THE SMILING GENIUS

QUOTE



"I still have a video of my father, which I watch before every game I play for Brazil. It gives me strength, makes me determined."
-Ronaldinho

BIOGRAPHY



Ronaldo de Assis Moreira -- or Ronaldinho Gaucho to nickname-happy Brazilians -- was born on March 21, 1980 in the southern city of Porto Alegre. Like most Brazilian soccer prodigies, he came from a poor family and was raised in the heart of the dirt road-laced settlements known as favelas.

But his family loved the sport and found joy in playing it. Ronaldinho's father, Joao da Silva Moreira, played in an amateur club when he wasn't working as a welder or guarding the Gremio soccer stadium. Even though it was Ronaldinho's older brother Roberto who was a rising star in the Gremio club, Joao saw in young Ronaldinho a true champion. The way the boy dribbled a ball around the furniture at home was unbelievable.

roberto becomes ronaldinho's manager

Sadly, Joao would never get to see Ronaldinho shine on the world stage. When Ronaldinho was only eight, Joao drowned in a swimming pool.

Roberto's own dreams were shattered along with his knee; relegated to a substitute player, he nonetheless had a fruitful career playing in Switzerland, Japan and Mexico. This gave him the experience necessary to manage his little brother's soccer career.

Hardly out of Gremio's boot camp, Ronaldinho was a key player in Brazil's victory in the Under-17 World Championship in 1997. And he scored 15 goals in 14 matches for Gremio, making the chiefs of the national squad salivate along with the Europeans teams. PSV Eindhoven offered Gremio about 7 million euros for Ronaldinho. The club promptly turned down the chump change.

ronaldinho shines in copa america

Enter Wanderley Luxemburgo, the head coach of the national team going to the 1999 Copa America in Paraguay. Coming in at the end of a match against Venezuela, Ronaldinho scored a goal so perfect, it belonged in the Louvre. The following day, the Brazilian press was comparing him to the legendary Pele.

A few months passed and Europe was starting to realize Ronaldinho's value. Leeds offered the staggering sum of close to 75 million euros -- about $96 million -- but Gremio refused, keeping the star for the 2000 season.

ronaldinho sold to psg

But Ronaldinho was hungry for the bigger pitches, and eventually found himself in the starting team of Paris Saint-Germain and in the hearts of French fans. Many say his seasons there were lukewarm, with a low goal count (eight in 27 matches in his second year).

ronaldinho in the world cup

2002 was the year of the "Ro"s. In the World Cup co-hosted by Korea and Japan, it was the deadly trio of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Roberto Carlos that made nations shiver. But it was Ronaldinho who really blew the world away in a spectacular free kick against England. The curve of the ball seemed to defy physics and glided past David Seaman's fingers. Ronaldinho's art helped capture Brazil's world victory. Ronaldinho has scored 27 goals in 57 games for the five-time world champion team.

ronaldinho goes to fc barcelona

But a conflict with PSG coach Luis Fernandez apparently led Ronaldinho to look elsewhere. He eyed the colossal Manchester United, who was looking for a new hotshot to replace David Beckham. But it was Barcelona that won him in July 2003, offering about 27 million euros (approximately $31 million) for a five-year contract. Ronaldinho followed in the footsteps of other Brazilian greats who climbed to glory in Camp Nou, like Evaristo de Macedo, Ronaldo, Romario, and Rivaldo.

Welcomed as a star, Ronaldinho didn't disappoint. In his first season, he took Barca to second place in the Spanish league. Graceful and swift, he marvels fans as he "sambas" past every defender and launches the ball into the net. He did this 22 times in his first season.

ronaldinho is player of the year

In fact, he was so refined that 157 national team coaches and 145 national team captains voted him the FIFA World Footballer of the Year in 2004, beating out Thierry Henry of Arsenal and Andrei Shevchenko of AC Milan. Like his heroes before him, Ronaldinho took the prize while playing for Barca. He recently signed an improvement contract, increasing his buy-out clause to a reputed 150 million euros. The boy will no doubt break more records.

Ronaldinho lives in Barcelona, and when asked if he has a girlfriend during a press conference, he took out a soccer ball and said, "This is her."

What else do you need to know?

