From that magical toe-poke at Stamford Bridge to his sublime free-kick at Fratton Park, Ronaldinho did bits in England… on occasion.
But the Brazil legend, one of football’s great entertainers, never graced the Premier League – much to England’s regret and possibly goalkeeper David Seaman’s delight.
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It was in 2003 that Barcelona landed the coveted Ronaldinho’s signature despite Man United’s attemptsCredit: AFP
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The smiling assassin stunned England and Seaman at the World Cup in Japan a year earlier
Even Blackburn Rovers tried to bring the former Barcelona and Milan forward to these shores at one point. If you don’t buy a ticket, eh?
Back in 2003, though, there was an actual chance the South American superstar would sign for a Premier League club when Manchester United tried to buy him from Paris Saint-Germain.
In fact, they were just 48 hours from landing a 23-year-old Ronaldinho, who had already earmarked himself as one of Europe’s most exciting players, lit up the 2002 World Cup, knocked England out, and manager Sir Alex Ferguson was obsessed.
There weren’t many clubs who could out-muscle the Premier League side in the transfer market back then, but it was game over as soon as Barcelona got involved.
With a fierce tradition of eccentric Brazilians – Romario, Rivaldo, Ronaldo – the Nou Camp was Ronaldinho’s spiritual home, even if nobody knew it yet.
It was his dream and, as it transpired, his destiny to play for the Catalans.
Maybe that’s why the stars aligned in such a mad way to ensure that’s where he ended up instead of Old Trafford.
With Barca falling into obscurity, Joan Laporta and Sandro Rosell led their bid for the club’s presidency by promising one of three superstar signings: David Beckham, Thierry Henry, or Ronaldinho.
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Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho in the same team – what a time to be aliveCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Upon election, the new president and vice president failed to lure Henry from Arsenal and lost Beckham to Real Madrid, so they nicked Ronaldinho from United’s grasp at the last minute and unveiled him on 20 July, 2003.
The Brazilian once recalled: “It almost happened with United. It was a matter of 48 hours, but Rosell had told me way before I got the offer: ‘If I become Barca president, will you come?’ I said yes.
“It was only a matter of details with United when Rosell called to say he was going to win the election there. And I had promised to him that I’d play for Barca.”
At €30million, huge money 20 years ago, Ronaldinho is still one of the greatest bargains in transfer history.
So good was he if you weren’t old enough to remember watching him in his prime? “Prime Ronaldinho was phenomenal. He made his opponents look like children,” Zlatan Ibrahimovic once said.
Not only did he bring the glory days back to Barcelona almost single-handedly, his infectious joy on the pitch made him the most marketable, as well as the most talented, player on the planet by an absurd distance.
And according to United legend Paul Scholes, the blow of missing out on Ronaldinho was not lost on the players.
Scholes once said: “I remember two or three that were possibly coming.
“I think the one that stands out is Ronaldinho.
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Things didn’t turn out too badly for UnitedCredit: Getty
“He was away on pre-season and we were as close as announcing him and giving him a number, but I think he ended up changing his mind at the last minute and signing for Barcelona.
“It’s strange really because we played Barcelona on that pre-season tour.
“We were all excited – Ronaldinho, what a player! I think he was coming from PSG at the time and we were all going to get to play with him and he’s going to bring something special.
“Almost like what Eric Cantona brought to the team. Then, three days later, we’re playing against him and all trying to kick him because he didn’t sign for us.
“It was disappointing but I was lucky enough to play with some great players and he’d have just been another unbelievable player I’d had played with, but it just never happened.”
It wasn’t all bad for United when they missed out on Ronaldinho, however.
Still desperate to soften the blow of Beckham’s departure and bring a new no.7 to Old Trafford, they signed this young bloke called Cristiano Ronaldo a few weeks later.
In a storied career, Ronaldo became a legend, left in a record move, returned some years later and then set the place on fire.
And the legendary career of CR7 isn’t Ronaldinho’s only legacy at Old Trafford, he also inspired their best player today: Bruno Fernandes.
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Fernandes is a product of idolising Ronaldinho as a kidCredit: AFP
The midfielder said: “In my first few years, the player I think is the one everyone liked and always will like is Ronaldinho.
“For me, he is the player with the capacity to take you and put you in front of the TV, and you will stay for hours. For hours!
“Because he had that energy and happiness. He was happy in everything he did.
“You enjoy it when you see guys playing like that, so for the first few years Ronaldinho was my favourite player.”
So like the entire world of football, United have plenty to thank Ronaldinho for.
But we’re still left imagining what it would’ve been like to see him flip-flapping all over the Premier League.
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