Check out the full press conference with Ronaldinho.
The supporter expressed gratitude for the support, showed confidence in their success, and promised to reciprocate the fans' affection.
By From the official website team - in
Ronaldinho Gaucho's first press conference wearing the Flamengo jersey lasted about 30 minutes. The midfielder clarified the negotiations with the club, revealed his dream of returning to the national team and playing in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, and, of course, thanked the Flamengo fans for everything they had done for him upon his arrival at the club.
With his trademark smile and answering all the questions asked, the star player said he was more motivated than ever in his career and showed a great desire to win the championships he competes in wearing the sacred jersey. President Patricia Amorim gave a brief introduction before the star player began the press conference, which started shortly after 19 pm.
"This is a special and unique moment for us. I thank everyone present, the fans, the presidents of the governing bodies and the vice-presidents, as well as everyone who has always believed in the project, which began in June of last year, especially Traffic, because without them we would not have achieved this goal. He is not just a player. He is the greatest and most beloved in the world. Finally, I thank Ronaldo and Assis for their trust. Flamengo's doors are open. We are happy here, you have already felt a little of that. The club loves you and now you are part of this great family of the Flamengo Nation, the reason for our existence," he said.
See below for R10's answers during the interview:
Idol reception - Today is a difficult day for me to talk, after so much emotion, after everything I've seen and heard. It's an unforgettable day. I can only thank all the people of Rio for their affection, they treat me so well and, of course, especially the Flamengo fans. Even before I came here, they always treated me very well and that only motivates me to take that onto the field and be able to repay them by playing football, which is what I know how to do. I am very, very happy.
Unimaginable return - I imagined many ways to return to Brazil, but none of them came close to what I received today. It was unforgettable. It's one of the most exciting days of my life. The Ronaldinho who arrives here is the most motivated. I've never felt so motivated to do what I know how to do, which is play. I can't wait to be with my teammates, train hard to be in good shape, and repay this affection.
Motivation - What I felt today was even more than anything I imagined I needed to be happy, to motivate myself and continue my career. As I said before, I can't wait to get back to playing after everything I've seen here. I always think positively. I think of everything in the best possible way. I imagine myself being able to play well, dribbling and bringing joy to the fans. Even knowing all the pressure that comes with it, because Flamengo is Flamengo, I imagine myself well enough to do everything I know how to do.
Negotiation - Those were days of some anxiety. A lot depended on Milan, Flamengo reached an agreement with them and, thankfully, everything worked out. Now I'm very happy and very calm here. I'm not one to give interviews. The only time I spoke, I was very clear. Grêmio was a good option because of everything I experienced there, Palmeiras was also a possibility, and I also said that Flamengo is Flamengo. I've always been very clear. I had a chance to go to either team, but Milan was in the middle, they would have to sort it out, so I always made everything very clear.
Flamengo's number 10 shirt - For me, it's an honor to wear the number 10 shirt for Flamengo because of the club's history, because of everyone who has worn it before, because of Zico, who has always been the great idol in my home. I grew up seeing everything about him and, for me, it's a great source of pride. I intend to bring a lot of joy to the fans and continue my career here with many achievements.
Performance - My goal is to prepare well in order to have an excellent season. That's my approach. I want to arrive in top physical condition and perform at my best. I envision myself doing many great things, playing my best so that the fans are increasingly happy with me and the team. I see a winning team, motivating the fans to always be in the stadium. I always watched Flamengo's fans on television and imagined what it would be like to play for them. I want to do my best to give them a lot of support.
Brazilian Championship Games - I'm a professional and I want my team to always win, no matter who I'm playing against. I'll always be on the field, giving my all and trying to earn points for my team, bringing joy to my fans.
Objectives - I want to take Flamengo's name as far as possible. Winning as many titles as possible, doing everything with the club to repay everything I'm experiencing today and everything that has been done for me. All the people of Rio, regardless of those who aren't Flamengo fans, always treat me very well. Sharing this in the best way possible with the whole world will be the greatest joy of my life.
Selection - I decided to return to Brazil to compete in another World Cup. Having the chance to play in an Olympics and a World Cup here, after many years away, I am motivated to return to Brazil. I want to return to the national team and stay there until the 2014 World Cup.
