Ronaldo de Assis Moreira (born 21 March 1980), commonly known as Ronaldinho (Brazilian

Portuguese: [onawdu])

orRonaldinho Gacho,[2] is a Brazilian footballer. His main playing

position is as an attacking midfielder or forward. He won theFIFA World Player of the Year award
in 2004 and 2005. Renowned for his technique, tricks, dribbling, overhead kicks, no-look passes
and free kicks, Ronaldinho is regarded to be one of the best players of his generation. [3][4]
"Ronaldinho", the diminutive and term of endearment for "Ronaldo", is accompanied in Brazilian
usage by the nickname "Gacho" (since he hails from southern Brazil), in order to distinguish him
from fellow footballer and countryman Ronaldo, who was known as "Ronaldinho" in Brazil
beforehand. Ronaldo went by his first name upon his move to Europe, thereby allowing
Ronaldinho to drop the "Gacho" and go by the name Ronaldinho abroad.
Ronaldinho has played 97 matches and scored 33 goals for the Brazil national football team. He
was an integral part of the2002 FIFA World Cup winning team in Korea/Japan, starring
alongside Ronaldo and Rivaldo in an attacking trio, and was named in the FIFA World Cup AllStar Team.
At club level, Ronaldinho played first for the Brazilian club Grmio before spending the bulk of his
career with European clubsParis Saint-Germain, FC Barcelona, and Milan. He then returned to
Brazil to play for Flamengo and Atltico Mineiro before moving to Mexico to play for Quertaro.
With Barcelona, he won La Liga twice, the UEFA Champions League in 2006, and accumulated
numerous individual awards, including the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005 and
the Ballon d'Or in 2005. Ronaldinho was named in the FIFA 100, a list of the world's greatest
living players compiled by Pel, and to the FIFPro World XI from 20052007.