- Title: BRAZIL: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Ronaldinho officially joins Flamengo
- Date: 14th January 2011
- Summary: ***CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF RONALDINHO ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE GENERAL VIEW OF NEWS CONFERENCE CLOSE OF RONALDINHO NEXT TO FLAMENGO'S PRESIDENT PATRICIA AMORIM CAMERA CREWS (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) FLAMENGO FORWARD, RONALDINHO GAUCHO, SAYING: "I decided to come to Brazil because of that. Many times I thought of coming back to Brazil to finish my c
- Embargoed: 29th January 2011 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Brazil, Brazil
- Country: Brazil
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVABYP0MB1KTOIP5MQ7DT1WCKNT9
- Story Text: Soccer star Ronaldinho is introduced to Flamengo fans in Rio as he officially joins the club.
Former World Player of the Year Ronaldinho officially joined Flamengo on Wednesday (January 12) and was welcomed by thousands of ecstatic fans at a massive party.
The 30-year-old player signed a four-year contract with Brazil's 2009 champions on Monday (January 10), after he was given permission by AC Milan to seek a move home to Brazil.
More than 20,000 fans took to Flamengo's headquarters in the beginning of the afternoon and were entertained by popular Brazilian artists who support the team, while they waited for the gifted, party-loving forward with the toothy grin.
Ronaldinho arrived wearing his number 10 black-and-red jersey as the cheering crowd blew horns and waved giant flags with the star's face.
He looked overwhelmed by his reception at first and promised titles to fans in return.
"I hope I can give back the affection from all of you, inside the field. Thank you for your affection. Let's go, black-and-red nation, we are together, I am by your side, and now I am Flamengo," he said.
Ronaldinho's return to his home country is a bid to revive his flagging career and win a place in Brazil's 2014 World Cup squad after he was overlooked last year by former coach Dunga.
During a news conference held with Flamengo President Patricia Amorim, Ronaldinho said one of his goals was to help his country win a sixth world crown.
"I decided to come to Brazil because of that. Many times I thought of coming back to Brazil to finish my career. After all that happened, with the possibility of (playing in) an Olympics and a World Cup, and after many years abroad -- everything gave me motivation to return. And I want to go back to the national squad and stay there until the World Cup," he said.
He added that playing for a traditional club and wearing the same jersey of Flamengo idol Zico were among the reasons that motivated his comeback to Brazilian fields.
"Because of the club's history, because of all the players who wore this jersey, because of Zico, who is, inside my home, who always was my biggest idol," he said.
The gifted forward had a lackluster performance in AC Milan this season and failed to win a regular starting place at the Serie A team.
Ronaldinho reached his peak when he helped Brazil win the 2002 World Cup and then during a five-year spell with Barcelona in the mid 2000s, when he was twice voted FIFA's World Player of the Year.
But after a disappointing performance at the 2006 World Cup, his partying lifestyle and lack of fitness began to show and he joined AC Milan in 2008.
He had also been chased by Gremio, the club where he was raised, and Palmeiras, but ended up in Flamengo, which claims to be Brazil's most popular club with 25 million supporters.
The signing of Ronaldinho is likely to cause another wave of huge expectation at Flamengo, one of Brazil's most volatile clubs.
Flamengo has won five Brazilian championship titles, most recently in 2009, but finished only two points above the relegation zone last season.
Ronaldinho will make his debut for the Rio de Janeiro club during the state championship that starts later this month. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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