FIFA World Cup 2018 is only five days away and it will be a travesty to not talk about this player, who was lightning quick on the field, much like the Usain Bolt of the football pitch. At this World Cup 2018, one might debate about who the best performer will be, between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi; but one can simply not talk about the football’s biggest extravaganza and not discuss the extraordinary career of this Brazilian football legend – Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima known simply as Ronaldo.

The video 'Before Cristiano, there was just Ronaldo’ has surfaced on the internet, which focuses on the star football player who led the Brazilians to their fifth World Cup victory. The hero of his country who nearly took them across the finish line twice was able to see them achieve glory, only once.

During the 1998 World Cup, Ronaldo entered the multination tournament being billed as one of the most talented players. His heroic run at the grandest stage of them all saw his team, Brazil, reaching the final of the tournament without many hiccups. However, a convulsive fit on the eve of the finals saw his name being absent from the team sheet.

Everyone was surprised, rather shocked at the omission. Hours before the final match of the FIFA World Cup 1998, there were speculations doing rounds that he will be playing. Fans were quite jubilant to see their hero back on the field. However, Ronaldo wasn’t the same person he was during the entire tournament. He wasn’t even a shadow of his former self in the finals. That night, it was not only Ronaldo who mourned, but the entire nation was in tears!

For Ronaldo, a lot of ups and downs took place in the next four years in his life. He was stuck in a rut of getting injured, making a brief comeback and getting injured again in the run-up of 2002 FIFA World Cup. Nonetheless, the man was back on his feet and ready to realise his nation’s ambitious World Cup dreams.

During the 2002 edition of football’s greatest show, it was nothing but Ronaldo’s tournament. It was a shot at redemption for Ronaldo and Brazil’s fifth football glory; the footballer overcame the odds and fought his demons of the 1998 World Cup. The rest they say is history.

Watch the Unprecedented Fall and Meteoric Rise of One of the Football Greats – Ronaldo:

Ronaldo was one of the most talented players of the bygone era to ever play football. He defined speed and control in his own style!  Ronaldo was awarded the Golden Ball Award for his stellar performances in the 1998 World Cup and was the runner-up in the 2002 edition. The Brazilian was the winner of the Golden Shoe award in the 2002 World Cup for scoring the most number of goals (eight in total) in the tournament. The title of the video, ‘Before Cristiano, there was just Ronaldo’, pays a perfect tribute to the star that he was, and the legend that he will always be.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 09, 2018 11:08 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).