Ronaldinho: I’m not quitting football

Despite reports suggested Ronaldinho considers football retirement, the player and his agent quash those statement, while former Polish star believes Ronaldinho is a dead horse already

When you said Ronaldinho few years ago, the first thing that came up in your mind was this terrifying player – the best player in the world. However, those days are not all gone, and when you say Ronaldinho, the first thing that came up in your mind is FLOP.

The former Barcelona player was considered to the best player in the world during two years, but after the 2006 World Cup, something happened, and he found it hard to reignite the desire he used to have.

After Barcelona and Frank Rijkaard decided Ronaldinho is not good enough for their team, Silvio Berlusconi, Milan owner, bought the player last summer. The move made big noises but in the end of it, it has appeared as a wrong move.

Dinho had a tough season under Carlo Ancelotti, but this year, when Leonardo took the rein of the club, he count on him and let him play. After a wonderful first Serie A match against Siena, Ronaldinho just wasn’t good anymore, and now, Silvio Berlusconi and Leonardo just lose faith with him.

Following that, the Spanish news daily Sport suggested on Saturday that Ronaldinho is considering an early retirement at the end of the season, after left out of Milan squad against Bologna, and didn’t play in the national team since last February.

"My brother is not thinking about retirement at all," Dinho agent and brother, Roberto de Assis explained in an interview with Globo TV. "It's the opposite, seeing as he wants to regain his place in the Brazilian national team at any cost.

"An article like the one in Sport is a total denigration - they are treating someone who has done so much for the sport with the minimum of respect," he fumed. Everything on this subject is just conjecture and rumours."

Roberto insists his brother and client is defiantly not thinking about get out of the football world. Furthermore, also Ronnie himself claims those worlds have not even one piece of truth.

“Contrary to what has been published by the Spanish newspaper Sport, I have never thought about retirement," Dinho told on his website. “The story is rash, and comes from a sensationalist newspaper. My source [of motivation] is happiness; it is and always has been to play football.

“I am very happy in Milan and with Milan in the same way in which I have been happy in the all the cities and clubs in which I have played football.

“The criticism, positive or negative, is valid, but it has to be sourced and based on real facts. However, the publication of false information is unacceptable,” Ronaldinho concluded.

Ronaldinho has a contract with the Italian giants until 2011, however his spot in the first eleven is in danger since Clarence Seedorf is performing well in Dinho’s role. Many believe Ronnie is not a very good player anymore, also former Polish international superstar Zbigniew Boniek thinks so.

"Ronaldinho is finished, he does not have the legs and the lungs any more," declared the Polish TV commentator to Replay. "He can still hurt the opponent with the ball on his feet, but in today's football you must run and Ronaldinho cannot do so any more."

Nevertheless, the former striker and winger has a different mind over the other Brazilian in Milan team – Alexandre Pato. The 20-years-old is maybe the best player of Milan following Kaka’s departure in the summer’s transfer market.

"Pato is phenomenal, he's a player who is growing also from the human side, apart from the technical one. Pato deserves to have guarantees. He sees his space inside the team grow and feels that he can become important for this Milan side," said Boniek.

Ronaldinho denies the retirement talks, but when it comes to Milan and Ronaldinho, you never know…

By Meytar Zeevi, Rossoneri Blog

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