He has changed my life

Time, oh it moves unbelievably fast.

World Cup France, 1998, 13 years ago, I was almost 13, was the first time I saw Ronaldo Luis Nazario da Lima, the best football player on earth. At least most people in the world would agree with me about that.

He is the real phenomena.

Maybe I already told you, over and over again, in my other blogs, that I used to hate football. I always tend to hate everything that most people like. And, because most people like football, then I hated football. It was very annoying for me, how everyone around me kept talking about football, football, and football. And the only name I know was... 'Ronaldo'.

I never pay attention to anything they said about football. But back in 1990's, that name was just too famous to ignore. The only thing I know about football is the word 'Ronaldo'. I remember one of my classmates always called himself Ronaldo.

Until one day, when I stayed in my cousin's house... ah, I've been telling this story over and over again. So, I'll make it quick. It was World Cup 1998, my cousin was impressed by one player named Ronaldo, then she made me join her to watch the World Cup match on TV, and bam! I fell in love with Ronaldo.

I love how beautiful he made football. I remember how beautiful football game was, in his era. Me, my little sister, and my cousin were obsessed with Selecao (Brazilian national team). And I've always been loyal fan of Selecao until now.

I adore Brazilian players for the way they play football. It's so beautiful. Especially Ronaldo and all the players before him. They really play jogo bonito. They're dancing. They're entertaining.

And I also love the attitude. They seem to be always smiling. They don't get angry easily like some great footballers do.

So, at first, I was just getting to know Ronaldo, wishing him and Brazilian team to win the 1998 World Cup, and helping my cousin collecting every single articles and pictures of him.

I started to obsessed with him when Fabien Barthez bumped on him at the final, when France beat Brazil 3 - 0 at the end. Ronaldo lost his consciousness for a while, was almost taken out by the paramedic, but then he stood up again, looked so weak and helpless.

I don't know why, but I always have things for suffered guys. So, that legendary moment of Ronaldo and Barthez clash is something that is really unforgettable for me. That was the first time I was really into Ronaldo.

I did more fact finding about him and knew more about his health condition before the final, and it made me love Ronaldo even more. I love that he is a very nice person, that he's always been nice to everyone. He is low profile, kind, smart, and also funny.

So, anyway, I'm here to tell you about how he changed my life.

That's how I got to know football. After World Cup 1998, I started to enjoy playing football. I didn't hate it anymore. I used to hate all kinda sports, but then I started to love every kinda sports. Sport and Physical Science was always be the only subject with low grade in my report card. I was a smart kid. But when I was in Junior High School, when I started to love sports, especially football, I always got high score for the same subject. If it was in letter, it would be always 'A'. Lesson learned: "When you love something, you'll be good in that automatically." (But lately I kinda doubt that)

In 2000, I got obsessed with football match. I watched every single football matches on TV, especially Italian League where Ronaldo played. He was with Internazionale back then. When Ronaldo got very bad injury on April 2000, I was really, really sad. Everytime I tried to find any news about his condition. Every night I pray for him--I'm sure millions people out there was also praying with me.

Every news and articles I read about his healing process really made me love him more and more. Every media told how brave he was, how patient he was, how discipline, how nice and charming he was. He seemed like a superhuman. Many athletes get depressed in his condition. But Ronaldo was calm, very wise and mature about everything. And he was only 24 years old! Damn! I'm 25 now and I don't think I would be the same if I was in his condition.

But Ronaldo is the real superhero. He made it! He won the battle. He healed from the injury, got back to the field, made goals in his matches with Internazionale, then win the World Cup 2002, also was the top scorer with 8 goals!! No one made more than 6 goals in World Cup since 1974! Even after 2002, World Cup top scorers only scored 5 goals.

Then Ronaldo disappointed me by leaving Internazionale to Real Madrid, and also with the issues about his crazy love life, his affairs with the sluts, and even the male prostitutes. But well, finally he's just human. Nobody's perfect. No matter what happen outside the field, as a footballer, Ronaldo is perfect! He has skills, speed, discipline, attitude, and of course, those achievements people can't argue.

Because of one Ronaldo Luis Nazario da Lima, some important things in my life have changed, such as:
1. I used to hate football, then I became a football maniac (what a drastic change)
2. I used to hate sports, then I became a sports lover
3. I used to suck at sports subject, then I became very good at it (I was my teacher's favorite)
4. I used to be a loner without friends, a nerd, everyone's bullying me, but then I have better social condition; I started to have friends, because I play football

Those are lots of changes. And the changes really affect the rest of my life. It's a good thing.

And I'm only one of millions kids around the world those the life has been changed by Ronaldo.

And when he retired from football, he changed my life once again: now I don't feel like watching football matches anymore.