Physical conditions - I feel very good physically and, for me, the more I play, the better. What I enjoy most is playing football and for me, there's absolutely no problem in continuing to prepare myself to be able to handle myself well throughout the year.
My dream is to play for Flamengo. Every player imagines themselves playing for big clubs. And Flamengo is the biggest in Brazil, everyone knows that. So, every player imagines themselves playing for clubs like that. I've always imagined it too. I've been fortunate enough to play for great clubs throughout my career. My goal is to win as many titles as possible. We know the difficulties, but the objective is, step by step, to achieve them until we reach the Club World Cup, which is so eagerly awaited by the fans.
Vagner Love - Vagner is a great friend, I don't know what will happen in the future, but I did talk to him.
Premiere - Now, introducing myself, I'm going to talk to Professor Luxemburgo to find out when my debut will be. I spoke briefly with him; now I just need to decide on the presentation there, whether it's tomorrow or the day after. We'll discuss the rest in person. I'm feeling good. Now I'm going to have an evaluation with the professor and then decide on the debut.
Rio de Janeiro - I feel great in Rio. I've come here many times, I have many friends here, and that was wonderful. Seeing my Flamengo-supporting friends here celebrating... I'm feeling great and I hope to adapt as quickly as possible. The feeling is marvelous. I'm very happy, emotional, and very pleased. I didn't expect such a big celebration, all this affection, so I plan to play very well for Flamengo to repay all this affection.
Applause from rivals - I never thought that would happen in my life (applause from the Real Madrid fans during a Barcelona game). I don't imagine it will happen again. It's a very difficult thing to experience. But what I hope is that the games are peaceful, joyful, and that everyone participates, has fun, and that the Campeonato Carioca is a big celebration for everyone.
Positioning - I see no problem adapting to any position from midfield forward. I played in a pre-Olympic tournament with coach Luxemburgo as a striker, then I played in midfield with him as well, and I'm willing to do whatever he asks. What I want is to play, have fun, and bring joy to the fans.
milan- Leonardo is a great friend and he understood a good way to put me in the game. I felt very good on the field. With the new coach, there was a change in the game system, a lot of different things, and that ended up hurting my performance. I left many friends at Milan, I will miss them all, because they always treated me very well there too.
Check out more details about the star player's presentation.
Check out the official photos from the event held in Gávea.
With his trademark smile and answering all the questions asked, the star player said he was more motivated than ever in his career and showed a great desire to win the championships he competes in wearing the sacred jersey. President Patricia Amorim gave a brief introduction before the star player began the press conference, which started shortly after 19 pm.
"This is a special and unique moment for us. I thank everyone present, the fans, the presidents of the governing bodies and the vice-presidents, as well as everyone who has always believed in the project, which began in June of last year, especially Traffic, because without them we would not have achieved this goal. He is not just a player. He is the greatest and most beloved in the world. Finally, I thank Ronaldo and Assis for their trust. Flamengo's doors are open. We are happy here, you have already felt a little of that. The club loves you and now you are part of this great family of the Flamengo Nation, the reason for our existence," he said.
See below for R10's answers during the interview:
Idol reception - Today is a difficult day for me to talk, after so much emotion, after everything I've seen and heard. It's an unforgettable day. I can only thank all the people of Rio for their affection, they treat me so well and, of course, especially the Flamengo fans. Even before I came here, they always treated me very well and that only motivates me to take that onto the field and be able to repay them by playing football, which is what I know how to do. I am very, very happy.
Unimaginable return - I imagined many ways to return to Brazil, but none of them came close to what I received today. It was unforgettable. It's one of the most exciting days of my life. The Ronaldinho who arrives here is the most motivated. I've never felt so motivated to do what I know how to do, which is play. I can't wait to be with my teammates, train hard to be in good shape, and repay this affection.
Motivation - What I felt today was even more than anything I imagined I needed to be happy, to motivate myself and continue my career. As I said before, I can't wait to get back to playing after everything I've seen here. I always think positively. I think of everything in the best possible way. I imagine myself being able to play well, dribbling and bringing joy to the fans. Even knowing all the pressure that comes with it, because Flamengo is Flamengo, I imagine myself well enough to do everything I know how to do.
