victory at the Stade Vélodrome. Ronaldinho was also praised for his performance in the Coupe de France when he scored both goals in the club's 2–0 win over Bordeaux in the semi-finals, which inserted Paris Saint-Germain into the final. After scoring his first goal in the 22nd minute, Ronaldinho capped the game in the 81st minute accurately chipping the ball at the 18-yard box over the head of goalkeeper Ulrich Ramé, despite Ramé being in a favorable position. For his performance, Ronaldinho was given a standing ovation by the Parisian supporters. Unfortunately for the club, Ronaldinho and the team failed to capture the form that got them to the final as the bowed out 2–1 to Auxerre due to a last minute goal from Jean-Alain Boumsong. Despite Ronaldinho's performances, the club finished in disappointing 11th place position. Following the season, Ronaldinho declared he wanted to leave the club after the capital club failed to qualify for any European competition.

Barcelona[link]

Ronaldinho with Frank Rijkaard at NASA's Johnson Space Center.

Originally, FC Barcelona president 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 outbid Manchester United for his signature in a reported EUR30 million.^[21][22] He made his team debut in a friendly against Milan at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington, D.C., scoring one goal in a 2–0 victory. After suffering from injury during the first half of the campaign,^[23] he returned and helped lead Barcelona to a second-place league finish.

Ronaldinho won his first league title in 2004–05, and was named FIFA World Player of the Year on 20 December 2004. In 2005, Ronaldinho received his second consecutive honour of FIFA World Player of the Year, beating Chelsea's Frank Lampard and fellow Barça player Samuel Eto'o. On 8 March 2005, Barcelona were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League by Chelsea in the first knockout round, with Ronaldinho scoring both goals in a 4–2 loss.^[24]

With his contract expiring in 2008, Ronaldinho was offered an extension until 2014 that would have net him £85 million over nine years,^[25] but he turned it down. In September 2005, he signed a two-year extension that contained a minimum-fee release clause that allowed him to leave should a club make an offer to Barcelona of at least £85 million for him.^[26]

Ronaldinho taking a corner against Celta Vigo in 2005

By the end of the 2004–05 season, Ronaldinho had started to accumulate a host of personal awards. He won the inaugural FIFPro World Player of the Year in September 2005, in addition to being included in the 2005 FIFPro World XI, and being named the 2005 European Footballer of the Year. Also that year, Ronaldinho added to his collection a second FIFA World Player of the Year with 956 points, more than triple the amount (306) of runner-up Frank Lampard. On 19 November, Ronaldinho scored twice as Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 3–0 on the road in the first leg of El Clásico. After he sealed the match with his second goal, he received a standing ovation from the Madrid fans.

Ronaldinho was chosen for the UEFA Team of the Year for the third consecutive time in January 2006, and he contributed one goal in Barcelona's elimination of Benfica in the 2005–06 Champions League quarterfinals with a 2–0 home victory. After a 1–0 semifinal aggregate win over Milan, in which Ronaldinho assisted the series' only goal by Ludovic Giuly, Barcelona progressed to the Champions League final, which they won on 17 May 2006 with a 2–1 defeat of Arsenal. Two weeks earlier, Barcelona had clinched their second straight La Liga title with a 1–0 win over Celta Vigo, giving Ronaldinho his first career double. He finished the season with a career-best 26 goals in all competitions, and was named the 2005–06 Champions League Player of the Year.

On 25 November 2006, Ronaldinho scored his 50th career league goal against Villarreal, then later scored a second time with an overhead bicycle kick. He later said to reporters that the latter was a goal he had dreamed of scoring since he was a boy.^[27] He scored once and set up two others in Barcelona's 4–0 Club World Cup win over Mexico's Club América on 14 December, but Barcelona were defeated 1–0 by Brazilian club Internacional in the final.^[28] Ronaldinho was nonetheless the recipient of the Bronze Ball Award for the competition.

