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Ronaldinho "Gaúcho"
By Marcelo Russio*. Translation by Monica Yasuzawa.
Source: Comuniquese.com.br

Hello, friends. There is no way: If Ronaldinho Gaúcho does what is expected of him in the World Cup in Germany, he will be in the same level of sacred soccer monsters such as Garrincha and Maradona. I thought about that when I saw the player’s performance against Arsenal, in the last European Champions League.

Having the romantic images of Garrincha in Botafogo and in the Brazilian Team, I wonder how we will analyze Ronaldinho Gaúcho if we elevate him to the mastery of one of the best soccer players of all time after Pelé. He doesn’t have the aura of untouchable myth Garrincha had, that’s for sure, and he also still doesn’t have the god-like position Maradona has.

Both the bow-legged genius and the devilish Argentinean lefty had careers with a beginning, middle and end as well as consolidated and historical glories.
Ronaldinho will still have ahead of him at least two World Cups for sure and he will be able to perform miracles as the ones he’s been doing for Barcelona and the one’s he’s performed for Paris St. Germain and Grêmio for so many years.
Therefore, what’s missing?

Only one thing: to be the start in a World Cup. Not as clever as his Southerner namesake, the other Ronaldo (Nazário) has stared with skillfulness in the 2002 one, as an excellent player, top scorer and character. Beard, hair, and mustache nicely done. It marked it forever. That’s what I think is missing to Ronaldo Gaúcho. To be the main star.

But, even if he does so, should we compare him to Garrincha and Maradona? Would it be unfair to him? Or to the older ones? Different times, different soccer, different numbers, different media… all different.

Comparing them would be the same as saying Michelangelo was better than Leonardo da Vinci or that Mozart was better than Beethoven. The geniuses, in art as well as in sport, were inserted in different times and styles which influenced their surroundings, and helped them choose different paths and take different actions, even though with the same purpose.

Maybe the only fair thing to compare would be the gift of making people smile. Both have the gift of delighting the audiences of their team as well as the opponent’s team. That unites them, no matter when. Their resemblance is in their brilliance and sparkle that gets more constant with time. Being left to the press to find others, even if it means creating them. ?