Ronaldinho saunters into the Camp Nou lounge an hour late, all perma-smile, high-fives and hugs for any of the loitering Barcelona employees. That smile isn’t suppressed by the prospect of four hours of face-to-face interviews with different journalists, ranging from Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport (likely sample question: “Would you like to play in Serie A?”) to the McDonald’s consumer magazine (unlikely sample question: “What are your thoughts on deforestation of the Amazon rainforest in order to support beef cattle farming for a multinational company?”).
There are 100 other things that the 25-year-old would rather be doing, and most involve having a ball at his feet. Ronaldinho, ranked at No.4 in FourFourTwo's list of the greatest Barcelona players of all time, repeats the answers to the same questions over and over, from Catalan journalists about Barça, Barça, and more Barça, while simultaneously adding his signature to bundles of replica shirts in the colours of Brazil or the Blaugrana.
When FFT invites him to speak about the former, he appears to appreciate the change of subject.
Can you think of any reason why Brazil won’t win the 2006 World Cup?
Ronaldinho: [Smiles] People say we’re favourites – I can see why. We won it last time, and we’re number one in the world. But the competition is so tough. France were favourites for the last World Cup and Senegal beat them in the first game!
There’s a lot of pressure on you…
R: The people of Brazil always have great expectations. When we play in Germany, they’ll be waiting for us to return with the trophy. They’ll organise parties as if it’s going to happen. Sometimes they forget there are other great teams who could win the competition.
With all the pressure, do you still enjoy football as much as in childhood?
R: I just love playing with the ball, as I have done since I was small. I’m happy with a ball at my feet. I cannot remember life without a ball at my feet. It was the best present I had as a kid, the one that made me the happiest. My friends liked football, but not as much as me. They used to get tired of it. The only one who never got bored playing with me was my pet dog Bombom. He was restless, like me! He was a real companion; we were always together. I don’t think my mum was keen on us playing football all the time because we always broke something. She used to ground me, tell me off and say, ‘You’re not playing football at home’, but we carried on.
How does it feel to be the best footballer in the world?
R: [Shaking his head] I don’t even feel I’m the best at Barça. I know I’m important to the team, but the best… no. I do what I can, and others do things I can’t. The good news is we have all the players from last season, as well as new and emerging players like Lionel Messi.
You’ve just signed a new contract with Barcelona until 2010…
R: I have, but it doesn’t matter, because when the directors and fans don’t want you anymore, you’re out of the club. A contract is more for you to work for a long time. I signed because I’m happy and want to win more trophies here.
What’s it like to be Ronaldinho? How do you deal with being recognised by fans no matter where you go?
R: It’s good. I find people’s reactions really amusing. Sometimes it looks like they’re going to have a heart attack [laughs], or that they’re thinking ‘I’m either drunk or I’m dreaming’, and then some people start shouting. It’s funny.
There was a time when you were always in the papers, when you had a reputation for loving nightlife…
R: Yeah, that’s true. I used to go out more. But now I couldn’t even tell you what the most popular club in Barcelona is. I go to a Brazilian bar near my home later in the day, which is quieter, to eat Brazilian food. I don’t like to go to the cinema because I can’t be still.
You once said about yourself that ‘I’m an ugly but nice guy’.
R: That was a strange thing to say… But let’s face it, it’s true. As a child, I was never good-looking, or whatever, but it didn’t make me sad. I still had a lot of friends. The kids used to pick on me when I was little because of my teeth, but I didn’t give a monkey’s about it. There are times I’ve had to wear braces, and I should have done it earlier, but I had to wait until I stopped growing.
You became a father last February. Not many people knew about your son…
R: That’s because I don’t want to speak about Joao in public [Joao was born in Brazil to a former girlfriend, a dancer who has appeared on television shows].
Ronaldinho’s son Joao Mendes was born just months before our 2005 interview – in 2024, he signed for Burnley. “The weather is very different to what I’m used to, but I can tell the fans are so passionate about football here,” he said. In May 2025 he left Burnley and joined Hull City in September.
That is, I believe, a private experience. I’m so happy to have his name near me, but for the time being, I just want to concentrate on my football.
“MESSI IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST EXCITING PLAYERS. HE’S SMALL, BUT HE’S FEARLESS”
What do you think of the current England team, and which players do you most admire in world football?
R: England are one of the best teams in the world. David Beckham is a great player, maybe the best in Spain, and Wayne Rooney is very important. The World Cup could be a real platform to show how great he is. There are other great players like Zinedine Zidane, as well as great defenders such as Paolo Maldini, but one of the most exciting players in the world has to be Lionel Messi. He’s brilliant and amazes me with his quality and growth. I have no doubt he’ll be a key player for Argentina. He might be small, but he’s fearless.
This article originally appeared in the January 2006 issue of FourFourTwo
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