The next day, Ronaldinho finished third in the 2006 FIFA World Player of the Year, behind World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro and Zinedine Zidane.^[29] Ronaldinho was named among the UEFA Team of the Year for the third straight time in January 2007, receiving the highest number of votes with over 290,000 nominations.^[30] He was forced to miss a charity match on 13 March due to an injury he had picked up several days earlier in Barcelona's 3–3 El Clásico draw with Real Madrid.^[31][32]

He played his 200th career match for Barcelona in a league match against Osasuna on 3 February 2008. However, his 2007–08 campaign as a whole was plagued by injuries, and a muscle tear in his right leg on 3 April prematurely ended his season.^[33] On 19 May, Laporta stated that Ronaldinho needed a "new challenge," claiming that he needed a new club if he were to revive his career.^[34] Manchester City owner Thaksin Shinawatra confirmed on 6 June that he was interested in acquiring him.^[35]

Ronaldinho and Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi each captained a team of international stars in an anti-racism exhibition match in Venezuela on 28 June, which ended in a 7–7 draw. Ronaldinho finished with a pair of goals and two assists in what would be his last match as a Barcelona player.^[36] In preparation for the 2010 Joan Gamper Trophy, Ronaldinho sent an open letter to the fans and players of Barcelona, stating that his best years had been the five he spent in the Catalan club.^[37]

Milan[link]

Ronaldinho playing for Milan in 2008

In July 2008, Ronaldinho turned down a £25.5 million offer from Manchester City^[38] to join Italian Serie A giants Milan on a three-year contract thought to be worth around £5.1 million (EUR6.5 million) a year, for €22.05M plus €1.05M bonus each season (€24.15M in 2010).^[39][40][41] With the number 10 already occupied by teammate Clarence Seedorf, he selected 80 as his jersey number.

Ronaldinho playing for Milan in 2010

Ronaldinho scored his first goal for Milan in a 1–0 derby victory over rival Internazionale on 28 September 2008. His first brace was in a 3–0 win over Sampdoria on 19 October 2008. He scored a 93rd-minute match-winner against Braga in the UEFA Cup group stage on 6 November.

He finished his first season at Milan with 10 goals from 32 appearances in all competitions. After a good start to the season, Ronaldinho struggled with fitness, and was often played from the bench to end a disappointing first season for Milan.

His second season did not begin on a high note, although he started nearly every match before finding himself on the bench again. After a while, Ronaldinho rediscovered his form and has been arguably Milan's best player in the season. He has changed his role from an attacking midfielder to a left winger, a more familiar role.

On 10 January 2010, Ronaldinho scored two goals against Juventus in an away match, sealing a 3–0 victory for the Rossoneri. In the following match against Siena on 17 January 2010, Ronaldinho scored his first hat-trick for Milan when he converted a spot kick, scored with a header from a corner and finished with a wonder goal from 20 yards out.^[42]

On 16 February, Ronaldinho played his first match against Manchester United in a Champions League game. He scored early in the game to give Milan the lead. Milan ended up losing the game 3–2, with a goal from Paul Scholes and two goals from Wayne Rooney.

As of 13 April 2010, Ronaldinho was the assist leader of Serie A with a total of 14 assists.^[43] On a less positive note, Ronaldinho missed three penalties in the 2009–10 season, to add to one botched kick the previous season. Ronaldinho ended the season scoring two goals against Juventus, Luca Antonini opened the scoring and Milan went on to win 3–0. It was Leonardo's last game in charge.

Ronaldinho against Real Madrid

Flamengo[link]

After being heavily linked with a move back to his childhood club Grêmio, Ronaldinho joined Flamengo on 11 January 2011 with a contract ending in 2014.^[44] During the transfer saga, many reports had linked the former World Player of the Year to joining different clubs such as Los Angeles Galaxy, Corinthians, Palmeiras and English FA Premier League side Blackburn Rovers. He was greeted by more than 20,000 fans at his unveiling at his new club on 13 January 2011.^[45] He scored his first goal for Flamengo in the 3–2 victory against Boavista on 6 February 2011.^[46] On 27 February Ronaldinho converted a second-half free kick for Flamengo to beat Boavista 1–0 and win his first piece of silverware with the team, the Taça Guanabara. Ronaldinho lifted his first trophy with Flamengo after curling in a right-footed shot over the wall in the 71st minute at Engenhão stadium. The goal gave Flamengo its 19th Taça Guanabara title, which earned the Campeonato Carioca title two months later, as the team also won the Taça Rio. On 27 July 2011, Ronaldinho scored a hat-trick in Flamengo's 5–4 away win against rivals Santos, after being 3–0 down inside the first 30 minutes.^[47]

