WEBVTT - Ronaldo: The Phenomenon

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<v Speaker 1>In soccer, the best, most efficient form of myth making

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<v Speaker 1>happens at the FIFA World Cup. It's been this way

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<v Speaker 1>since nineteen thirty and every four years since. The World

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<v Speaker 1>Cup has grown into a behemoth since that time, with

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<v Speaker 1>a global audience of three point five billion people. That's

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<v Speaker 1>right billion with a B. That's a third of the

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<v Speaker 1>world turning into the crescendo of its most popular sport.

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<v Speaker 1>I've been a soccer fan since the day I was born,

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<v Speaker 1>when my dad made me a card carrying socio of

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<v Speaker 1>Real Madrid. In the decades since, I've woken up at

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<v Speaker 1>all hours to watch laggy, illegal streams and now CRISP

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<v Speaker 1>four K broadcasts of games. I treked around South Africa

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<v Speaker 1>to watch my country, Spain finally win the World Cup.

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<v Speaker 1>Been two thousand and ten. I'm Nando Vila and this

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<v Speaker 1>is the best soccer podcast in the world, a new

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<v Speaker 1>show that tells stories that spill well beyond the field,

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<v Speaker 1>from legendary players to silly hairdos to heart wrenching finals.

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<v Speaker 1>Here on the best soccer podcast in the world, We're

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<v Speaker 1>going to relive all of the most iconic World Cup

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<v Speaker 1>moments throughout soccer's extensive history. Alone goes with him. But

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<v Speaker 1>it's still Ronaldo, Yes, wanted to say, wonderful. I never

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<v Speaker 1>sink take a breath Soccer, like all of existence comes

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<v Speaker 1>down to just a series of breaths in out goal

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<v Speaker 1>save No. One's career was defined by breaths as much

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<v Speaker 1>as Ronaldo Nazario Dalima, the steady sniper exhales while shooting

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<v Speaker 1>the puffed out cheeks as he turned on the afterburners

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<v Speaker 1>to power past his marker yet again. The pause just

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<v Speaker 1>before the finish and now the breakout is all let

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<v Speaker 1>bike do Gary and Brazil struck me to get cracked.

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<v Speaker 1>Vi Era vanielt today many day high break citizen Paris,

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<v Speaker 1>But welcome Mr pros and those few cursed gasps. When

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<v Speaker 1>he couldn't breathe during a seizure that nearly took his

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<v Speaker 1>life and robbed Brazil of a World Cup, I had conversion,

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<v Speaker 1>and I was saying for three or four minutes, you

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<v Speaker 1>string all those breaths together and you have a career

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<v Speaker 1>A player who could literally take your breath away when

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<v Speaker 1>he was at full sprint. In a few short years,

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<v Speaker 1>he transformed himself from Ronaldinho as he was known when

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<v Speaker 1>he was a youngster to el phenomenon, the nickname he's

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<v Speaker 1>most remembered by. It's hard to describe just how good

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<v Speaker 1>Ronaldo was in his prime. Ronaldo was one of soccer's

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<v Speaker 1>chosen ones. Regardless of the many matches he missed through injury.

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<v Speaker 1>What would he have become without all those lengthy setbacks?

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<v Speaker 1>And perhaps the most tantalizing question, what would have happened

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<v Speaker 1>had he not collapsed before that final? When you're there

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<v Speaker 1>and you believe the competition, it's a lot of oppression.

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<v Speaker 1>Doctors called me in to another room and that will

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<v Speaker 1>not play, and I say, no, it's not possible. I

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<v Speaker 1>want to play. It is, without a doubt, one of

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<v Speaker 1>soccer's greatest mysteries. Ronaldo's story feels like it was scripted

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<v Speaker 1>by soccer's best screenwriter, his tail tying together the bitterness

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<v Speaker 1>of his injuries and the suffering required to overcome them,

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<v Speaker 1>driven forward by his love of the goal. Ronaldo want

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<v Speaker 1>to run. This is danger, Ronaldo into the area. Naldo,

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<v Speaker 1>how does he do that? The drama of defeat deepened

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<v Speaker 1>by the mystery of an episode that to this day

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<v Speaker 1>remains unexplained, and sure why not? The eventual redemption that

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<v Speaker 1>every hero deserves. Today we bring you the story of

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<v Speaker 1>a striker who was half man, replete with mistakes, carnal

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<v Speaker 1>sins and physical frailty, and half God, given his otherworldly

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<v Speaker 1>ability to score without further ado, we give you Ronaldo,

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<v Speaker 1>the Demigod of goals. The way that he played was

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<v Speaker 1>one of pure joy. I was with him a few

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<v Speaker 1>months ago at a FIFA event and he has not

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<v Speaker 1>lost that, that joy of life. And while there was

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<v Speaker 1>you know, certainly a a machine like moment to him,

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<v Speaker 1>he would try stuff and try stuff that others wouldn't

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<v Speaker 1>even think to try, and also have the audacity the

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<v Speaker 1>goal and the confidence that it was going to work out.

