Smile on his face, magic in his boots. Ronaldinho was more than a footballer. He was a showman. An artist. A performer, who felt it was his responsibility and an equally important part of his job to entertain the crowd as it was to win the game.
No player had the audacity and skill-set to enter the world's most high-pressure football matches and play like he was on the school playground. In many ways, every pitch Ronaldinho stepped onto was his school playground, the world's best players often transformed into mere props in his inspiring magic show. The objective not to humiliate, rather to deliver alternative efficiency with an end result. A genius in his trade, and one we're paying tribute to as he officially announces his retirement from the game.
Not only do his club, country and individual accolades speak for themselves, Ronaldinho will forever be the king of the YouTube generation. The pioneer of online skill videos. Ronaldinho influenced a generation as a World Cup winning YouTube sensation, with his best work coinciding with the founding of YouTube in 2005. He can take blame for lower-than-expected GCSE and A-Level results as revision classrooms across the world descended into R10 show-reels quicker than one of his trademark flip-flaps.
Thousands of Ronaldinho compilations have been uploaded onto YouTube since its introduction back in '05, and view counts keep spinning as Ronaldinho continues to inspire, teach, and grow an alternative realm of small-sided and freestyle football. His Nike "Touch of Gold" Video (bottom of the page) was the first YouTube video to reach one million views. Here we're taking a look at his top 10 most viewed videos on YouTube, complete with shoddy mid 00s graphics and compulsory dodgy Euro trance records.
27 Million Views | Just five minutes of Ronaldinho doing what he does best. The man doesn't know the meaning of dead ends; he could create space with the most delicate of touches when a way out looked impossible. Making world class players looking like confused Sunday League full backs with one shoulder drop.
25 Million Views | Ronaldinho's talent was undisputed, but what made him iconic to every football fan on the planet was his personality. His attitude a reminder to every player and fan of why they fell in love with the game. His return to Barcelona with AC Milan in 2010 demonstrating his popularity amongst Barca fans. He simply made people happy.
20 Million Views | Some of Ronaldinho's most viewed work came in between training drills when he was a lone with a ball, oblivious to the fact that the cameras were rolling. The only person he's looking to entertain is himself. Is it really a Ronaldinho YouTube video without a techno playlist remixed by a teenager?
17 Million Views | Six minutes of Ronaldinho tearing Real Madrid apart in 2005. Ghosting past dizzy Galacticos and generally making some of football's elite look like hapless puppies chasing after a frisbee you pretended to throw.
15 Million Views | Ronaldinho looked as if he was enjoying every moment of his career. Each game treated as a blessing, and each time he received the ball an opportunity to create. Never one to manipulate, anger or entice, even when a referee accidentally sent him off he still saw the funny side.
14 Million Views | More piercing Euro Trance, obviously. Two Steps From Hell - For the Win (Follow Remix) is the name of the track by the way. The uploader presumably including that in the description to help you avoid listening to it ever again should you see it pop up. Mute away while you watch R10 pull some more expensive and defensive pants down.
14 Millions Views | The only time you should ever hear Basshunter is if a group of Chavs get on the same bus as you and play it through their mobile phone speaker while sipping WKD blues on the back seats. Seriously, Ronaldinho doesn't deserve that. That's like firing David Attenborough and playing Aviici over the top of Blue Planet.
13 Million Views | More sh*t music. More great goals.
13 Million Views | Ronaldinho led a generation of Joga Bonito experimenting teenagers. Everyone had a crack at replicating his outrageous skills, and Nike reaped the rewards by installing him as the face of their immensely successful campaign.
12 Million Views | Three minutes of Indian futsal players regretting inviting Ronaldinho to their Premier Futsal League. The manager's face at 0:48 is pretty damn relatable. He's either just seen Ronaldinho's trick or simply cannot believe that someone has posted another nasty noughties trance track over a compilation of Ronaldinho's samba beats.
Bonus | Back in 2005 Ronaldinho's legendary Nike "Touch of Gold" film was the first YouTube video to reach one million views. Not just the first football video to reach a million views. The first video in general to reach the landmark. Ronaldinho broke the internet.
R10, we thank you.
