Neymar's eminent move to Barcelona is undoubtedly the story of the summer. The long drawn out saga of the Brazilian's move to Europe has come to an end despite the fact that Neymar said he would remain with Santos until after the 2014 World Cup. Now that the move has been confirmed, it is time for Neymar to prove to the world that he can stand on his own on the same stage as the likes of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. It is time for him to show the world that Brazil still produces the best players around.
But while fans of the Catalan side can be excited by the prospect of having Neymar in their side, they must also wonder about how he is going to gel with Lionel Messi. The oft lauded Argentine is without doubt the star of the Barcelona side. Neymar must learn to coexist with a player of Messi's stature. He is about to join a team of established players who have been playing together for years. He is traveling on a road taken by other Brazilian stars before him. The difference between them being that those who came before him were the definite stars of the teams they played in. Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Ronaldo, and Romario were all the main players in the Barcelona teams they played in.
I'm convinced that Neymar is going to be a success for Barcelona. He will add an extra dimension to their play, but he has to learn to deal with the fact that every play is not going to go through him. He has to deal with the fact that he will not always get the ball. If Neymar can accept being second fiddle to Messi, then he just might last at Barcelona unlike Ibrahimovic.
Every single fan of the beautiful game on this planet has seen his or her jaw drop at the sight of Ronaldinho going on a mazy run with the ball. It’s often said that players who are trick ponies don’t often make the best players in the world, but Ronaldinho dispelled and destroyed that notion with his play on the field. A highly confident Ronaldinho doesn’t think about what he does with the ball at his feet, or his back, he just does it. And when he is done with a move, all the little boys and girls in the world go outside and practice.
Ronaldinho was born in Rio Grande in a small town where he was well known by the locals. His older brother Roberto was signed by Gremio when Ronaldinho was a child. Roberto’s professional career moved the family to a better neighborhood in Porto Alegre. The young Ronaldinho followed after his older brother in soccer, but he had more interest in playing Futsal. His experiences with Futsal helped him with his touch and improved his technique.
He began his career in the Gremio academy system playing for the youth teams. He got a chance to showcase his skills on the international stage in 1997 at the youth World Cup in Egypt. He would go on and score two penalties in that tournament. With his profile fast rising, the young Ronaldinho started looking for offers abroad. In 2001 he joined France’s Ligue One outfit Paris Saint Germain. At the beginning, the fans did not know what they were getting, but Ronaldinho soon wowed them with his skills and personality. Not since Jay Jay Okocha played at the Parc des Prince has a player brought so much panache to the fans. They were even more enamored with the player when they had their derby games against their biggest and oldest rival Marseille.
But Ronaldinho’s stay at Paris St. Germain was not the happiest moment in the player’s life or the fan’s. His partying ways started to creep into his performances. When he appeared to get too relaxed on the field and didn’t show the dedication the fans wanted, they turned against him.
Ronaldinho had a better time in the World Cup a year later when he helped Brazil win their 5th cup. The then unknown Brazilian became a media sensation when he scored a phenomenal goal against England. He caught David Seaman off his line with a deftly taken free kick.
After that wonder strike, it wasn’t long before the big teams of world soccer started knocking on his door.
Ronaldinho’s signing for Barcelona, marked the beginning of major success for the player and the club. With the famous number 10 on his back, Ronaldinho wowed fans and critics. Opponents applauded his moves and players all around the world tried to watch his technique and bravado. Such was his comfort on the Camp Nou field that he often bounced the ball off his back and pulled out stunt after stunt to the amazement of his opponents. He went on to win Fifa’s World Player of The Year back to back along with a host of other awards for his play on the field.
Though he would have a lot of success with Barcelona –winning the Champions League in 2006 and the League –and with Brazil –winning the Copa America –Ronaldinho’s stay with Barca was not without problems. Ronaldinho has proved to be the type of player who needs to be constantly challenged. With success attained and confirmed at Barcelona, the player started drifting towards the party lifestyle. When an injury kept him out of the team, Ronaldinho was spotted at clubs and bars, staying out late into the morning hours. This behavior did not sit well with the brass at Barcelona, and it created a rift between the player and head coach Frank Rijkaard who had been the player’s biggest fan.
When Barcelona had enough of his antics, they opened the door for the player to move elsewhere. Ronaldinho signed for Italian giants AC Milan, joining compatriots Kaka and Alexandre Pato.
Though many people have condemned his partying ways, no one is naïve enough to doubt his effectiveness in a game. Ronaldinho has singlehandedly won many games for his teams, but he has also proved to be an enigma to his coaches. There is no prelude in the form of a player that led to Ronaldinho’s success, but he has allowed legions of future players to believe they can truly express themselves.