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<v Speaker 1>This is Alexei Lawless, a former player for the US

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<v Speaker 1>men's national team and now a pundit for Fox Sports.

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<v Speaker 1>The difference between him is not only did he try stuff,

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<v Speaker 1>but he saw things that others wouldn't see. He tried

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<v Speaker 1>things that others wouldn't try, and more often than not

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<v Speaker 1>it worked out well and he was successful when others

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<v Speaker 1>would fail, and that, you know, that's what made him great.

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<v Speaker 1>But he did it with you know, he did it

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<v Speaker 1>with just a beauty but also just there was just

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<v Speaker 1>there was love and there was romance in the way

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<v Speaker 1>that that he's slalomed and his balance and his shifting

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<v Speaker 1>of his weight. Um, it was beautiful. But Sado got

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<v Speaker 1>his start with Sukari Stival, where he was discovered by Zadezine,

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<v Speaker 1>one of the best right wingers of all time and

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<v Speaker 1>a key figure on the legendary nineteen seventy Brazil national team.

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<v Speaker 1>Jazino spotted a talented kid from the club's youth system

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<v Speaker 1>and promoted him. Ronaldo, who was known as Ronaldinho at

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<v Speaker 1>that point, soaked up wisdom from his mentor. One of

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<v Speaker 1>the most renowned teams in Brazil, Group Crusado, snapped him up.

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<v Speaker 1>He made a difference in the from the very beginning.

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<v Speaker 1>His outstanding displays and his consistent scoring naturally drew the

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<v Speaker 1>attention of the man in charge of the Brazilian national team.

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<v Speaker 1>At seventeen years old, Ronaldo was living the dream he

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<v Speaker 1>would represent the most legendary national team During the nineteen

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<v Speaker 1>ninety four USA World Cup, and even though he didn't

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<v Speaker 1>play a single minute, Ronaldo participated in the collective success

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<v Speaker 1>as Brazil conquered the world to win the Cup for

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<v Speaker 1>the fourth time. Who has to score, really has bought

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<v Speaker 1>a team to the part even if he didn't play

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<v Speaker 1>in the in the Cup. This is Daniel Edwards, a

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<v Speaker 1>writer covering South American soccer for Goal, among other places.

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<v Speaker 1>He was already making a lot of headlines before the

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<v Speaker 1>World Cup. He had a ridiculous scoring record for Crusader

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<v Speaker 1>and then after the Cup he catches the eye of

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<v Speaker 1>PSV in the Netherlands. Guys over there he was still

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<v Speaker 1>on the eighteen nineteen years old came under the wing

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<v Speaker 1>of Bobby Robson, the late Bobby Robson, one of one

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<v Speaker 1>of the most revered coaches in English football. Ronaldo did

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<v Speaker 1>serve Ronaldo and after two wonderful season is playing for

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<v Speaker 1>ps VH Eindhoven, where he scored fifty four goals in

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<v Speaker 1>fifty seven games. He arrived in Barcelona for the seven season.

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<v Speaker 1>This was the start of his meteoric rise to the

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<v Speaker 1>very top of global soccer. He's going all the way.

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<v Speaker 1>Oh good, dismay, it's a Ronaldo was putting on a

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<v Speaker 1>show week after week, the way he kicked off the matches,

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<v Speaker 1>the ease with which he shook off defenders, and his

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<v Speaker 1>vicious finishing. By December, his resume boasted seventeen goals in

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<v Speaker 1>only sixteen games. Ronaldo Ronaldo, he had the fans in

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<v Speaker 1>his pocket. The love affair seemed ready for an official extension,

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<v Speaker 1>with a salary bump that better reflected Ronaldo's status. A

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<v Speaker 1>press conference announcing the deal involved a lot of hugging. However,

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<v Speaker 1>disaster struck eight hours later. While renegotiating his contract, Barcelona

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<v Speaker 1>thought there was an agreement in place, with Barcelona president

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<v Speaker 1>Giusepprues Nunne saying he's ours for life, but when the

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<v Speaker 1>party's reconvened the following day, the agreement collapsed. Nunief had

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<v Speaker 1>to admit it's all over. Ronaldo is going. Ronaldo's time

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<v Speaker 1>at Barsa lasted just one season. Ronaldo would sign with

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<v Speaker 1>Inter Milan after scoring an unprecedented forty nine goals in

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<v Speaker 1>only forty seven matches, winning three titles, and supplying one

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<v Speaker 1>of the best individual seasons on record. It was in

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<v Speaker 1>Debt's turn to enjoy the new phenomenon in international soccer.