Roberto Baggio-The Italian One Man Army of '94

Roberto Baggio (born February 18, 1967 in Caldogno, near Vicenza) is a famous former Italian footballer, considered to be among the best forwards in the world throughout the 1990s. In 1993 he won both the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year award, and is still remembered as one of the most beloved players in his country.

Early career

Baggio started his career with Vicenza in Serie C1 in 1981. Fiorentina snapped him up in 1985, and during his years there, he rose to cult status among the team's fans. He was sold to Juventus amid large fan outcry in 1990 for 15 billion Italian lira ($19 million), the world record transfer for a football player at the time. Baggio replied to his fans saying: "I was compelled to accept the transfer". That year he played in his first World Cup, and although he was used most often as a substitute in the 1990 tournament, he was still able to display his quality, scoring twice including the "goal of the tournament" against Czechoslovakia. In 1993 he won his lone European club trophy, helping Juventus to the UEFA Cup.

World Cup 1994
Roberto was the cornerstone of the Italian team during the 1994 World Cup, leading them to the final after a disappointing start. He scored five goals, all in the medal round: two in the Round of 16 to beat Nigeria (with a late equalizer and one in extra time), one in the quarter-finals to top Spain, and two to beat Bulgaria in the semifinals. Unfortunately, Baggio was not fully fit for the final against Brazil, and missed Italy's last penalty (Brazil still had a kick left) as the South Americans won the World Cup title after a 0-0 tie. Two other Italians, Franco Baresi and Daniele Massaro, had already missed penalties; had Baggio scored, Brazil would have still had a penalty to win the Cup nevertheless.


Success

Baggio, after being recognized as the best player in the world in 1993, led Italy to the 1994 World Cup final in the USA, scoring the most decisive goals and pulling up his team against Nigeria, Spain and Bulgaria. He won his first scudetto with Juventus in 1995. After strong pressures from A.C. Milan chairman Silvio Berlusconi, he was sold to the Milanese club, at which he won his second scudetto a year later. At the Milan club, he was frequently at odds with his chairman who was once an admirer of Baggio and had declared that he was never a fan of Baggio's dreadlocks but if the striker kept scoring goals at a prodigious rate for the club, Berlusconi would not even bother to care about Baggio's fashion statement. In 1997, when he thought to be on the downslide, Baggio transferred to Bologna in order to resuscitate his career, and after scoring a personal best 22 goals that year, was included in Italy's starting eleven for the 1998 World Cup in place of the younger and favored Alessandro Del Piero. He scored two goals - one from the spot against Chile, the Italian fans had already forgiven Baggio for his 1994 penalty miss however, as it was well accepted that he was the main reason the Italian side got so far in the tournament to begin with. He also scored the winner against Austria as Italy topped their group. He then added one in the penalty shootout as Italy went out to eventual champions France. He was thought to be one of Italy's main contributors of that tournament, the other being Christian Vieri in a team full of talent but little in terms of flair and teamwork, and also known for playing dour and defensive football.

After the World Cup, Baggio signed with Internazionale. This, however, proved to be an unfortunate move, as the then coach Marcello Lippi did not favour Roberto and hardly played him, preferring to play Ronaldo up front. This made Baggio lose his place in the national team. However, once he could get onto the field, he never left fans disappointed. In his autobiography, Baggio later declared that Lippi had effectively dumped him after Baggio had refused to point out which Inter's players had expressed negative opinions about the coach.

Later career

After two years with Inter, in order to be called up for 2002 World Cup, he transferred to previously unfashionable Brescia. Despite a severe injury, he miraculously recovered before the end of the season. However, Italian coach Giovanni Trapattoni ignored what most people said and did not take Baggio to Korea and Japan.

Baggio then continued playing at Brescia until his retirement in 2004. Baggio ended his career with 205 goals in Serie A, making him the fifth highest scorer of all time behind Silvio Piola, Gunnar Nordahl, Giuseppe Meazza and José Altafini. He totalled 56 caps and 27 goals for the national team, fourth all time. He scored 9 goals in three World cups which puts him even with Christian Vieri and Paolo Rossi as Italy's top World Cup scorers. He was given a sendoff match on April 28, 2004 against Spain. His number 10 jersey was retired by Brescia Calcio.

