November 28 – Ronaldinho Bags the Ballon d’Or

WE ALL know what it’s like you the partying begins to get the better of you. Here at OTFD towers we used to be able to party all night like the best of them and breeze into work the next morning without feeling a thing, but it’s a different story these days.

We get the feeling that Ronaldinho is feeling much the same. Before his party lifestyle down Las Rambla in Barcelona got the better of him the big-toothed Brazilian was combining the high-life with being the best player in the world, winning the Ballon d’Or today in 2005.

The overweight trickster that finished last season on the bench at Camp Nou has recently become a shadow of his former self as he tries to rebuild his career in Milan, but in his pomp three years ago his array of tricks, goals and signature ‘flip-flap’ move meant he was the only choice to pick up the 50th edition of world football’s biggest individual honour.

His biggest competition that year (not literally, all you West Ham fans) was Frank Lampard Junior, who was voted as the second best player plying his trade in Europe that year. Without wanting to have the usual argument about the merits of one of English football’s most divisive players, we’re really not convinced about that. Steven Gerrard rounded out the top three that year.

The Ballon d’Or award has grown in stature since Sir Stanley Matthews picked up the inaugural gong in 1956 over the likes of Alfredo Di Stefano and Raymond Kopa. Since then the roll of honour reads like a who’s who of all-time legends; Eusebio, Beckenbauer, Cruyff, Rivera, Keegan, Platini, van Basten and Baggio are just some of the big names on there.

Since Ronny picked up the prize he has seen a slow but steady decline, but his recent move to Milan appears to have revitalised him if last night’s late match changing cameo against Portsmouth is anything to go by. Indeed the Rossoneri can boast of having three of the last four Ballon d’Or winners in their ranks, with Ronaldinho’s compatriot Kaka joining Chelsea flop and 2004 winner Andriy Shevchenko at the San Siro.

See footage of Ronny strutting his stuff for Barca below and check out which other South American was making headlines today here.