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<v Speaker 1>Playing for in Debt, he scored thirty four goals in

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<v Speaker 1>forty seven matches, and during his debut season in Calcio,

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<v Speaker 1>he took home the Cup. This is James Richardson. He

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<v Speaker 1>hosts the Totally Football Show and in the nineties he

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<v Speaker 1>covered Italian soccer for Channel four in Britain. It does

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<v Speaker 1>one had to check out. It's it's the UIFA Cup

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<v Speaker 1>Wayfer Cup final with Latzia, which he effectively just wins

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<v Speaker 1>on his own. I mean, the clips that you see

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<v Speaker 1>are generally from that game of him on a I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>I call it a pitch, but it was pretty much

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<v Speaker 1>a kind of potato field. He's just dancing around with

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<v Speaker 1>the ball glued to his feet, spinning this way that way,

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<v Speaker 1>maneuvering through impossibly tight corners, running down the sideline, leaping

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<v Speaker 1>over tackles. It was amazing scoring goals. He was fantastic,

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<v Speaker 1>Already recognized as potentially the world's biggest star, he arrived

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<v Speaker 1>at the World Cup ready to prove it. France, the

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<v Speaker 1>star of the previous World Cup, Romarrio was out of

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<v Speaker 1>commission with a muscle injury, so the Brazilian media trained

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<v Speaker 1>their flashbulbs and microphones on Ronaldo. Although he was an

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<v Speaker 1>enviable form, there were some doubts about his knees, which

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<v Speaker 1>had proved problematic during the six season at PSV. Ronaldo,

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<v Speaker 1>at only twenty two years of age, was already suffering

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<v Speaker 1>from chronic tendonitis, and later he would discover that he

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<v Speaker 1>had also been suffering from hypothyroidism from an early age.

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<v Speaker 1>He'd been battling this fyroid problem which kind of made

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<v Speaker 1>him game weight, almost doing nothing. He almost couldn't treat

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<v Speaker 1>it because a lot of the medications which were available

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<v Speaker 1>to treat this kind of illness are on the list

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<v Speaker 1>of banned substances. In fact, it was weight loss supplement

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<v Speaker 1>I believe which took down Diego Maradonna um famously in

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<v Speaker 1>the nineteen ninety four World Cup. Is probably very wary

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<v Speaker 1>of repeating that kind of state with any kind of

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<v Speaker 1>medication which could help him with this fire problem. None

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<v Speaker 1>of this diminished the high hopes for him. Ahead of

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<v Speaker 1>France ninety eight, Brazil was aiming to defend their title

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<v Speaker 1>with the roster crammed full of legends Carlo Mundo, Nielsen

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<v Speaker 1>and of course phenomenal Ronaldo. Going into the nineteen Auntie

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<v Speaker 1>Wild Cup, no of a PLI had the presence of Ronaldo,

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<v Speaker 1>not then, not del Piedo. None of the other guys

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<v Speaker 1>could could compared with Ronaldo. That was gonna be his

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<v Speaker 1>World Cup. It saying that he was distant to win

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<v Speaker 1>it from from start to finish. After a comfortable group

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<v Speaker 1>stage where Brazil defeated Scotland in Morocco, they reached the

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<v Speaker 1>round of sixteen against Chile. Ronaldo didn't disappoint once Chile

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<v Speaker 1>had been dispatched. Brazil went on to conquer Denmark in

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<v Speaker 1>the quarterfinals, and then in the semifinals, Brazil went up

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<v Speaker 1>against a spectacular Holland side led by Vander Sar, stan Berg,

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<v Speaker 1>Camp Clover, Cucko Cedar and David's. Both teams were evenly

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<v Speaker 1>matched at the outset until Ronaldo happened. As soon as

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<v Speaker 1>the second half kicked off. Ronaldo left Cocou in his

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<v Speaker 1>dust to latch onto a lab from Ribaldo and face

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<v Speaker 1>down Vendor Sart. However, three minutes before the end of