Baggio wrote an autobiography titled Una Porta nel Cielo ("A Goal in the Sky"). In it, he told of many rifts with managers.

Baggio is known as Il Divin Codino (The Divine Ponytail), for the hairstyle he wore for most of his career. He is a devout Soka Gakkai Buddhist, a rarity for an Italian. Much of his success, when asked, he shares that he owes to encouragement from his mentor, Daisaku Ikeda.


Clubs

Vicenza (1981 - 1985) (played in 36 matches and scored 13 goals)
Fiorentina (1985 - 1990) (94 matches, 39 goals)
Juventus (1990 - 1995) (141 matches, 78 goals)
A.C. Milan (1995 - 1997) (51 matches, 12 goals)
Bologna (1997 - 1998) (30 matches, 22 goals)
Internazionale (1998 - 2000) (41 matches, 9 goals)
Brescia (2000 - 2004) (95 matches, 43 goals)

Honours

Team
Serie A champion: 1995, 1996
Italian cup: 1995
UEFA Cup: 1993
Individual
European Footballer of the Year: 1993
FIFA World Player of the Year: 1993
FIFA 100: 2004

WILL BRAZIL DO IT AGAIN?

KAKA-THE NEW BRAZILIAN SENSATION


Being a creative midfielder in the Brazilian national team has always required extraordinary footballing gifts. Kaka's exquisitely elegant footwork and keen eye for goal make him the genuine article. As he matures as a player and adds ever more strings to his bow, commentators argue over who he most resembles, comparing him to such living legends as Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Rai and Zico. Some even feel he is the answer to Brazil's prayers for a new Pele. Whatever the truth may be, one thing is certain: Kakas star in on the rise, and burning brighter by the day.
Born Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite in Brasilia on 22 April 1982, Kaka exploded on to the scene with Sao Paulo in 2001 before moving to AC Milan two years later. Despite his meteoric rise to fame, he has lost none of his renowned humility or generosity. If anything, it is the contrary. A proud Christian with a deep love for the gospel, Kaka is a long-time member of the Athletes For Christ organisation and was named as an Ambassador Against Hunger by the United Nations World Food Programme in 2004.

Direct and ruthlessly effective when he chooses to be, Kaka can also turn on the style and dribble with the best of them. In his time at Milan, he has grown into an assured playmaker capable of turning a game in the blink of an eye. He is adept at coming off the bench and making an instant impact, as he has shown for Brazil on numerous occasions in the qualifiers for Germany 2006. And do not be fooled by his slim build and baby face. The 23-year-old is a past master at using his body effectively and is not one to shirk a tackle even when facing stronger opponents.

Though not yet a guaranteed starter in the Seleção, Kaka is a mainstay in the squad and, in the eyes of the Brazilian media, the player most likely to pull the strings for the Verdeamarelha in the years to come. He made his full debut on 31 January 2002 in a friendly against Bolivia. Prior to that, he had played for the country's U-20 side at the FIFA World Youth Championship Argentina 2001, scoring the winning goal against Australia in the second round.

Then, at the age of 20, Kaka had the privilege of being part of the Brazilian squad that became world champions for the fifth time at Korea/Japan 2002. Although his playing time was limited to just 19 minutes in a 5-2 win over Costa Rica, he is still grateful to have been there. "How many players wait their whole lives for a chance to take part in the World Cup and never make it? Not only did I go to one and play, I also came back as world champion," he said with a maturity beyond his years.

It is the same maturity he has shown ever since he made his first division debut with Sao Paulo in 2001, when he helped the club to victory in the Rio-Sao Paulo Tournament with 12 goals in 27 games. In 2002, he was voted Brazil's top player, an accolade that put him firmly in the sights of Europe's top clubs. Milan won the ensuing race for his signature in 2003, and he wasted no time in repaying the faith in him with an assured performance in Milan's UEFA Super Cup triumph that same year. On arriving in Europe, Kaka promised to "combine Brazilian fantasy with the tactical discipline of the Calcio". So far, he has more than kept his word

Qualifying Blues

The qualification may have given us a glimpse of what this team is capable of but then it has been the same story for the last 4 world cups. the expectation back home is too high, many of us might think but that's what football is all about in a country which has found in football a catharsis,which is their only hope for glory after years of political and economic misery. Though it might be too early to comment but then fans like us can only feel the pain of the people when this team fails.