International career[link]

Ronaldinho takes a corner kick during the 2006 World Cup

Ronaldinho is one of few Brazilian players to have played at every international age level. He was part of the first Brazilian team to win the FIFA U-17 World Championship in 1997, in which his first goal was a penalty against Austria in the first group match, which Brazil won 7–0. Ronaldinho finished with two goals and was awarded the Bronze Ball award as Brazil scored a total of twenty-one goals while only conceding two.

Ronaldinho with Brazilian President Lula

1999 was a busy year for Ronaldinho in terms of international play. He took part in the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship, scoring his first goal in Brazil's last group match. In the round of sixteen, he scored two first-half goals in a 4–0 win over Croatia, and finished with three goals as Brazil were eliminated by Uruguay in the quarterfinals. On 26 June, three days before the start of the 1999 Copa América, he earned his first cap for Brazil in a 3–0 win over Latvia, and he scored one goal during Brazil's victorious Copa América campaign. One week after the conclusion of the Copa América, he was called up for the 1999 Confederations Cup, in which he scored in every match except the final, including a hat-trick in an 8–2 semifinal rout of Saudi Arabia. Ronaldinho did not score in the final, which Brazil lost 4–3 to Mexico. He won the Golden Ball award for the best player in tournament as well as the Golden Boot award for the tournament top-scorer.

In 2000, Ronaldinho participated in Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia with Brazil U-23 team. Earlier that year, Ronaldinho led Brazil to win the Pre-Olympic Tournament, scoring nine goals in seven matches. However in the Olympics, Brazil was eliminated in the quarterfinal by Cameroon, who later won the gold medal. Ronaldinho appeared four times and scored only one goal, which came in the quarterfinal defeat by Cameroon.

Ronaldinho participated in his first World Cup in 2002, as part of a formidable offensive unit with Ronaldo and Rivaldo, who were also on the 1999 Copa América winning squad. He appeared in five matches and scored two goals, as well as contributing several important assists. His first goal came in the group stage match against China, which Brazil won 4–0. The second goal was a match-winning goal in the quarterfinal against England on 21 June. In the 50th minute, Ronaldinho took a free-kick from 35 metres, beating England goalkeeper David Seaman to give Brazil a 2–1 lead. However, seven minutes later, he was sent-off for a foul on England defender Danny Mills. He was suspended for the semifinal, but returned to Brazil's starting lineup for the 2–0 victory over Germany in the final as Brazil won the World Cup for the fifth time.

Ronaldinho against Switzerland's Xavier Margairaz

Ronaldinho's next international tournament was 2003 Confederations Cup. However, Ronaldinho did not manage to score any goals during the tournament as Brazil performed poorly and was eliminated in the group stage. The following year, he was left out from Brazil's 2004 Copa América squad, as coach Carlos Alberto Parreira decided to rest his stars and used a largely reserve squad.^[48]

He was the capitain of Brazil to its second Confederations Cup title in 2005, and was named Man of the Match in a 4–1 victory over archrivals Argentina in the final on 29 June. Ronaldinho scored three goals in the tournament and is tied with Cuauhtémoc Blanco as the tournament's all-time scorer with nine goals.