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<v Speaker 1>the match, a goal from Clovert forced extra time and

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<v Speaker 1>the game went to penalties. Fan Bazaar say, that is

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<v Speaker 1>appears is incredible babble. That is appears, Sorry Brazil, that

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<v Speaker 1>was about final. On Sunday when I play on the

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<v Speaker 1>other side of the brackett. France beat Croatia, the breakout

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<v Speaker 1>team of the Championship. The World Cup final was to

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<v Speaker 1>be played on July twelve. On that day, something happened,

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<v Speaker 1>something that has yet to be fully explained. It was

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<v Speaker 1>a surprising, fleeting moment barely a minute long, but the

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<v Speaker 1>consequences have rippled outward for much longer. It completely changed

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<v Speaker 1>the course of events only a few hours before a

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<v Speaker 1>kickoff in a World Cup final. More about what happened

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<v Speaker 1>next after the break. There are many versions of the event,

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<v Speaker 1>some contradictory and very few established facts. The point is

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<v Speaker 1>that Ronaldo couldn't be Rinaldo in a final where everyone

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<v Speaker 1>expected the real Ronaldo. On the day of the final,

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<v Speaker 1>after lunch, the Brazilian national team players went to their

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<v Speaker 1>rooms to take a short nap before the same old

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<v Speaker 1>game day ritual of snack, quick team talk, and bus

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<v Speaker 1>ride to the stadium. Rinaldo and Roo Carlos were sharing

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<v Speaker 1>a room. Rinaldo fell asleep quickly, and his roommate, who

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<v Speaker 1>was watching Formula one, suddenly started yelling for help. When

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<v Speaker 1>he realized that Ronaldo was having a seizure. The doctor

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<v Speaker 1>showed up and everyone else left the room. He examined

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<v Speaker 1>Rinaldo and let him rest. When he woke up and

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<v Speaker 1>regained consciousness, he didn't remember anything. He was immediately taken

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<v Speaker 1>to a clinic so they could run all sorts of

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<v Speaker 1>tests on him to find out exactly what had happened

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<v Speaker 1>and whether or not he was fit to play in

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<v Speaker 1>the final. Meanwhile, Brazil managers Gallo was naming the starting

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<v Speaker 1>eleven in the team talk before leaving for the Sandiny stadiums.

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<v Speaker 1>At that point, it was unclear whether Ronaldo would end

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<v Speaker 1>up dressing or not. On the way to the stadium,

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<v Speaker 1>there was nothing but silence. Brazil was the heavy favorite,

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<v Speaker 1>but only because they had Ronaldo, the best player in

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<v Speaker 1>the world, the man who could single handedly compensate for

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<v Speaker 1>any collective deficiencies. What would happen if their biggest star

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<v Speaker 1>couldn't play. The final was scheduled to start at nine

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<v Speaker 1>pm local time. A few minutes past eight p m,

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<v Speaker 1>FIFA handed out team sheets to the journalists. That was

0:15:39.720 --> 0:15:43.080
<v Speaker 1>a very very bizarre occurrence. A few hours before the match,

0:15:43.160 --> 0:15:46.120
<v Speaker 1>these were reports start coming in on the TV on

0:15:46.160 --> 0:15:49.880
<v Speaker 1>the news that Ronaldo has had a fit in his

0:15:50.160 --> 0:15:53.960
<v Speaker 1>um in his tower room. He was suffering convulsions or

0:15:54.760 --> 0:15:57.200
<v Speaker 1>let's see. No one really knew what was going on.

0:15:57.720 --> 0:16:00.760
<v Speaker 1>It looked absolutely certain that it would implay that he

0:16:00.800 --> 0:16:04.360
<v Speaker 1>was in a knife shape. Darel woodman the goal, Cafu,

0:16:04.600 --> 0:16:08.680
<v Speaker 1>Biano Carlos in defense, says some Bayo and Dunga as

0:16:08.680 --> 0:16:11.720
<v Speaker 1>a double pivot, Leonardo on the right wing, Rivaldo on

0:16:11.720 --> 0:16:18.600
<v Speaker 1>the left, Bibeto and did Mundo upfront. What impossible did

0:16:18.680 --> 0:16:24.400
<v Speaker 1>Rinaldo get benched? The journalists were in chaos, but minutes

0:16:24.480 --> 0:16:26.880
<v Speaker 1>later there were mutterings about a possible change up to

0:16:26.920 --> 0:16:30.080
<v Speaker 1>the team sheet. This was basically because just when the

0:16:30.120 --> 0:16:31.760
<v Speaker 1>team was about to head out to the field to

0:16:31.800 --> 0:16:38.760
<v Speaker 1>warm up, Ronaldo appeared in the locker room. Mystery over

0:16:39.120 --> 0:16:42.880
<v Speaker 1>Ronaldo was playing right before kickoff has confirmed that yes,

0:16:43.320 --> 0:16:45.960
<v Speaker 1>he's okay, he's recovered, He's he's going to be taking

0:16:45.960 --> 0:16:48.640
<v Speaker 1>the field, but he was an absolute shadow of of

0:16:48.680 --> 0:16:50.520
<v Speaker 1>what he had been for the ton him against France.

