- Title: BRAZIL: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Former Brazil striker Ronaldo calls it a day
- Date: 15th February 2011
- Summary: SAO PAULO, BRAZIL (FEBRUARY 14, 2011) (REUTERS) (** AUDIO AS INCOMING **) BANNER OUTSIDE CORINTHIANS TRAINING COMPLEX, READING: "PHENOMENON FOREVER" VARIOUS OF EXTERIORS OF CORINTHIANS TRAINING COMPLEX, WHERE SOCCER STAR RONALDO ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT VARIOUS OF RONALDO ARRIVING IN NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 2nd March 2011 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Brazil, Brazil
- Country: Brazil
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA9LIU2POUUXQ0Q0YTISQJISCGF
- Story Text: Former Brazil striker Ronaldo ended his career, one of the most successful in soccer, on Monday (February 14) and said injuries and fitness problems prevented him from playing to his best form.
The 34-year-old three-times FIFA World Player of the Year, a twice World Cup winner, announced his retirement in a packed news conference at Corinthians' training complex in Sao Paulo.
With his two sons at his side, Ronaldo told reporters that fitness issues were the overriding reason for his decision.
"It's very hard to leave something that makes you so happy, to which you gave so much, which you love so much and could even continue doing, because mentally and psychologically I still want to, but one also has to accept some defeats. I lost to my body," he said.
Ronaldo joined the Sao Paulo-based club in 2009, with the Libertadores Cup in mind, a title which they have never won.
He helped Corinthians win the Copa Brasil and Paulista (Sao Paulo) state championship last year, but the club 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.
Corinthians was also dumped out of South America's elite club competition this season, in the preliminary round two weeks ago. Fans staged violent protests, mainly against Ronaldo and his former Real Madrid and Brazil team mate Roberto Carlos. Roberto Carlos has rescinded his contract with Corinthians.
Ronaldo, who had a contract with the club until the end of the year, broke down in tears when he apologized to fans for failing to deliver the major prize of the Libertadores Cup.
"I would like to apologize in public for having failed in the Libertadores' project," he said, adding that he would still go to their matches as a supporter.
He also told reporters that, while playing for AC Milan in Italy, he discovered that he was suffering from a thyroid problem that slowed his metabolism.
"Four years ago at Milan I discovered I was suffering from a complaint called hypothyroidism," he said.
He added that in order to control his condition, he would have to take hormones that banned in soccer.
Ronaldo has constantly struggled to keep his weight down and often suffered the jibe of "fatty".
During a brilliant career riddled with goals for four major European clubs -- Barcelona, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and AC Milan in that order -- Ronaldo was voted FIFA world player of the year three times and also won the European footballer of the year award twice.
He won two World Cup winners medals with Brazil. He was an unused squad member when Brazil won the title in 1994 and their top scorer when they won their record fifth in 2002 after he recovered from a serious knee injury that had threatened a premature end to his career. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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