He may be 41 years old and not be a football player for three years, we would have liked to see Ronaldinho put on the number 10 of PSG this Tuesday evening, to face Leipzig. The public of the Parc des Princes who reserved a standing ovation for the guest of honor of PSG, whose colors he wore for two seasons (2001-2003), would no doubt also have dreamed of seeing the Brazilian slip in support of Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi. He too for that matter. “I had such a good time here,” he will say. It’s impossible to come back to this stadium and not want to play! “
The child from Porto Alegre had already returned in 2017 to receive a trophy of honor. The capital club had never cut the link with the one who had gone to Barcelona and then to Milan. He paid tribute to his mother who died last February. Meanwhile, Ronaldinho had been detained in Paraguay for more than five months for using false official documents and released in August 2020.
Ronaldinho presented himself at 7:35 p.m. on the lawn of the Park. He headed for the Boulogne stand to join the PSG TV set. Immediately, the spectators went down to the bottom of the stands to see him as closely as possible. His name was immediately sung. “From the first day, the supporters liked me, he will underline in remarks diffused on the screens of the Park. It was instantaneous. I think it’s not over, but every time I come to Paris it’s a very special emotion. I will always be grateful for this love. “In French, he will launch many” thank you for receiving me and giving me so many hugs “.
PSG, which had already honored some illustrious alumni in recent weeks – Javier Pastore or Rai had thus been warmly greeted by the supporters -, had therefore planned a gala evening around Ronnie.
But the Park, which he had made his garden, was not the only great reunion for Ronaldinho. The other highlight of his evening will also be that with Lionel Messi, of whom he was first the idol, but above all the partner at Barça for five years, notably winning a Champions League in 2006. In Catalonia, one evening in May 2005, Ronaldinho had become the first decisive passer for Messi with a sublime ladle. The Argentinian had finished ecstatic with joy, on the back of the Brazilian.
On the side of Barça, of which Ronaldinho is ambassador, we have hardly tasted this Parisian evening. At the bottom of the Virage Auteuil, where Thibaut Pinot had taken his place among the Ultras, Ronaldinho was far from these considerations at the time of his lap of honor. He had just addressed dozens of kisses in the direction of the stands, pursued by a cloud of photographers and cameramen, during his triumphal march, PSG scarf on his shoulders.
On the giant screens, he even seemed on the verge of tears to see the audience singing his name. After typing in a few happy spectators’ hands, he took the time to greet the Leipzig staff in full warm-up. It was just after, that Messi, seeing him, came to meet him for a historic and so symbolic embrace.
After the match, the Brazilian Golden Ball took advantage of the Parisian night by finding in particular his compatriot Neymar who wanted to immortalize the meeting.