0:16:51.040 --> 0:16:53.760
<v Speaker 1>Minutes later, Ronaldo had taken the place of Edmundo in

0:16:53.800 --> 0:16:57.080
<v Speaker 1>Brazil's official starting lineup. He stepped onto the pitch to

0:16:57.120 --> 0:16:59.520
<v Speaker 1>warm up as if nothing had happened. None of the

0:16:59.560 --> 0:17:05.399
<v Speaker 1>barrage of test the clinic had turned up anything. The

0:17:05.440 --> 0:17:09.120
<v Speaker 1>match got underway. After just a few minutes of play,

0:17:09.520 --> 0:17:13.040
<v Speaker 1>Ronaldo crashed into the French goalkeeper Fabian bartz and laid

0:17:13.119 --> 0:17:16.199
<v Speaker 1>splayed out onto the ground, another moment of alarm for

0:17:16.240 --> 0:17:19.760
<v Speaker 1>his teammates, who were already worried about his condition. Ronaldo,

0:17:20.240 --> 0:17:24.800
<v Speaker 1>I'm protests, nasty tumble point, don't pull them end up

0:17:24.800 --> 0:17:28.360
<v Speaker 1>on the floor. Artest the first to pick himself up,

0:17:29.520 --> 0:17:31.199
<v Speaker 1>and he wants the referee to stop it. And now

0:17:31.280 --> 0:17:34.320
<v Speaker 1>don't get has for now. There wasn't in great shape

0:17:34.320 --> 0:17:37.080
<v Speaker 1>before the game, as I like to believe, he definitely

0:17:37.200 --> 0:17:40.920
<v Speaker 1>isn't now. Without the threat of Ronaldo, Brazil could never

0:17:40.960 --> 0:17:44.000
<v Speaker 1>really get going, and as the match wore on, France

0:17:44.040 --> 0:17:47.800
<v Speaker 1>got increasingly confident and started banging in the goals. Brazil

0:17:47.880 --> 0:17:57.560
<v Speaker 1>looked completely dazed, their players shell shocked. Said let's see

0:17:58.480 --> 0:18:02.760
<v Speaker 1>said Ronaldo played the full ninety and completed what was

0:18:02.800 --> 0:18:12.679
<v Speaker 1>probably the most underwhelming performance of his career. He just

0:18:12.920 --> 0:18:15.960
<v Speaker 1>looked off the pace. He wasn't with it. I don't

0:18:15.960 --> 0:18:19.160
<v Speaker 1>know who had the final word on signing him off

0:18:19.480 --> 0:18:21.679
<v Speaker 1>for that game, but I think it was a mistake

0:18:21.760 --> 0:18:25.280
<v Speaker 1>because with him and the pitch and that really kind

0:18:25.280 --> 0:18:29.000
<v Speaker 1>of not not fit state. It was like Brazil, we're

0:18:29.040 --> 0:18:36.439
<v Speaker 1>playing with a play a few Franco advantage. So what

0:18:36.600 --> 0:18:40.160
<v Speaker 1>happened exactly. Some people say he had an epileptic episode,

0:18:40.480 --> 0:18:43.760
<v Speaker 1>others say he had a cardiac event, something that Ronaldo's

0:18:43.800 --> 0:18:47.600
<v Speaker 1>spokesman refuted, just as they refuted a Brazilian sports report

0:18:47.640 --> 0:18:49.679
<v Speaker 1>which suggested that a light of cane treatment for the

0:18:49.680 --> 0:18:52.120
<v Speaker 1>pain in his right knee had caused the whole thing.