Ronaldinho at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Ronaldinho started in all five of Brazil's 2006 World Cup finals matches as part of a much-publicized "magic quartet" of offensive players, alongside Adriano, Ronaldo, and Kaká. However, the foursome finished with only five goals as Brazil disappointed as a whole in the tournament. Ronaldinho turned in his worst collective performance in his international career, going scoreless with only one assist, which was for Gilberto's goal in a 4–1 group stage victory over Japan. He was a non-factor as Brazil was eliminated by France 1–0 in the quarter-finals, in which Brazil had only one shot on goal for the entire match.^[49] The team was harshly criticized by Brazilian fans and media following their return home. On 3 July, two days after Brazil's elimination, vandals immolated and destroyed a 7.5-meter (23-foot) tall fiberglass and resin statue of Ronaldinho in Chapecó.^[50] The statue had been erected in 2004 to celebrate his first FIFA World Player of the Year award. That same day, 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 aggravated the hard feelings of many Brazilian fans, who believed that they were betrayed by the lack of effort from the squad.^[51]

On 24 March 2007, he scored twice in a 4–0 win over Chile, which marked his first goal since the 2005 Confederations Cup final and thus ended a scoreless streak that lasted nearly two years.^[52] He was not called up for the 2007 Copa América after asking to be excused from the tournament due to tiredness.^[53] On 18 October, he was controversially benched by Barcelona after he was late returning to Spain following Brazil's 5–0 friendly win over Ecuador. He and several Brazil players celebrated the win by partying through the night at a posh Rio de Janeiro nightclub. Ronaldinho left at 11 am the next morning, allegedly in the trunk of a car in order to avoid the media.^[54]

On 7 July 2008, Ronaldinho was named to Brazil's 2008 Summer Olympics squad as one of the over-age players.^[55] Barcelona initially blocked the move because of his then-upcoming Champions League commitments with the club, but the decision was later nullified following Ronaldinho's transfer to Milan, who in turn permitted him to make the trip to Beijing.^[56] Ronaldinho scored his only two goals in a 5–0 victory over New Zealand before Brazil were beaten by Argentina in the semifinal. Brazil finished with the bronze medal after defeating Belgium 3–0 in the bronze medal match.

Despite having returned to good form and being named as a member of the 30-man provisional squad that was submitted to FIFA on 11 May 2010,^[57] he was not named in Coach Dunga's final squad of 23 for the Brazilian squad in South Africa for the 2010 World Cup^[58] despite his deep desire to participate in the competition.^[59] Critics have claimed that the exclusion of players such as Ronaldinho, Alexandre Pato, Adriano and Ronaldo signals a move away from the classic Brazilian attacking "Joga Bonito" style of play.^[60]

In September 2011 he made his return to the national team under coach Mano Menezes in a friendly against Ghana, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1-0 win for Brazil. He then had solid performances in back to back friendlies against Argentina in the same month. In October he made great performance against Mexico in a friendly scoring spectacular free kick to equalize after Dani Alves got sent off. Brazil went on to win the match with a goal from Marcelo.

Career statistics[link]

Club[link]

As of 30 May 2012.^[61]

^ Other includes Brazilian state competitions and national super cups.

International[link]

As of 28 February 2012.^{[62][63][64][65][66][67][68][69][70][71]}

National team Club Season Apps Goals Brazil Grêmio 1999 13 7 2000 5 1 2001 3 1 Paris SG 2001–2002 9 3 2002–2003 9 2 Barcelona 2003–2004 5 2 2004–2005 16 11 2005–2006 8 0 2006–2007 7 2 2007–2008 7 3 Milan 2008–2009 5 0 2009–2010 0 0 2010–2011 1 0 Flamengo 2011 5 1 2012 1 0 Total 94 33

