VARIOUS: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Former Brazil striker Ronaldo will announce his retirement from soccer on Monday

Record ID: 184045

  • Title: VARIOUS: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Former Brazil striker Ronaldo will announce his retirement from soccer on Monday
  • Date: 15th February 2011
  • Summary: OZOIR-LA-FERRIERE, NEAR PARIS, FRANCE (JUNE 1998) (REUTERS) RONALDO AT BRAZIL'S FINAL TRAINING SESSION BEFORE THE 3-0 DEFEAT IN WORLD CUP FINAL AGAINST FRANCE ZURICH, SWITZERLAND (MARCH 2, 1999) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) PELE TALKING ABOUT RONALDO'S DRAMA AT THE 1998 WRLD CUP FINAL SAYS: "I think is was not fair to force Ronaldo to stay until the end of the match, I think that at that stage Ronaldo was extremely affected psychologicaly"
  • Embargoed: 2nd March 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Portugal, Japan, France
  • City:
  • Country: Japan France Portugal
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA6WJX6XN0TBP8I6KA2NGDCP7WX
  • Story Text: Former Brazil striker Ronaldo will announce his retirement from soccer on Monday (February 14), he told a Brazilian newspaper on Sunday (February 13).
    The 34-year-old three-times world player of the year has a contract with Corinthians until the end of 2011 but is bringing his retirement forward after the team's shock early elimination from the Libertadores Cup and violent protests from fans.
    Ronaldo told the Estado de Sao Paulo newspaper's website his regular injury problems were one of his main reasons for quitting now.
    Speaking at a Corinthians news conference when he signed for the club in 2010 Ronaldo made it clear he wanted to play out his two years at the club. He is expected to make statement at the club on Monday (February 15).
    Ronaldo, who will make his announcement in a news conference at the Corinthians training ground on Monday, is ending a brilliant career in which he scored more than 400 goals including a record 15 at World Cups.
    The striker, an unused squad member when Brazil won the World Cup in 1994 and their top scorer when they won their record fifth title in 2002, is expected to remain at the club in an administrative role.
    Ronaldo, who left Brazil's Cruzeiro for PSV Eindhoven at the age of 18 and played for both Milan clubs, Barcelona and Real Madrid, helped Corinthians win the Copa Brasil and Paulista (Sao Paulo) state championship last year.
    But Corinthians disappointed in the two big competitions of 2010, their centenary year, failing to get past the round of 16 of the Libertadores cup or win the Brazilian championship.
    Ronaldo missed many matches through injury and fans began to show their irritation.
    This came to a head after Corinthians lost 2-0 away to Deportes Tolima of Colombia 10 days ago in the second leg of their Libertadores Cup preliminary round tie having drawn 0-0 at home. They were eliminated from the competition.
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