The first, and in many cases only, thing that people think of when they hear about Argentina soccer is Diego Maradona. If he wasn't the best player ever to kick a ball, he is certainly in the discussion. He led his team to their second World Cup win in 1986 in truly dominant fashion and almost did it again in 1990 before Argentina lost in the final to West Germany. Maradona was a huge talent, but he was an even bigger presence and that wasn't always positive. His failed drug test at the 1994 World Cup was just one example of the negativity that he could bring to the team. The team has struggled since then to find an identity beyond Maradona. This squad has the talent to help people to move into the next era of Argentinean soccer. All that remains is for this team is to capitalize on the opportunity



Not only has the team struggled to emerge from the shadow of Maradona, but it has struggled in the shadow of neighboring Brazil. Their hated rival always seems to steal the spotlight from them. No sooner had they completed a stretch of two wins and a Final appearance in four World Cups than did Brazil win their fourth title in 1994. When Argentina suffered an embarrassing first-round loss in 2002, it had to suffer the extra humiliation of another win by Brazil. Every little step Argentina takes, Brazil seems to be stay a step ahead. Argentina qualified easily and comes into the tournament ranked No. 4 in the world, but it still has to contend with being behind Brazil in both world ranking and qualification group standings. As always, this team will be motivated by a desire to surpass the accomplishments of its rival.

Group C, the group of death that this team finds itself in, will present a special chance for revenge. In 1998 it was knocked out of the tournament in the quarterfinals by the very Dutch team it will face in the first round. Many of the faces have changed on both sides, but Argentina will still be looking to avenge that loss.

Argentina World Cup 2006 Odds: Bodog has Argentina listed at 13-2 to win the 2006 World Cup, making it the second choice behind bitter rival Brazil.

Strengths: Argentina has a stunning amount of depth in their lineup. Their midfield is particularly strong, anchored by Villareal teammates Juan Riquelme and Juan Pablo Sorin. Riquelme is as good a playmaker as you can find in soccer today and team captain Sorin's very strong passing is matched by his leadership. This makes it very hard for teams to get anything going against Argentina.

Up front, there are a number of strong scoring threats. Hernan Crespo is far from the most consistent player in the world, but he is among the most talented when he is at his best. Luciano Figueroa has found his scoring touch at Villareal. Carlos Tevez was the star of Argentina's 2004 Olympic gold medal winning team and brings his striking skills to the senior squad this time around.

The player to watch in many people's eyes is Lionel Messi, the 18-year-old FC Barcelona striker who was dominant when his side beat Chelsea in the Champions League in February. At some point, every player in Argentina with talent is called the 'next Maradona', but Messi was recently given that title by none other than Maradona himself. He has yet to make an impact at the senior international level, but there will be no better opportunity for his breakthrough than June in Germany.

Weaknesses: Argentina must function under a tremendous amount of pressure. After a terrible showing in 2002, its fans are not going to accept anything short of a win. Coach Marcelo Bielsa managed to keep his job, but he will be on a short leash. These expectations won't be a problem unless the team struggles early. If that happens, the weight of a country's hopes could crush this club.

Having a player in the midfield who is as dominant as Riquelme is definitely a huge asset. The problem, though, is that the whole midfield seems to follow his lead. If he plays poorly the midfield can fall apart and Crespo and the forwards are left on their own. More than any single player, Riquelme must be on his game for this team to succeed.

Argentina World Cup 2006 Outlook: Like every team in Group C, getting out of the first round is a real challenge. Argentina is arguably the deepest and most talented team, but they know as well as anyone that nothing is certain in round one. Argentina has to be favored to survive, though.

Once Argentina makes it through the first round it can beat any team. If the team plays its best game, it stands a good chance of beating everyone, including Brazil. Argentina could very well win it all. That might be the only way to please the fans.

Argentina World Cup 2006 Schedule

Saturday, June 10, Group C1 Argentina vs. Group C2 Côte d'Ivoire, in Hamburg, 9 p.m.

Friday, June 16, Group C1 Argentina vs. Group C3 Serbia & Montenegro, in Gelsenkirchen, 3 p.m.

