BRAZIL/FILE: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: Striker Ronaldinho says he is leaving Flamengo with good memories after winning a court injunction ending his contract with the team

Record ID: 184156

  • Title: BRAZIL/FILE: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: Striker Ronaldinho says he is leaving Flamengo with good memories after winning a court injunction ending his contract with the team
  • Date: 2nd June 2012
  • Summary: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (FILE) (REUTERS) FORMER AC MILAN AND BARCELONA STRIKER ENTERING FIELD BEFORE HIS FIRST MATCH FOR FLAMENGO FANS WITH HUGE FLAG IN STADIUM RONALDINHO KICKING A GOAL SHOT VARIOUS OF RONALDINHO IN MATCH EXTERIOR OF FLAMENGO CLUB HEADQUARTERS
  • Embargoed: 17th June 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Brazil
  • Country: Brazil
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA8KHWRODNMYJC7QHE2D2O08RPQ
  • Story Text: Former AC Milan and Barcelona striker Ronaldinho said on Thursday (May 31) that he would only keep the good memories from his time in Flamengo after winning a court injunction releasing him from his contract.
    The announcement of his departure came after a troubled 17 months at Brazil's most popular club, where the 32-year-old World Cup winner suffered a sharp drop in form since the start of the year.
    Brazilian media outlets said the player was suing the club for $20 million dollars for unpaid wages, although there was no confirmation from the player or Flamengo.
    In an interview for TV Globo he said he had no hard feelings towards the club and thanked fans for their support.
    "It was a short period, but in one year I won two important titles, so I rather keep the good things Flamengo gave me. I just want to say thank you because everywhere I go in Rio de Janeiro, fans always treated me very well," he said.
    Ronaldinho was jeered off the pitch when he was substituted on Saturday after a mistake led to Internacional's equaliser in a 3-3 draw in the Brazilian championship.
    He was given permission to visit his mother, who has health problems, after the game but missed training this week and failed to join the team on a flight to Teresina in north-eastern Brazil for a friendly on Thursday night.
    The club released a statement on Thursday saying their future would be better without Ronaldinho.
    Ronaldinho was voted FIFA's World Player of the Year in 2005 and 2006 but his career has been steadily going downhill since then and his drop in form is often blamed on his partying lifestyle.
    He reached his peak during a five-year spell with Barcelona, then spent three less successful years with AC Milan before joining Flamengo at the start of last year.
  • Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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