By David Gold
October 1 – Former double world player of the year Ronaldinho is desperate for a gold medal at next year’s London Olympics as Brazil look to claim their first ever men’s football title.
Despite being the most successful nation in world football with five World Cup trophies to their name, Brazil have only ever claimed silver at the Olympic Games twice in the 1980s, as well as taking bronze in 1996 and at the last Games in Beijing 2008.
The country is desperate to finally claim an Olympic gold and Ronaldinho, now playing for Flamengo, is as keen as anyone to break the unwanted record.
“My dream is to win the gold medal in the Olympics,” he said.
“It’s a title still missing in my career.”
Ronaldinho has won almost everything there is to win as a player, having lifted the Spanish and Italian league titles and the European Champions League during his time with AC Milan and Barcelona
He has also won the 1999 Copa America and 2002 World Cup for his country, and is keen to win a place in the squad which will look to bring home a sixth World Cup on home soil in 2014.
He has recently won a place back in coach Mano Menezes’ squad having impressed in a more advanced forward role for his club in the Brazilian championship, but faces a host of competitors for places in the national team, most notably from Santos pair Neymar and Paulo Henrique Ganso.
With the likes of Internacional’s Leandro Damiao and Sao Paulo’s Lucas, the 31 year old knows that he has a tough job on his hands to win a starting spot in Menezes’ team.
After captaining his country in a 2-0 win over Argentina in the South American Super Classic trophy for a Brazil side made up of domestically based players, Ronaldinho expressed his optimism about the new generation of players coming through as well as reiterating his desire to make it into the squad for the 2014 World Cup.
“I want to go step by step,” he said.
“Being in the Olympics will help me get to the World Cup, which is my ultimate goal.
“It’s great to be able to play with these youngsters.
“Neymar, Lucas and these other young players are the future of the national team, I’m here to help them with my experience and I think it’s working.”
The former Gremio and Paris St. Germain man also played in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, where Brazil lost to Cameroon at the quarter final stage, as well as in the side which claimed third place in Beijing.
Olympic football squads are comprised of players under the age of 23, but Ronaldinho will hope to gain one of the three permitted places reserved for overage players.
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