International appearances and goals # Date Venue Opponent Result Goal Competition 1999 1. 26 June 1999 Curitiba, Brazil  Latvia 3–0 0 Friendly 2. 30 June 1999 Ciudad del Este, Paraguay  Venezuela 7–0 1 Copa América 1999 3. 3 July 1999 Ciudad del Este, Paraguay  Mexico 2–1 0 Copa América 1999 4. 6 July 1999 Ciudad del Este, Paraguay  Chile 1–0 0 Copa América 1999 5. 15 July 1999 Ciudad del Este, Paraguay  Mexico 2–0 0 Copa América 1999 6. 24 July 1999 Guadalajara, Mexico  Germany 4–0 1 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup 7. 28 July 1999 Guadalajara, Mexico  United States 1–0 1 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup 8. 30 July 1999 Guadalajara, Mexico  New Zealand 2–0 1 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup 9. 1 August 1999 Guadalajara, Mexico  Saudi Arabia 8–2 3 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup 10. 4 August 1999 Mexico City, Mexico  Mexico 3–4 0 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup 11. 4 September 1999 Buenos Aires, Argentina  Argentina 0–2 0 Friendly 12. 7 September 1999 Porto Alegre, Brazil  Argentina 4–2 0 Friendly 13. 9 October 1999 Amsterdam, Netherlands  Netherlands 2–2 0 Friendly   14 November 1999 Sydney, Australia  Australia 2–0 0 Friendly (Brazil U-23/Olympic)   17 November 1999 Melbourne, Australia  Australia 2–2 1 Friendly (Brazil U-23/Olympic)   10 December 1999 Cuiabá, Brazil  Bolivia 3–0 0 Friendly (Brazil U-23/Olympic)   14 December 1999 Campo Grande, Brazil  Paraguay 3–3 0 Friendly (Brazil U-23/Olympic) 2000   12 January 2000 Florianópolis, Brazil  Trinidad and Tobago 7–0 2 Friendly (Brazil U-23/Olympic)   15 January 2000 Maringá, Brazil  Costa Rica 4–1 0 Friendly (Brazil U-23/Olympic)   19 January 2000 Londrina, Brazil  Chile 1–1 0 2000 Olympic Games qualification (Brazil U-23/Olympic)   23 January 2000 Londrina, Brazil  Ecuador 2–0 1 2000 Olympic Games qualification (Brazil U-23/Olympic)   26 January 2000 Londrina, Brazil  Venezuela 3–0 2 2000 Olympic Games qualification (Brazil U-23/Olympic)   30 January 2000 Londrina, Brazil  Colombia 9–0 2 2000 Olympic Games qualification (Brazil U-23/Olympic)   2 February 2000 Curitiba, Brazil  Argentina 4–2 3 2000 Olympic Games qualification (Brazil U-23/Olympic)   4 February 2000 Curitiba, Brazil  Chile 3–1 1 2000 Olympic Games qualification (Brazil U-23/Olympic)   6 February 2000 Curitiba, Brazil  Uruguay 2–2 0 2000 Olympic Games qualification (Brazil U-23/Olympic) 14. 23 February 2000 Bangkok, Thailand  Thailand 7–0 1 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification 15. 28 March 2000 Bogotá, Colombia  Colombia 0–0 0 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification 16. 28 June 2000 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil  Uruguay 1–1 0 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification 17. 26 July 2000 São Paulo, Brazil  Argentina 3–1 0 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification   9 August 2000 Ovalle, Chile  Chile 5–3 2 Friendly (Brazil U-23/Olympic)   12 August 2000 Florianópolis, Brazil  Chile 3–0 0 Friendly (Brazil U-23/Olympic) 18. 3 September 2000 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil  Bolivia 5–0 0 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification   14 September 2000 Brisbane, Australia  Slovakia 3–1 0 2000 Olympic Games (Brazil U-23/Olympic)   17 September 2000 Brisbane, Australia  South Africa 1–3 0 2000 Olympic Games (Brazil U-23/Olympic)   20 September 2000 Brisbane, Australia  Japan 1–0 0 2000 Olympic Games (Brazil U-23/Olympic)   23 September 2000 Brisbane, Australia  Cameroon 1–2 1 2000 Olympic Games (Brazil U-23/Olympic) 2001 19. 3 March 2001 Pasadena, United States  United States 2–1 1 Friendly 20. 