After Announcing Retirement In February, Ronaldo Reportedly Returns To Corinthians

So much for all of that ‘Ronaldo retires from football’ stuff. The legendary 34-year-old Brazilian striker, who, at my last check, was not very fit even while he was playing professional soccer three months ago, is now returning to play for Corinthians. This revelation comes three months after a tearful press conference in which he announced that he was finally retiring.

It’s unknown how much Ronaldo will figure into the Corinthians side in the upcoming Brasileiro, but it seems highly unlikely that he will be available for this weekend’s Campeonato Paulista championship. Ronaldo’s return likely has to do with a couple of summer friendly matches that Corinthians has lined up against two of Ronaldo’s former teams, Barcelona and Inter Milan. Don’t be shocked at all if Ronaldo goes back to being retired after these matches.

Ronaldo hasn’t be at his best for some years, but during the late 90s and early portion of the decade, he was the most feared striker in the world, combining supreme skill with surprising speed, strength and brilliant finishing ability. In a nine-year span between 1996 and 2005, he averaged a goal every 1.49 games, all while playing in the best leagues the world had to offer. Although weight and fitness problems plagued his late career, Ronaldo still has a very strong case for being the best striker in recent history, and his amazing displays in two World Cups will live long in the memory.