Ronaldinho Gaúcho recalled the 2002 World Cup title with emotion during an interview with former teammate Denílson. The Brazilian legend said he would take Neymar to the upcoming World Cup.
For Ronaldinho, winning the fifth World Cup was the greatest moment of his career. He also admitted he deeply misses the camaraderie with his fellow Brazil teammates.
“I really miss Marcão [goalkeeper Marcos]. He was always cracking jokes, sitting next to me. It was like a family. Nowadays, when we meet again, I feel such nostalgia. I ran into Ronaldo the other day, and despite his greatness, he recalled everything with teary eyes… It was very moving,” Ronaldinho said.
He got emotional when describing what it means to be a world champion with Brazil, and sent a message to the current generation:
“Thank goodness I’m wearing glasses, my eyes filled with tears. It’s fulfilling the biggest childhood dream—to be a world champion.”
“Give everything, give your life [to the current squad]. The best feeling in the world is being a world champion. Sometimes you only get one chance. For the rest of your life, you’ll be known as a world champion.”
The star, who played in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, was asked the hot topic: would he take Neymar to the tournament? Ronaldinho did not hesitate and agreed with Denílson, who said he would call up the Santos forward.
“I would too [take him]. With all due respect to everyone, he’s the best of them all. Wherever we go, there’s always football talk, especially in a World Cup year, and people ask me, ‘What about him?’ Are you crazy?… Only if he has an injury problem. If he’s fit, there’s no way you leave him out.”
Brazil will begin their 2026 World Cup campaign on June 13 against Morocco, with Haiti and Scotland completing Group C. Head coach Carlo Ancelotti will announce his squad on May 18 in Rio de Janeiro.