Place of birth Sao Paulo, Brazil Years Team Name Ronaldo Giovanelli Height 1.87 m | Playing position 1986–1998 Corinthians Role Footballer Position Goalkeeper | |
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Full name Ronaldo Soares Giovanelli Date of birth (1967-11-20) November 20, 1967 (age 48) Profiles | ||
Ronaldo Soares Giovanelli (born November 20, 1967 in Sao Paulo, Brazil) is a retired Brazilian footballer. Although as a child he was a forward he spent his career as a goalkeeper.
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Club career
Ronaldo begun his career in 1979, after making the cut during a Corinthians youth try out. Originally a forward, he was intimidated by the large pool of children who were gunning for attacking positions that day and decided to try out for a goalkeeping position, as he had brought gloves to the try out. Earning a spot as a third goalkeeper with the junior team, Ronaldo was eventually brought to the main team to help out in training. He made his professional debut in a goalless friendly against Sao Jose EC in 1988. During that year's Campeonato Paulista he defended a penalty kick from Dario Pereyra in the derby against Sao Paulo FC, cementing his place as the starting goalkeeper for the team.
As a player, Ronaldo was notorious for his physicality and for not being afraid of charging an incoming attacker.
A fundamental player in the 1990 Corinthians' Campeonato Brasileiro title win, and in 1994's defeat in the finals against SE Palmeiras, Ronaldo earned the Bola de Plata award from Placar magazine for best goalkeeper in both of these years. He left the club in 1998, by the order of then coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo, who sought to "renew" the club after the near relegation in 1997. Ronaldo played 602 times for Corinthians, being the team's third most capped player.
After being released by Corinthians, he played for many other clubs with nowhere near the success he enjoyed with Corinthians. He was a part of the Fluminense squad that was relegated from Serie B to Serie C in 1998. He retired from professional football in 2005.
Music career
While still playing for Corinthians, Ronaldo was the lead singer of the band Ronaldo e os Impedidos ("Ronaldo and the Offsiders"). After releasing two records, the band broke up. They returned in 2010 for the Corinthians' 100th anniversary festivities, and have been active since, playing both original music and covering songs from bands such as Megadeth, and artists like Raul Seixas and Elvis Presley. Ronaldo is also a radio host for Kiss FM.
Club
Sport Club Corinthians Paulista
Individual
Personal life
Ronaldo is married and a father of two sons.
He suffers from alopecia areata, which caused him to lose most of his hair.