Phenomenon Short Story

How does a little boy from a poor Brazilian background find his way into the greatest football stages and marvel the world with his formidable talent? This is the story of Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima. Colloquially known as "The Phenomenon," his amazing talent continues to amaze new football fans today. "The Phenomenon" had a turbulent and eventful career: he went through several difficult phases with numerous problems in the knees that removed him from the fields, surgeries, public scandals, colossal fame and competitive achievement. But all of this was a very foreign reality for the humble boy from Bento Ribeiro.

In 1994, a thin and toothy boy conquered Brazil and comparisons with Pelé were inevitable. At age 17, he wore the Brazilian senior

He had a poor childhood, although not miserable. The name arose because of a tribute made to the doctor Ronaldo Valente, who sought Ms. Sônia at home on September 18, 1976 and rushed her to the hospital Sao Francisco Xavier, in Itaguaí, for childbirth. The doctor was also the godfather of the striker, who took too long to be registered. Nélio missed the deadline and ended up saying that his son had been born on September 22--four days after the actual date--to avoid paying a fine in the notary 's office.

It was easier to find Ronaldo playing football in the streets of Bento Gonçalves than in the classrooms at the Nossa Senhora de Aparecida College. He wasn 't a great student; he did not feel comfortable in the academic environment. In the classroom, he wasn 't the wonder boy admired for his football, and he became a victim of his friends ' jokes about his open incisor teeth. It was not long before he earned the nickname of "Monica", a famous character conceived by cartoonist Maurício de Souza. While building a bad reputation at school, Ronaldo gained fame among the neighborhood 's