Ronaldihno Gaucho(as he is known here) is presently inescapable in Brazil. He is the official face of what seems like at least one hundred products from banks, mobile phone companies, Nike and even the UN. His highly successful year at Barcelona is shown over and over on TV in between highlights of his greatest tricks, documentaries about his humble beginnings in Brazil and his present lifestyle in Europe.
Beckham has certainly lost his crown as the world’s most marketable footballer as the buck toothed one has wrestled away his crown. In pure football terms too he is presently a head and shoulder full of flowing locks above his peers and Brazilians have all rejoiced in the influential role he played in Barcelona’s deserved lifting of the Champions league this season.
Its hard to imagine but a player who has winners medals from most of the biggest tournaments in the world alongside his two FIFA world player of the year awards can still have more to prove, but there’s a feeling here in Brazil that the man owes his home country fans a good game or two. The player with the world at his feet has really yet to show his true worth for Brazil, there have been moments but not yet the consistent brilliance he displays in his club shirt.
Many of his fellow country men attribute this to the fact that in a Brazilian crown full of so many jewels it is hard to shine the brightest. I am not convinced by this argument but one thing is for sure we are definitely still to see the best of the samba band leader in his beloved yellow and with the whole of an expecting Brazil urging him on, that is a frightening thought.