ITUMBIARA, Brazil (AP)—Ronaldo played his first official game in more than a year, the latest comeback from a knee injury for the three-time FIFA player of the year.
Ronaldo entered in the 68th minute of Corinthians’ Brazilian Cup match against Itumbiara on Wednesday and was loudly cheered by most of the 30,000 fans at Juscelino Kubitschek Stadium. He had not played since rupturing a left knee tendon while with AC Milan during an Italian Serie A match against Livornia on Feb. 13 last year.
ITUMBIARA, Brazil (AP)—Ronaldo played his first official game in more than a year, the latest comeback from a knee injury for the three-time FIFA player of the year.
Ronaldo entered in the 68th minute of Corinthians’ Brazilian Cup match against Itumbiara on Wednesday and was loudly cheered by most of the 30,000 fans at Juscelino Kubitschek Stadium. He had not played since rupturing a left knee tendon while with AC Milan during an Italian Serie A match against Livornia on Feb. 13 last year.
The 32-year-old forward, whose 15 World Cup goals are a record, left the field without talking to the media after apparently being hit in the eye by a microphone.
“It was a good debut for Ronaldo,” Corinthians coach Mano Menezes said. “He moved well and even tried some of the moves that are typical of him. It was a first step important to overcome and with time things should become easier.”
Ronaldo touched the ball for the first time after less than a minute, and in the 74th he just barely failed to reach a ball crossed into the area. He claimed being fouled while trying to get past two defenders in the 75th near the top of the area, but the referee ruled he dived.
Ronaldo was free from markers in a counterattack in the 77th, but teammate Douglas chose to take a shot on goal instead of passing to the striker, drawing jeers. Ronaldo had one final chance in injury time, but again the referee called a foul on him when he tried to overcome a defender inside the area.
Ronaldo had right knee surgery in 1999 while with Inter Milan and needed surgery on the same knee a year later.
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