When Ronaldinho won the Ballon d’Or in 2005 he became only the third Brazilian player ever handed the award.
In the twenty years since non-European footballers were made eligible for the prize, Ronaldo (1997, 2002) and Rivaldo (1999) had been triumphant.
Whilst there were other worthy contenders for the accolade, ultimately FIFA would recognise Ronaldinho’s contribution to the game in terms of pure skill and wondrous individual moments.
His 2005 Ballon d’Or victory was a true celebration of Brazilian flair.
Sensational Samba Seasons
As he rose through the ranks of Brazilian football, Ronaldo de Assis Moreira became commonly known as Ronaldinho. The term ‘inho’ was affixed to his name for two main reasons, firstly because it means ‘small,’ which reflected his slight frame and secondly to distinguish himself from fellow countryman Ronaldo.
Ronaldinho joins a selected band of Brazilian maestros who have previously been acknowledged by FIFA for an individual season full of memorable moments and brilliance.
Ronaldo was a deadly powerhouse of a forward and won the Ballon d’Or on two separate occasions. His debut honour was in recognition of a stellar 1997, scoring 47 times for Barcelona in just 49 games before moving to Inter Milan and setting Série A alight with clinical and a mesmerising range of finishes.
His second award arrived in 2002 and coincided with a remarkable return to form. After years of injury and absence, he found both form and fitness before firing his country to World Cup glory!
Attacking playmaker Rivaldo won in 1999 following a superb 1998/99 campaign with Barcelona as the Catalan side claimed the La Liga title. Yet it was likely his performance for Brazil in the 1999 Copa America that sealed his Ballon d’Or win – Rivaldo scoring five goals during their march towards the title.
It was a pattern of success for the Brazilians that continued when Ronaldinho was in contention for football’s most prestigious individual prize six years later.
Style And Substance
Everyone within the footballing world knew that Ronaldinho had style.
The Brazilian was undoubtedly one of the finest players on the planet, possessing silky skills, decadent close control and an eye for goal. But during his ascent to the summit of the game he had acquired substance – consistently delivering elite performance levels, relentless threat and solid statistics to back up his talent.
Ronaldinho faced stiff opposition before finally being named the globe’s best player. The English midfield pairing of Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard were close to their peak and deserving of victory.
Lampard played an incredible 58 games for Chelsea during 2004/05 and scored an amazing 19 goals from central midfield – Jose Mourinho’s side winning their first league title since 1955.
Gerrard was Liverpool’s enigmatic Captain, able to grab a game by the scruff of the neck and affect its outcome. He drove the Reds to the 2005 Champions League title and a year later scored two late goals as they won the 2006 FA Cup final against West Ham.
Ronaldinho needed a remarkable 2005 to overcome the English duo – and he did. In 42 games for Barcelona, he scored 13 goals as the Catalan club secured both the La Liga title and Supercopa de España.
His defining moment came at Stamford Bridge versus Chelsea in March 2005 as Barcelona eliminated Chelsea in the round of 16. Ronaldinho’s second strike in their 4-2 victory was truly memorable. The Brazilian feinted to shoot before striking the ball with no back-lift past Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Čech from twenty yards.
“It’s like someone pressed pause,” Ronaldinho said. “And for three seconds all the players stopped and I’m the only one that moves.”
However, it was his performances for Brazil in FIFA’s Confederations Cup that ultimately secured the Ballon d’Or. Ronaldinho scored on six occasions throughout the competition and was Man of the Match in the final.
He was also named the FIFA World Player of the Year and the FIFPro World Player of the Year.
2005 Ballon d’Or Top 20
| No | Name | Country | Pos | League | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ronaldinho | Brazil | FW | Spain | Barcelona |
| 2 | Frank Lampard | England | MD | England | Chelsea |
| 3 | Steven Gerrard | England | MD | England | Liverpool |
| 4 | Thierry Henry | France | FW | England | Arsenal |
| 5 | Andriy Shevchenko | Ukraine | FW | Italy | Milan |
| 6 | Paolo Maldini | Italy | DF | Italy | Milan |
| 7 | Adriano | Brazil | FW | Italy | Internazionale |
| 8 | Zlatan Ibrahimović | Sweden | FW | Italy | Juventus |
| 9 | Kaká | Brazil | MD | Italy | Milan |
| 10 | Samuel Eto’o | Cameroon | FW | Spain | Barcelona |
| 10 | John Terry | England | DF | England | Chelsea |
| 12 | Juninho | Brazil | MD | France | Lyon |
| 13 | Claude Makélélé | France | MD | England | Chelsea |
| 14 | Juan Román Riquelme | Argentina | MD | Spain | Villarreal |
| 14 | Petr Čech | Czech Republic | GK | England | Chelsea |
| 14 | Didier Drogba | Ivory Coast | FW | England | Chelsea |
| 14 | Michael Ballack | Germany | MD | Germany | Bayern Munich |
| 18 | Zinedine Zidane | France | MD | Spain | Real Madrid |
| 19 | Gianluigi Buffon | Italy | GK | Italy | Juventus |
| 20 | Jamie Carragher | England | DF | England | Liverpool |
| 20 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | FW | England | Manchester United |
Trivia
Ronaldinho’s twelve appearances for Brazil were the most caps he’d ever win in a single calendar year.
In 2004/05, Frank Lampard provided the most assists (16) in the Premier League.
Steven Gerrard won the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year for 2005 following his role as Captain in Liverpool’s Champions League winning side.
