Team-mate deserved Euro award, says Ronaldo

Ronaldo said yesterday that 2002 had been a dream year for him but felt that his Brazil and Real Madrid team-mate, Roberto Carlos, deserved to be named the European Footballer of the Year as much as he did.

"It was just an unbelievable year. You could make a movie or write many books about it," Ronaldo said yesterday.

The 26-year-old, who also won the prestigious European award in 1997, made his comeback in April this year after almost three years struggling with a knee injury and went on to become the top scorer in the World Cup in South Korea and Japan over the summer.

"Winning the Golden Ball this year means something special to me. It means much more than the first one because I know what I have had to overcome.

"Over the last three years we didn't really know what the outcome of all this would be. Some people believed I was past playing soccer, that I would never score a goal again."

Ronaldo scored two goals in the World Cup final as Brazil beat Germany 2-0 to win their fifth title and he finished top scorer in the tournament with eight goals. Ronaldo won the European award, organised by the magazine France Football, on Monday and was favourite to win the World Player of the Year award which was due to be announced late last night.

"I want to dedicate the Golden Ball to my family, to my team-mates, to my friends and to [Gérard] Saillant [the French surgeon who operated on Ronaldo's knee].

"It's just like coming back to life but I want to say I never lost hope. I never gave up. I always kept struggling and therefore I think I deserved it."

Ronaldo finished ahead of Roberto Carlos, who won the European Cup with Real before Ronaldo joined the club. The Germany goalkeeper Oliver Khan was third, Zinedine Zidane of France fourth and Germany's Michael Ballack fifth.

Ronaldo has played just 17 club games this year compared with Roberto Carlos' 46 for Real. "I think Roberto Carlos deserved it as much as I did. He has had a great season," Ronaldo said. "He has won almost everything from the European Cup to the World Cup and the World Club Cup [with Real]. He is an outstanding player.

"Kahn and Ballack deserved it too. But I guess it's a little bit difficult for a goalkeeper and Ballack did not play in the World Cup final [because of suspension]."

Asked what had changed since 1997, Ronaldo said he was still the same person, just more experienced. "I guess I'm now smarter than I used to be, I can read the game quicker. I can anticipate moves and really sense which are the best scoring opportunities."

Ronaldo said it took him some time to adjust to his new club and team-mates after his move from Internazionale. "I knew becoming a first-choice player in such a team was going to be a tough challenge. But it's now going better, much better."

Ronaldo's Real Madrid team-mate Zidane was quick to pay tribute to the Brazilian. "Considering his performances at the World Cup, eight goals in seven matches including two in the final, it was completely logical that Ronaldo received the Golden Ball this year," Zidane said.

"This reminds me of great memories because I also received the award after scoring two goals during the 1998 World Cup final. Ronaldo is a great champion, I knew that we could still count on him. He managed to recover and come back to the highest level. I see him every day and I see him progress a lot. He is on the right path and I even feel that he is not far from the form he had before his injuries."