Ronaldo 50: Happy Birthday, O Fenômeno!

How can you put into words something that has nothing rational about it? A special love, a bond unlike any other, a player capable of making people dream like no one else: Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima was not like other strikers. Ronaldo was the beauty of life, the joy of football, a symbol that went far beyond the pitch: an era of hope, a wonder made real that made people believe anything was possible. Born on 18 September 1976 in Itaguaí, Rio de Janeiro, Ronaldo turns 50 today, a special milestone that deserves to be celebrated in fitting fashion for one of the greatest players in the history of football. 50 years old, five of them spent in the Nerazzurri shirt: an adventure filled with victories, triumphs, unforgettable moments, happiness and pain too, as is the case with all great love stories.

25 JULY 1997: RONALDO ARRIVES IN MILANO

Ronaldo's story with Inter began on 25 July 1997, when O Fenômeno arrived in Milano and experienced his first day as a Nerazzurri player. From Rio de Janeiro to Rome, then from Rome to Milano: Ronaldo wore black jeans and a checked shirt. Rain in Rome, sunshine in Milano, where he arrived at exactly 8am. And so, as he walked down the aircraft steps at Linate, the Fenomeno's life in the Nerazzurri colours began. People were waiting for him everywhere: at the airport, on the runway, wherever they could catch a glimpse of him. He had lunch with Inter president Massimo Moratti, accompanied by Sandro Mazzola and Luis Suárez. Fans gathered in the city centre, on Via Durini, waiting for him outside Inter's headquarters. At 4pm, he appeared at the window and the crowd erupted. He held up a scarf and tossed his cap into the crowd, where it quickly disappeared into the hands of the thousand or so fans gathered beneath the balcony. There were the customary photographs and his first embrace with his new supporters. Another special embrace would follow when he was engulfed by children dressed in Nerazzurri colours at San Siro on the day of the friendly against Manchester United. And so began the Fenômeno era in the Nerazzurri shirt: a huge shockwave swept through the world of Inter.