0:18:52.640 --> 0:18:55.840
<v Speaker 1>According to the report, the drug accidentally leaked into a vein,

0:18:56.119 --> 0:18:59.800
<v Speaker 1>spread quickly through his bloodstream and led to the seizure. Still,

0:19:00.119 --> 0:19:03.000
<v Speaker 1>something had to have caused the reduced blood flow, although

0:19:03.000 --> 0:19:06.159
<v Speaker 1>it's not exactly clear what. However, this would not be

0:19:06.200 --> 0:19:09.879
<v Speaker 1>the last painful chapter in Ronaldo's career. In fact, it

0:19:10.000 --> 0:19:17.520
<v Speaker 1>was only the beginning. Fast forward to April twelve, two thousand,

0:19:18.240 --> 0:19:21.640
<v Speaker 1>final match of the Italian Cup Stadio Olimpico in Rome

0:19:22.600 --> 0:19:27.520
<v Speaker 1>with Latzia, leading to one coach Marcellolipi subdoubt lago for Ronaldo,

0:19:28.000 --> 0:19:29.959
<v Speaker 1>who had just gotten the all clear from the doctors

0:19:30.000 --> 0:19:32.800
<v Speaker 1>to play two days earlier after being sidelined for a

0:19:32.880 --> 0:19:36.359
<v Speaker 1>hundred and forty one days, and six minutes after stepping

0:19:36.359 --> 0:19:40.160
<v Speaker 1>onto the field on one of his lovely trademark dashes

0:19:40.320 --> 0:19:44.880
<v Speaker 1>bicycle included, Ronaldo tore his pateller tendon. The same patellar

0:19:44.960 --> 0:19:47.480
<v Speaker 1>tendon that had tortured him since his days at PSV.

0:19:50.560 --> 0:19:52.680
<v Speaker 1>The moment started the clock on an ordeal that would

0:19:52.720 --> 0:19:55.480
<v Speaker 1>keep Ronaldo out of action for five hundred and twenty

0:19:55.520 --> 0:20:01.440
<v Speaker 1>two days, a harrowing experience full of setbacks, flare ups, pain, suffering, uncertainty,

0:20:01.600 --> 0:20:05.280
<v Speaker 1>and many many shed tears. Any other man would have

0:20:05.359 --> 0:20:09.800
<v Speaker 1>given up, but Ronaldo proved his preternatural resolve. The chosen

0:20:09.840 --> 0:20:12.320
<v Speaker 1>ones write their names in the history books, not just

0:20:12.400 --> 0:20:15.359
<v Speaker 1>through their play, but also their grit. That's the case

0:20:15.520 --> 0:20:18.520
<v Speaker 1>for Ronaldo and his recovery, arguably one of the most

0:20:18.520 --> 0:20:22.359
<v Speaker 1>impressive tales of endurance in the sport. In fact, during

0:20:22.400 --> 0:20:25.600
<v Speaker 1>the four years that passed between two thousand and two

0:20:25.640 --> 0:20:29.000
<v Speaker 1>World Cups, Ronaldo only played three thousand and two hundred

0:20:29.000 --> 0:20:32.960
<v Speaker 1>minutes and fifty two measly games, something unheard of for

0:20:33.000 --> 0:20:36.000
<v Speaker 1>a star of his caliber. More about what happened next.

0:20:36.320 --> 0:20:49.200
<v Speaker 1>After the break, however, the Brazilian national team manager Ruis

0:20:49.200 --> 0:20:52.159
<v Speaker 1>Fetiscarati went all in and called him up for the

0:20:52.200 --> 0:21:00.440
<v Speaker 1>two thousand into Korea Japan World Cup. It's do It's

0:21:02.160 --> 0:21:09.000
<v Speaker 1>too Roberto Obama. Oh, that's a dreadful mistake by Ala.

0:21:10.040 --> 0:21:13.919
<v Speaker 1>It's a gilt sunk. The fears of an injury flare up,

0:21:14.000 --> 0:21:16.160
<v Speaker 1>or that Ronaldo wouldn't be able to handle the demands

0:21:16.160 --> 0:21:19.600
<v Speaker 1>of the tournament loomed to large, but Scolati didn't have

0:21:19.640 --> 0:21:23.160
<v Speaker 1>many other options. After dropping Romario, he joined the three

0:21:23.320 --> 0:21:28.000
<v Speaker 1>rs in attack, Rialdo, Ronaldo and Rondini. Despite his scars,

0:21:28.240 --> 0:21:31.120
<v Speaker 1>Rinaldo scored four goals in the three group stage matches,

0:21:31.440 --> 0:21:33.600
<v Speaker 1>and he scored an additional goal against Belgium in the

0:21:33.640 --> 0:21:37.480
<v Speaker 1>round of sixteen, and in the semifinal, Ronaldo dusted off

