How Paris Engineered a Global Football Legend

There are some people whose stardom is so powerful, their presence can be felt in a room well before they’re even in it. Enter Ronaldinho Gaúcho. Sitting in a spacious suite at Parc des Princes, the atmosphere tangibly shifts when a WhatsApp message affirms the Paris Saint-Germain icon is en route. Now in his 40s, the one Parisians still affectionately refer to as “Ronnie” has gained a few more fine lines and silver threads since his formidable footballing heydays, yet both only serve to enhance his statesman-like gravitas as he floats into the room in a full-length coat. When he flashes that trademark grin for the first time, he radiates enough energy to power the City of Lights and regions far beyond.

“Paris is a city I love,” reminisces Ronaldinho, soft-spoken as ever. He first arrived in the French capital as a 20-year-old in 2000, having declined offers from European superpowers to sign for the then-sleeping giant, Paris Saint-Germain. Although the decision to turn down footballing aristocracy surprised much of the onlooking media, for Ronaldinho, the chance of guaranteed first-team opportunities in a World Cup season made perfect sense—that, and it presented the opportunity to follow his older brother, Assis, who had just signed for PSG’s Ligue 1 rivals, Montpellier.