7 March 2001 Guadalajara, Mexico  Mexico 3–3 0 Friendly 21. 28 March 2001 Quito, Ecuador  Ecuador 0–1 0 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification 2001–2002 22. 14 November 2001 São Luís, Brazil  Venezuela 3–0 0 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification 23. 27 March 2002 Fortaleza, Brazil  Yugoslavia 1–0 0 Friendly 24. 17 April 2002 Lisbon, Portugal  Portugal 1–1 1 Friendly   18 May 2002 Barcelona, Spain Catalonia 3–1 2 Unofficial friendly 25. 25 May 2002 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia  Malaysia 4–1 0 Friendly 26. 3 June 2002 Ulsan, South Korea  Turkey 2–1 0 2002 FIFA World Cup 27. 8 June 2002 Seogwipo, South Korea  China PR 4–0 1 2002 FIFA World Cup 28. 17 June 2002 Kobe, Japan  Belgium 2–0 0 2002 FIFA World Cup 29. 21 June 2002 Fukuroi, Japan  England 2–1 1 2002 FIFA World Cup 30. 30 June 2002 Yokohama, Japan  Germany 2–0 0 2002 FIFA World Cup 2002–2003 31. 21 August 2002 Fortaleza, Brazil  Paraguay 0–1 0 Friendly 32. 20 November 2002 Seoul, South Korea  South Korea 3–2 1 Friendly 33. 12 February 2003 Guangzhou, China PR  China PR 0–0 0 Friendly 34. 29 March 2003 Porto, Portugal  Portugal 1–2 1 Friendly 35. 30 April 2003 Guadalajara, Mexico  Mexico 0–0 0 Friendly 36. 11 June 2003 Abuja, Nigeria  Nigeria 3–0 0 Friendly 37. 19 June 2003 Saint-Denis, France  Cameroon 0–1 0 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup 38. 21 June 2003 Lyon, France  United States 1 –0 0 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup 39. 23 June 2003 Saint-Étienne, France  Turkey 2–2 0 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup 2003–2004 40. 10 September 2003 Manaus, Brazil  Ecuador 1–0 1 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification 41. 18 February 2004 Dublin, Ireland  Republic of Ireland 0–0 0 Friendly 42. 31 March 2004 Asunción, Paraguay  Paraguay 0–0 0 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification 43. 28 April 2004 Budapest, Hungary  Hungary 4–1 1 Friendly 44. 20 May 2004 Saint-Denis, France  France 0–0 0 Friendly   25 May 2004 Barcelona, Spain Catalonia 5–2 0 Unofficial friendly 2004–2005 45. 18 August 2004 Port-au-Prince, Haiti  Haiti 6–0 3 Friendly 46. 5 September 2004 São Paulo, Brazil  Bolivia 3–1 1 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification 47. 8 September 2004 Berlin, Germany  Germany 1–1 1 Friendly 48. 9 October 2004 Maracaibo, Venezuela  Venezuela 5–2 0 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification 49. 13 October 2004 Maceió, Brazil  Colombia 0–0 0 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification 50. 17 November 2004 Quito, Ecuador  Ecuador 0–1 0 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification 51. 9 February 2005 Hong Kong  Hong Kong 7–1 1 2005 Carlsberg Cup 52. 27 March 2005 Goiânia, Brazil  Peru 1–0 0 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification 53. 30 March 2005 Montevideo, Uruguay  Uruguay 1–1 0 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification 54. 5 June 2005 Porto Alegre, Brazil  Paraguay 4–1 2 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification 55. 8 June 2005 Buenos Aires, Argentina  Argentina 1–3 0 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification 56. 16 June 2005 Leipzig, Germany  Greece 3–0 0 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup 57. 19 June 2005 Hanover, Germany  Mexico 0–1 0 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup 58. 22 June 2005 Cologne, Germany  Japan 2–2 1 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup 59. 25 June 2005 Nuremberg, Germany  Germany 3–2 1 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup 60. 29 June 2005 Frankfurt, Germany  Argentina 4–1 1 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup 2005–2006   6 September 2005 Seville, Spain Sevilla FC 1–1 0 Unofficial friendly 61. 