Ronaldo Nazario was one of the most incredible footballers to have ever represented Brazil and several clubs during his career. He made an electrifying start to his early playing career, but fought with lack of fitness and injury concerns towards the latter part of his career, which ultimately forced him into retirement.
However, in the peak of his powers, there were few footballers who came close to what Ronaldo could do with the ball at his feet. A strong, powerful striker who also had incredible agility, he used his traits to score some amazing goals for his teams. He was also a serial winner and picked up silverware for all his clubs.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at his legacy in the beautiful game.
Ronaldo Nazario: Early Life & Beginnings
Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lima was born in Itaguai in Brazil in 1976 and began his pursuit of professional football aged just 11 after his parents separated. He was enrolled into the Sao Cristovao academy in 1990 and spent three years there as he developed his game.
Right from a very young age, Ronaldo displayed goal scoring prowess that was an anomaly for players his age. He was a part of his local team Social Ramos and played futsal for them when he was 12, scoring 166 goals in his first season for the club. His coach Alirio Carvalho praised his work ethic and attitude, saying nothing threw him off his game.
Soon as the word spread about his talents, clubs from all over Brazil wanted to sign him, kick-starting his entry into professional football.
Ronaldo Nazario: Club & International Career
Club Career
Having impressed at youth levels, Botafogo and Sao Paulo wanted to sign Ronaldo but his agents chose a move to Cruzeiro instead, under the guidance of former great Jairzinho. He made an instant impact at the club, netting an impressive 44 goals in 47 games for the club. His performances resulted in Ronaldo being picked for the 1994 FIFA World Cup, but he did not play a single game.
Later that year, PSV Eindhoven put in a bid to sign him and acquired the striker. Ronaldo made an amazing start to life with the Dutch side, netting 54 goals and providing seven assists in his 57 games with the club. He spent two years with PSV before FC Barcelona came calling in 1996 and signed him. He remained with the Catalans for just one season, though, scoring 47 goals and providing 13 assists in 49 games.
Soon after, Ronaldo joined Inter Milan under controversial circumstances after a contract issue with Barca, paving the way for another world-record deal. He made 99 appearances for Inter, scoring 59 goals and providing 10 assists as well. He won his first Ballon d’Or in 1997 on the back of a great year.
In 2002, Real Madrid came calling and Ronaldo signed for them, becoming an integral part of their ‘Galacticos’ project mastered by President Florentino Perez. He made 177 appearances for the club, scoring 103 goals and providing 34 assists. However, his fitness started to decline towards the end of his stay and he moved to AC Milan for a year in 2007/08, before ending his career with Corinthians.
Ronaldo won silverware with all of his clubs barring AC Milan, and also won the Golden Boot in four separate league seasons.
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International Career
Ronaldo Nazario made his debut for Brazil in March 1994 in a friendly match against Argentina, followed by his first international goal in the next game against Iceland. He was picked for the 1994 World Cup, but did not play a single game in that edition.
His real rise to prominence in the national setup came between 1996-98, where he appeared and scored in several games for the Selecao. He was then selected for the 1998 World Cup, where he scored four and assisted three goals. However, Ronaldo’s peak for Brazil came in the 2002 World Cup, where he scored seven goals and provided one assist as they won the cup.
However, injuries and controversy kept him out of the team for large parts between 2006-10, with his last match coming against Romania in 2011.
Ronaldo Nazario: Career Stats
Club Stats
| Club Name | Appearances | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Red Cards |
| Real Madrid | 177 | 103 | 34 | 13 | 2 |
| Inter Milan | 99 | 59 | 10 | 5 | 1 |
| Corinthians | 69 | 35 | 7 | 8 | – |
| PSV Eindhoven | 57 | 54 | 7 | – | – |
| FC Barcelona | 49 | 47 | 13 | 5 | – |
| AC Milan | 20 | 9 | 4 | 1 | – |
| Cruzeiro | 47 | 44 | – | – | – |
| TOTAL | 518 | 351 | 75 | 32 | 3 |
International Stats
| Competition | Appearances | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Red Cards |
| Int’l Friendlies | 47 | 23 | 14 | 3 | – |
| World Cup | 19 | 15 | 5 | 2 | – |
| World Cup Qualifiers | 15 | 10 | 6 | 1 | – |
| Copa America | 13 | 10 | 4 | 2 | – |
| Confederations Cup | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | – |
| TOTAL | 99 | 62 | 32 | 9 | – |
Ronaldo Nazario: Family & Personal Life
Ronaldo met his first partner Susana Werner in 1997 and they were in a relationship for two years until December 1999, when Ronaldo married Brazilian footballer Milene Domingues. The pair were married for four years until 2003 and had a son named Ronald.
In 2005, Ronaldo and Brazilian model Daniella Cicarelli got engaged, but were unable to have a child together due to miscarriage. The relationship lasted just three months before falling apart. In April 2008, the wedding bells rang again for the striker, who tied the knot with Maria Beatriz Antony, and they had two daughters together, before splitting up in 2012.
That same year, Ronaldo also had a vasectomy after discovering his fourth child, who he had with a waitress during their affair between 2002-05. He is currently engaged to Brazilian businesswoman Celina Locks.
Ronaldo Nazario: Net Worth & Ventures
Ronaldo is worth an estimated $160 million via earnings from his playing career and ventures after it. His first real investment into the sport was when he became part owner of Spanish side Real Valladolid after purchasing a 51% stake in the club in 2018.
In 2021, he did the same with his first club Cruzeiro, but sold his stake to BPW Sports company in 2024, yet still managing to retain his place on the board.
Apart from investments, Ronaldo Nazario has also been one of the biggest Nike athletes of all-time. He signed a 10-year deal with the brand in 1996 along with lifelong endorsement. He has had multiple signature boots designed as special dedication to him.
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