0:21:37.560 --> 0:21:40.320
<v Speaker 1>one of his best tricks, the shot under pressure. We're

0:21:40.320 --> 0:21:43.600
<v Speaker 1>about to start. They World Cup Final of two thousand

0:21:43.680 --> 0:21:47.359
<v Speaker 1>and two, the first one of the New century. On

0:21:47.480 --> 0:21:50.560
<v Speaker 1>each Brazil stride away from the kickoffs, Brazil had reached

0:21:50.600 --> 0:21:53.880
<v Speaker 1>another final, and as if no time had passed, Rinaldo

0:21:53.960 --> 0:21:56.480
<v Speaker 1>once again wore the mantle of the biggest star in

0:21:56.520 --> 0:22:00.000
<v Speaker 1>a World Cup final. But this time there were no surprise.

0:22:00.080 --> 0:22:04.359
<v Speaker 1>Is saved for a questionable haircut and the phenomenal penned

0:22:04.359 --> 0:22:07.720
<v Speaker 1>a glorious climax. I think there was a lot of

0:22:07.760 --> 0:22:12.040
<v Speaker 1>expectation in two thousands and two, purely because their team

0:22:12.080 --> 0:22:15.080
<v Speaker 1>was so good. He had a guy like Ronald Leno

0:22:15.240 --> 0:22:19.400
<v Speaker 1>who was absolutely at his peak, Rivaldo who was his peak,

0:22:19.880 --> 0:22:23.879
<v Speaker 1>Cafou Carlos On on the two flanks, two of the

0:22:23.880 --> 0:22:26.959
<v Speaker 1>best fullbacks ever to play the game. It was just

0:22:27.000 --> 0:22:29.760
<v Speaker 1>a team full of stars, and I think at the

0:22:29.880 --> 0:22:33.640
<v Speaker 1>very least if they didn't hadn't have reached the third

0:22:33.680 --> 0:22:38.600
<v Speaker 1>final win a row after ninety eight, it would have

0:22:38.600 --> 0:22:43.440
<v Speaker 1>been very surprising. And they came through. They were definitely

0:22:44.160 --> 0:22:47.840
<v Speaker 1>worthy winners in Japan and South Korea. Brazil beat Germany

0:22:47.880 --> 0:22:53.879
<v Speaker 1>to nil, both goals courtesy of El phenomenon does and

0:22:53.960 --> 0:22:57.480
<v Speaker 1>Brazil win the World Cup. Who finished the two thousand

0:22:57.520 --> 0:23:00.760
<v Speaker 1>and two World Cup with eight goals in seven matches,

0:23:01.359 --> 0:23:06.680
<v Speaker 1>pure catharsis. Ronaldo redeemed himself, settled his debt with his country,

0:23:07.160 --> 0:23:13.880
<v Speaker 1>and inherited the throne that was rightfully his. Shortly after

0:23:13.880 --> 0:23:17.120
<v Speaker 1>the World Cup, Ronaldo signed for Real Madrid as part

0:23:17.160 --> 0:23:20.960
<v Speaker 1>of their Galactico program, where he grabbed goals and trophies

0:23:20.960 --> 0:23:23.719
<v Speaker 1>galore over the course of five years. Even if he

0:23:23.800 --> 0:23:36.800
<v Speaker 1>wasn't quite the same live and lean Ronaldo, once you

0:23:36.880 --> 0:23:40.480
<v Speaker 1>start reaching thirty, it can take his toe and and

0:23:40.600 --> 0:23:44.800
<v Speaker 1>probably there was a failing on Ronaldo's part just Why

0:23:44.800 --> 0:23:47.280
<v Speaker 1>should I keep battling it? You know, I've I've done

0:23:47.320 --> 0:23:50.080
<v Speaker 1>so much in my career. I've achieved on one of

0:23:50.200 --> 0:23:53.520
<v Speaker 1>my dreams. Um so I need to keep killing myself.

0:23:53.800 --> 0:23:56.320
<v Speaker 1>We can week out to UH to make the white

0:23:56.600 --> 0:24:00.240
<v Speaker 1>and I think even you know, at seventy eight, which

0:24:00.240 --> 0:24:03.080
<v Speaker 1>is what we saw probably from Ronaldo a lot, that

0:24:03.840 --> 0:24:06.720
<v Speaker 1>eight percent was still better than than almost ever we

0:24:06.760 --> 0:24:09.560
<v Speaker 1>have a footballer out there. He wore a Simi Lands

0:24:09.640 --> 0:24:13.000
<v Speaker 1>jersey and eventually retired with Gordinians, where he would place

0:24:13.080 --> 0:24:16.240
<v Speaker 1>one final jewel in his crown by winning the copies.