Negotiation - Those were days of some anxiety. A lot depended on Milan, Flamengo reached an agreement with them and, thankfully, everything worked out. Now I'm very happy and very calm here. I'm not one to give interviews. The only time I spoke, I was very clear. Grêmio was a good option because of everything I experienced there, Palmeiras was also a possibility, and I also said that Flamengo is Flamengo. I've always been very clear. I had a chance to go to either team, but Milan was in the middle, they would have to sort it out, so I always made everything very clear.
Flamengo's number 10 shirt - For me, it's an honor to wear the number 10 shirt for Flamengo because of the club's history, because of everyone who has worn it before, because of Zico, who has always been the great idol in my home. I grew up seeing everything about him and, for me, it's a great source of pride. I intend to bring a lot of joy to the fans and continue my career here with many achievements.
Performance - My goal is to prepare well in order to have an excellent season. That's my approach. I want to arrive in top physical condition and perform at my best. I envision myself doing many great things, playing my best so that the fans are increasingly happy with me and the team. I see a winning team, motivating the fans to always be in the stadium. I always watched Flamengo's fans on television and imagined what it would be like to play for them. I want to do my best to give them a lot of support.
Brazilian Championship Games - I'm a professional and I want my team to always win, no matter who I'm playing against. I'll always be on the field, giving my all and trying to earn points for my team, bringing joy to my fans.
Objectives - I want to take Flamengo's name as far as possible. Winning as many titles as possible, doing everything with the club to repay everything I'm experiencing today and everything that has been done for me. All the people of Rio, regardless of those who aren't Flamengo fans, always treat me very well. Sharing this in the best way possible with the whole world will be the greatest joy of my life.
Selection - I decided to return to Brazil to compete in another World Cup. Having the chance to play in an Olympics and a World Cup here, after many years away, I am motivated to return to Brazil. I want to return to the national team and stay there until the 2014 World Cup.
Physical conditions - I feel very good physically and, for me, the more I play, the better. What I enjoy most is playing football and for me, there's absolutely no problem in continuing to prepare myself to be able to handle myself well throughout the year.
My dream is to play for Flamengo. Every player imagines themselves playing for big clubs. And Flamengo is the biggest in Brazil, everyone knows that. So, every player imagines themselves playing for clubs like that. I've always imagined it too. I've been fortunate enough to play for great clubs throughout my career. My goal is to win as many titles as possible. We know the difficulties, but the objective is, step by step, to achieve them until we reach the Club World Cup, which is so eagerly awaited by the fans.
Vagner Love - Vagner is a great friend, I don't know what will happen in the future, but I did talk to him.
Premiere - Now, introducing myself, I'm going to talk to Professor Luxemburgo to find out when my debut will be. I spoke briefly with him; now I just need to decide on the presentation there, whether it's tomorrow or the day after. We'll discuss the rest in person. I'm feeling good. Now I'm going to have an evaluation with the professor and then decide on the debut.
Rio de Janeiro - I feel great in Rio. I've come here many times, I have many friends here, and that was wonderful. Seeing my Flamengo-supporting friends here celebrating... I'm feeling great and I hope to adapt as quickly as possible. The feeling is marvelous. I'm very happy, emotional, and very pleased. I didn't expect such a big celebration, all this affection, so I plan to play very well for Flamengo to repay all this affection.
Applause from rivals - I never thought that would happen in my life (applause from the Real Madrid fans during a Barcelona game). I don't imagine it will happen again. It's a very difficult thing to experience. But what I hope is that the games are peaceful, joyful, and that everyone participates, has fun, and that the Campeonato Carioca is a big celebration for everyone.
Positioning - I see no problem adapting to any position from midfield forward. I played in a pre-Olympic tournament with coach Luxemburgo as a striker, then I played in midfield with him as well, and I'm willing to do whatever he asks. What I want is to play, have fun, and bring joy to the fans.
milan- Leonardo is a great friend and he understood a good way to put me in the game. I felt very good on the field. With the new coach, there was a change in the game system, a lot of different things, and that ended up hurting my performance. I left many friends at Milan, I will miss them all, because they always treated me very well there too.
Check out more details about the star player's presentation.
Check out the official photos from the event held in Gávea.