12 October 2005 Belém, Brazil  Venezuela 3–0 0 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification 62. 12 November 2005 Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates  United Arab Emirates 8–0 0 Friendly   30 May 2006 Basel, Switzerland FC Lucerne Selection 8–0 0 Unofficial friendly 63. 4 June 2006 Geneva, Switzerland  New Zealand 4–0 0 Friendly 64. 13 June 2006 Berlin, Germany  Croatia 1–0 0 2006 FIFA World Cup 65. 18 June 2006 Munich, Germany  Australia 2–0 0 2006 FIFA World Cup 66. 22 June 2006 Dortmund, Germany  Japan 4–1 0 2006 FIFA World Cup 67. 27 June 2006 Dortmund, Germany  Ghana 3–0 0 2006 FIFA World Cup 68. 1 July 2006 Frankfurt, Germany  France 0–1 0 2006 FIFA World Cup 2006–2007 69. 5 September 2006 London, England  Wales 2–0 0 Friendly   7 October 2006 Kuwait City, Kuwait Al Kuwait Selection 4–0 0 Unofficial friendly 70. 10 October 2006 Stockholm, Sweden  Ecuador 2–1 0 Friendly 71. 15 November 2006 Basel, Switzerland  Switzerland 2–1 0 Friendly 72. 24 March 2007 Gothenburg, Sweden  Chile 4–0 2 Friendly 73. 27 March 2007 Stockholm, Sweden  Ghana 1–0 0 Friendly 74. 1 June 2007 London, England  England 1–1 0 Friendly 75. 5 June 2007 Dortmund, Germany  Turkey 0–0 0 Friendly 2007–2008 76. 22 August 2007 Montpellier, France  Algeria 2–0 1 Friendly 77. 9 September 2007 Chicago, United States  United States 4–2 1 Friendly 78. 12 September 2007 Boston, United States  Mexico 3–1 0 Friendly 79. 14 October 2007 Bogotá, Colombia  Colombia 0–0 0 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification 80. 17 October 2007 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil  Ecuador 5–0 1 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification 81. 18 November 2007 Lima, Peru  Peru 1–1 0 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification 82. 21 November 2007 São Paulo, Brazil  Uruguay 2–1 0 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification 2008–2009   28 July 2008 Singapore  Singapore 3–0 1 Friendly (Brazil U-23/Olympic)   1 August 2008 Hanoi, Vietnam  Vietnam 3–0 0 Friendly (Brazil U-23/Olympic)   7 August 2008 Shenyang, China PR  Belgium 1–0 0 2008 Olympic Games (Brazil U-23/Olympic)   10 August 2008 Shenyang, China PR  New Zealand 5–0 2 2008 Olympic Games (Brazil U-23/Olympic)   13 August 2008 Qinhuangdao, China PR  China PR 3–0 0 2008 Olympic Games (Brazil U-23/Olympic)   16 August 2008 Shenyang, China PR  Cameroon 2–0 0 2008 Olympic Games (Brazil U-23/Olympic)   19 August 2008 Beijing, China PR  Argentina 0–3 0 2008 Olympic Games (Brazil U-23/Olympic)   22 August 2008 Shanghai, China PR  Belgium 3–0 0 2008 Olympic Games (Brazil U-23/Olympic) 83. 7 September 2008 Santiago, Chile  Chile 3–0 0 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification 84. 10 September 2008 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil  Bolivia 0–0 0 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification 85. 10 February 2009 London, England  Italy 2–0 0 Friendly 86. 29 March 2009 Quito, Ecuador  Ecuador 1–1 0 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification 87. 1 April 2009 Porto Alegre, Brazil  Peru 3–0 0 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification 2010–2011 88. 17 November 2010 Doha, Qatar  Argentina 0–1 0 Friendly 2011 89. 5 September 2011 London, England  Ghana 1–0 0 Friendly 90. 15 September 2011 Córdoba, Argentina  Argentina 0–0 0 Roca Cup 91. 28 September 2011 Belém, Brazil  Argentina 2–0 0 Roca Cup 92. 8 October 2011 San José, Costa Rica  Costa Rica 1–0 0 Friendly 93. 11 October 2011 Torreón, México  Mexico 2–1 1 Friendly 2012 94. 28 February 2012 St. Gallen, Switzerland  Bosnia and Herzegovina 2–1 0 Friendly