Art of football
Last years of Barca’s history can’t be imagined without Ronaldinho. He gets credit for Barca’s changes in 21st century . In this text Joan Manuel Tresserras,member of Catalan government,adviser in section ‘’Culture and Communications”,writes about Ronaldinhos’s arrival in Barcelona and his upswing.He also writes about his virtuosity,ability to create in every action,to transfer emotions,make people smile.After his arrival at sportive scene and social summit ,Tresserras talks about Ronaldinhos’ downfall during his last year in the club.Combination of different factors like lack of will or problems with realization of all expectations had influence on end of this fairytale.
Artifice,originality,velocity,miraculous talent,strength,flexibility,smile…In first few matches Ronaldinho showed his remarkableness and conquered hearts of Barca’s fans,and of those who weren’t. He changed mood of whole collective.When he overcame intital problems ,after a couple of moths ,team had started to function and virtuosity was noticed. We experienced great seasons and it seemed like it was going to last for a long time.But magic ended.That magic ‘’melted down’’ and it will never get back.It is recent history,but it is history.Success and a fall of maybe one of the best players in history of football,in only 5 years
Ronaldinho came to Barca when self-respect was at the lowest point.It wasn’t only a sportive or result problem.Complete team had entered in process of crisis,losses,bad state,bad mood.Old problems had strated again.Successes during Van Gaal’s era were bitterly sweet and didn’t return optimism to the team.Attitude of fans towards the club was miserable and every moment was getting harder and harder,after every game,after every result.
Chapter “Figo” had left deep doubts and it seemed that nothing was going to be like it had been before.Several triumphs couldn’t really change the situation.It was riddance that was searched for.Neither Rivaldo’s genialities nor Cocu’s effort and Guardiola’s persistence weren’t enough .Problems with Holland coach were unpleasant and didn’t refer only to football but to the club and club’s image. Many ‘socios’ didn’t think his temperament and his cognizance of the club were good for Barca,the club which loved ‘mes que un club’.Those were long and arduous months,in such state.Elections happened and that was when a new page had been turned.In a big part because of Ronaldinho’s arrival.When Ronaldinho appeared in stadium,greeting ‘cules’ and showing his teeth and wide smile things started to change.The goal against Sevilla at the Camp Nou confirmed that gigantic player was on the pitch.A football alchemist came.In that period Barca almost lost its status of star in the football sky.Social,economical and sports crisis could have made it leave its place to some English team which had strategy and plan to conquer the world.Ronaldinho was that something that made situation change and make people believe in decisions of new management.Two years later,Barca was indubitably ,again,one of the biggest teams of the world.His magic erased maybe the most serious crisis in recent club history.
King of the game
Ronaldinho,in first 3 seasons in Barca and partly in 4th was a miracle of football creation.He was a constructor,co-worker.In Barca,he used to score a goal only because of team’s requirements,coach’s requests or historical needs.But the best Ronaldinho was unselfish,acrobat,the one who pulled ‘sombreros’ out of his sleeve,magician who hid the ball and showed it on the other place,that would surprise opponent’s defence,one who played at first touch,by heel,one who played by chest and back,by buttocks and head.It was totally different football,he was a filigree without boundaries.Everything seemed to be possible with a ball and Ronaldinho on the pitch.Delight.Delight.Hugs among playmates before the game.All together celebrating when a goal is scored.Wide smiles.Leagues.Champions League.We watched Ronaldinho doing things ,on Camp Nou and other stadiums where he played,things we believed were impossible.He constantly invented and conferred.He was exploring limits in every match,every action.That was a sport and art,Football-spectacle.Jogo bonito.Circus.Samba.
Ronaldinho had very precise,long passes.He had a vision of the game,and he propelled whole team.Sometimes he suffered a lot of kicks,he did one-touch play,even by chest or back.He had a good shot ,even by left leg(remember of the goal against AC Milan at the Camp Nou),he played great both with slow and fast ball.His movements were different,’heterogeneous’ and unpredictable.He changed the rhythm fastly and ‘inflammably’.He was strong in duels.Unapproachable in one-on-one duels.Excellent constitution.Automatic intelligence in solving problems during the game. Emotional leader on the pitch .Unprecedentedly gifted for football.He had a feeling for spectacle and splendour.Barca became more honored club.Likely seen in any part of the world.Team number one.Everywhere was talked about Barca and Ronaldinho.Global,sensuous,winner.Probably idolization was inevitable.Football qualities of a star and emotional qualities,firstly,human ones.Simplicity, generosity…Process of Ronaldinho’s deification was so strong that we turned him into a living legend,who was capable to do incredible things in every moment.His refined geniality started to become normal.It seemed like we had already seen a miracle.How simple was that…We wanted more.We wanted new miracles.Always and more new ones.We demanded magic and efficacy.He was omnipotent ‘’10’’ with a ball.We demanded everything from him like it was only will that was needed for all that being true.We dehumanized him.
A dream is breaking down…
It can’t be easy to outride all requests,admiration,responsibility,.expectations…There are always people who are close to big players,that’s sure.Players became true companies from which others benefit and build reputation.But,at the end,they are just simple guys who know to play football very well and risk to lose sight of real world,to lose sense of reality.History has shown us no one is able to cope with mass admiration.Ronaldinho seemed to be consistent,persistent and unalterable.But equationing personal life,yearning for fame,enjoyment while playingand constant pressure from management caused first dissidences.His discipline wasn’t same anymore.Yearning for victories and awards wasn’t as strong as before.We were used to magic,we wanted it in every match.We demanded it..Until the moment when the magician didn’t get ‘’hurt and ill’’.Slowly,belief In his return was decaying.Niether he believed in that.And for fans,less effort meant a treason.If only we had left him leave a year earlier,if only an earthquake had happened and revived the management…A year later his persistence in club was impossible.
Today,there are new illusionists one the scene.All that was so recently.The club,which was saved by him wasn’t there when he was in deep crisis.Believers didn’t remember and didn’t have mercy.We don’t understand.We don’t accept it.Surely , time will put everything in its place.And Ronaldinho will get credit which he deserves from Barcelona.He came during a period od skepticism and he pulled out a little bit of trust that was hidden in Barca.No oen before had played like he did,neither in Barca nor anywhere else.We were proud.We had a mass leader,able to make us enamour,not only us but make whole world fall in love.He made all those who didn’t watch football to start watching it.He gained respect and admiration from his opponents,admiration for him and his club.He made Barca big again.Bigger.It was all real and indisputable.It could have lasted longer.It could have had a better ending.But life gives us only a few fairytales.We lived in pressure and contradictions.Analysis were unnecessary.Ronaldinho may have built the best part of club’s history,nexto to Kubala and Cruyff.And his role in club’s history was as important as their.And of course,way better than role fo those splendid players like Maradona or Schuster,their efficiency is wee comparing to his.If only he had been more prepared for better self-discipline,if only he had been in better environment,if only he had been adviced better if only he had been a bit more mature,his merit would be indiscribably huge.Bigger than anyone’s else …with his extraordinary talent and smile…
i apologise for all mistake i may have made during translation,my vocabulary isnt that good as u see in text,i loved this text,i agree with every word in it and thats why i wanted to translate it ...
.....to be continued...