South America's finest does it his way
2 December 2005
by FIFAworldcup.com
With a career littered with glorious moments and cruel setbacks, no one can say that Ronaldo Nazario de Lima's life has always been easy.
Who could forget the player's momentous struggle to overcome a career-threatening injury during the qualifying campaign for the 2002 FIFA World Cup™ and his subsequent triumph at being crowned top scorer at the finals? The qualifiers for Germany 2006 also brought O Fenômeno his share of ups and downs, but once again the player came through, producing another impressive goal haul to finish the two-year campaign on a high.
Brazil's qualification for Germany with time and games to spare was due in no small measure to the contribution of Ronaldo. The Real Madrid striker weighed in with ten goals, and that after a barren spell of almost 12 months midway through the campaign. That Brazil still won the group in spite of this is testimony to the strength in depth of Carlos Alberto Parreira's strike force. Now, FIFAworldcup.com takes a look back at how Ronaldo performed during the 18-game campaign that earned Brazil their 18th consecutive FIFA World Cup finals appearance.
Qualifying goals
Ronaldo wasted no time in getting his name onto the list of top scorers in the South American qualifying campaign for Germany, netting his side's first in their 2-1 opening day win in Colombia. Not content with scoring, the centre-forward then provided Kaka with the assist that secured all three points. After two subsequent games without finding the target, Ronaldo was back among the goals on 19 November 2003, striking twice in the Seleção's 3-3 draw with Uruguay.
His crowning moment, however, would come against Argentina on 2 June 2004 in the city of Belo Horizonte, where the striker spent his formative years. Playing to a packed Mineirao stadium, where once he had enthralled the fans of Cruzeiro, Ronaldo was in unstoppable form. Such was the havoc created by the player in the visitors' area that three times they were forced to upend him. Three times the striker dusted himself down and punished them from the spot to earn Brazil a 3-1 win and hand the Albiceleste their first defeat in 17 qualifying games.
With seven goals to his name, Ronaldo was back for more on 5 September 2004, when he played his first game for the Auriverde in Sao Paulo. He found the net in his side's 3-1 triumph against Colombia and then followed that up with another two goals just over a month later in a 5-2 win over Venezuela. With half the qualifying campaign over, however, Ronaldo then suffered every attacker's worst nightmare, the dreaded goal drought.
Six fruitless games followed, a situation exacerbated by the dazzling form of his principal rival for a striking berth, Inter Milan's Adriano. O Fenômeno eventually ended the barren spell in Brazil's final qualifier against Venezuela after 'Emperor' Adriano had given Brazil the lead. With his goal guaranteeing him the mantle of top scorer, Ronaldo could afford to breathe easily again. "I hope I never have another goal drought like that," the player said after the game.
Now for the FIFA World Cup
The fact that the top scorer in the qualifying round could go six games without a goal proves the overall effectiveness of the 'Fab Four' attacking quartet that Parreira has assembled. Yes, 'Ronnie' topped the table with ten strikes, but he was joined there by team-mates Adriano (six), Kaka (five) and Ronaldinho (four). Collectively, the four plundered opposing defences 25 times, firing their team to first place in the group, ahead of arch-rivals Argentina.
In spite of all that, the coach has tried to rein in the boundless optimism that their performances have generated. "We've had a good (qualifying) campaign. We've achieved our qualifying goals and have the competition's top scorer in our squad. What is left now is the World Cup," Parreira said after his side's final game of the preliminaries.
Football fans the world over are now anxious to see what Ronaldo and Co can produce in Germany. And though it will be the height of the European summer, they should not be surprised to find it raining goals.