0:24:19.520 --> 0:24:22.080
<v Speaker 1>No one has ever become quite as synonymous with the

0:24:22.119 --> 0:24:25.960
<v Speaker 1>goal and the sprint just before the goal like Ronaldo Nazario,

0:24:26.480 --> 0:24:30.360
<v Speaker 1>a number nine unlike any other, the best pure striker

0:24:30.440 --> 0:24:33.639
<v Speaker 1>in soccer history, a master of the darting sprint, of

0:24:33.760 --> 0:24:43.400
<v Speaker 1>uncanny premonition and of ruthlessly efficient finishing. Fred He had

0:24:43.760 --> 0:24:46.800
<v Speaker 1>it's incredible grin which made you like him, which made

0:24:46.800 --> 0:24:50.639
<v Speaker 1>you enjoy watching him. His football brought a smile as well.

0:24:50.920 --> 0:24:53.280
<v Speaker 1>He was. We talked about the fantasista and how they

0:24:53.280 --> 0:24:56.480
<v Speaker 1>bring something the unexpected, the inexplicable to a game that

0:24:56.600 --> 0:25:00.520
<v Speaker 1>how they defy the calculations. That's what Ronaldo was was doing.

0:25:00.600 --> 0:25:02.200
<v Speaker 1>He wasn't a number ten. He was a goal scorer,

0:25:02.200 --> 0:25:04.520
<v Speaker 1>but he could do anything. People talk about players being

0:25:04.520 --> 0:25:06.560
<v Speaker 1>a cheat code. I mean, he that's what he was.

0:25:07.040 --> 0:25:09.720
<v Speaker 1>And it was a joy to have him in said, yeah,

0:25:09.720 --> 0:25:12.000
<v Speaker 1>it's a shame that he's you know, things worked out

0:25:12.040 --> 0:25:14.359
<v Speaker 1>so badly for him in Italy, but but yeah, for

0:25:14.760 --> 0:25:17.520
<v Speaker 1>a brief, glorious season he was. He was just the

0:25:17.800 --> 0:25:19.880
<v Speaker 1>best in the world and we were lucky to watch him.

0:25:19.880 --> 0:25:24.280
<v Speaker 1>A meteoric rise, cut short and unsolved, mystery, harrowing years

0:25:24.320 --> 0:25:29.080
<v Speaker 1>of injury, suffering and despair, and finally redemption, sweet sweet

0:25:29.119 --> 0:25:33.480
<v Speaker 1>World Cup winning redemption. Ronaldo has deservedly carved his face

0:25:33.560 --> 0:25:38.560
<v Speaker 1>on soccer's Mount rushmore glory to el phenomenon Ordo or

0:25:38.600 --> 0:25:49.600
<v Speaker 1>simply Ronaldo, the first great Ronaldo in history. The Best

0:25:49.600 --> 0:25:52.080
<v Speaker 1>Soccer Podcast in the World is a production of Exiled

0:25:52.080 --> 0:25:55.880
<v Speaker 1>Content Studios in partnership with My Heart Michael da Podcast Network,

0:25:56.000 --> 0:25:59.000
<v Speaker 1>and is hosted by me named Vila, produced by a

0:25:59.600 --> 0:26:03.639
<v Speaker 1>Look Exact Lee Rigg, written by Zach Lee Rigg and

0:26:04.000 --> 0:26:08.560
<v Speaker 1>Means production assistants by Stella Emmett. Our executive producers are

0:26:08.680 --> 0:26:12.040
<v Speaker 1>Isaac Lee, Rose Reed and myself named Avila. Our executive

0:26:12.040 --> 0:26:14.800
<v Speaker 1>producers at I Heart are Gisel Bancees and Arlene Santana.

0:26:15.359 --> 0:26:18.960
<v Speaker 1>Sound designed by Ula Mendoza Are Awesome. Theme song is

0:26:19.000 --> 0:26:22.080
<v Speaker 1>by lu j Special Thanks to all the voices that

0:26:22.119 --> 0:26:26.880
<v Speaker 1>participated in this episode Alexei Lalas, Daniel Edwards, and James Richardson.

0:26:27.680 --> 0:26:30.120
<v Speaker 1>For more podcasts, listen to the I Heart Radio app,

0:26:30.160 --> 0:26:33.159
<v Speaker 1>Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.