Wednesday, June 21, Group C4 Netherlands vs. Group C1 Argentina, in Frankfurt, 9 p.m.

JUAN ROMAN RIQUELME

WORLD CUP 2006: Penalty miss reopens Riquelme debate


The hopes of three countries rested on the shoulders of Juan Roman Riquelme as he placed the ball on the penalty spot, face to face with Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann.

Fans in both Spain and England could only look on nervously as Arsenal and Villarreal's Champions League campaigns hung in the balance. Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, millions of Argentines were glued to their screens, ready to see if the main man in Jose Pekerman's tactical scheme could pass the ultimate test of nerves.

Unfortunately for Riquelme, Germany No1 Lehmann guessed right and saved, sparking riotous celebrations back in England and reopening the debate over the midfielder's key role in the Argentine national team. A thorny issue ever since Pekerman took charge of Argentina, the Riquelme question again took centre stage in the media in the aftermath of last week's game.

While some lauded the Villarreal star's intelligent play, others criticised his lack of pace, with no stone left unturned as fans queued up to have their say. But one thing is for sure: the player who once endured an unhappy spell at Catalan giants Barcelona will still have his hand on the Albiceleste rudder at this summer's FIFA World Cup™.

A love-hate relationship
Having made his full national team debut under Daniel Passarella back in 1997, neither El Gran Capitán nor his successor Marcelo Bielsa saw fit to give Riquelme a regular starting berth. Nevertheless, Pekerman wasted little time in moulding his team around the gifted playmaker, ahead of the likes of Pablo Aimar and the forgotten figure of Juan Sebastian Veron.

The consensus among the country's top sports journalists is that when Román is on his game, Argentina move up a gear, although many have questioned the wisdom of placing such a burden on just one player. What if he were to have a quiet game, critics ask. However, Pekerman himself believes Riquelme is up to the task. "They say he doesn't play at a high tempo, but I don't see him as a slow player. It's the ball that needs to move quickly, not the players."

Pekerman's faith in Riquelme's innate footballing genius has already reaped substantial rewards for a new-look Albiceleste side. The former Boca Juniors No10 played a starring role in the resounding 3-1 win over Brazil that booked Argentina's place at Germany 2006, as well as leading his country to second place at the FIFA Confederations Cup last summer.

During qualifying for Germany, Riquelme hit three goals in eight appearances, of which Argentina won five, drew one and lost two. At the FIFA Confederations Cup the midfield maestro's talent shone even brighter, as, featuring in all five Argentina games, he scored three goals and collected the adidas Silver Ball for the tournament's second-best player.

Difference of opinion
Statistics apart, Riquelme's missed penalty prompted scores of fans to express their support for the 27-year-old while many others took the opportunity to criticise the Villarreal man. Enrique Macaya Marquez, perhaps Argentina's most famous football pundit, made a point of emphasising his "concern about Argentina's Riquelme-dependence".

Jorge Valdano, a FIFA World Cup winner in 1986, was also quick to throw his hat into the ring. "Riquelme's very clever," he said. "He knows how to find space, his timing's immaculate, he always picks the perfect pass to suit every one of his team-mates, and knows how quickly the ball moves across every blade of grass. It's a pleasure to see such an intelligent player, one who recalls perfectly the way football has been played throughout history."

Argentine legend Diego Maradona, a personal friend of Riquelme, firmly agreed with Valdano: "We've all missed penalties. I missed important penalties myself, but I don't think Riquelme's career will be defined by what happened against Arsenal. He's got a great record and it doesn't bother me in the slightest that he's missed a penalty."

The last word should go to the man at the centre of this debate, Riquelme himself. "It's not like I killed someone, I just missed a penalty. I feel fine, I'm perfectly aware that it was just a game of football and nothing more. Many teams would have loved to have got as far as we did," the midfield schemer revealed to the assembled press. Calm words, but a storm is surely raging inside a player who knows that Germany 2006 will be the perfect stage to prove his class and silence his critics once and for all.

"If I win the title in Germany, I may well retire. I can't imagine achieving anything bigger than that," he revealed recently. Lovers of the beautiful game will hope to enjoy Riquelme's exquisite skills for a few more years yet.