Ronaldo is the name in Spain

Liz Nash describes a nation's passion for the skills of a brilliant Brazilian

Spain's sports pages have gone beyond "Pele has returned", in headlines four inches high. The next stage was to superimpose the goofy smiling profile of Ronaldo, Barcelona's sensational Brazilian striker, over a football that encircled his head like a halo and caption the front- page image: "Words fail us."

What the papers will offer after his next outstanding performance is anybody's guess: wings sprouting from his blue-and-red striped shoulders possibly, or massed fans falling at his feet to kiss his studs.

Ronaldo Luiz Nazario de Lima, 20, bought by the former England manager Bobby Robson from PSV Eindhoven in July for pounds 12m has gone stratospheric. More than Pele, more than than Maradona, this sweet- natured lad from the Rio slums, the world's most expensive footballer after Alan Shearer, has enraptured a football-crazy nation.

Even a subdued performance - caused by a strained leg muscle - in Thursday's Cup Winners' Cup 1-1 draw against Red Star Belgrade has not dented his divine status.

He has packed away a record-breaking 16 goals in 12 cup and league matches. Thanks to him, unbeaten Barcelona are four points clear at the top of the Spanish league with eight wins and two draws. He is taking his astonishing success calmly, smiling his Bugs Bunny grin and promising, in his lilting Brazilian accent, to do even better.

The concern of those around him is to protect his fresh innocence from the corrupting influences that brought Maradona to drug addiction, and from the black moods tearing at Gazza. It was, they remember, at Barcelona where Maradona's rot began in 1983. Though poorly educated, "Ronaldinho" is no dull Forrest Gump, but a quick-thinking street kid whose innate shrewdness is as finely tuned as his goalscoring instinct.

He lives quietly in a beachside house near Barcelona with his mother, Sonia, and girlfriend, Adeli, drinks fizzy water and rarely goes out at night. He once confessed he wanted to be "a soldier, a footballer or a drummer in a samba band". Having achieved at least one of these ambitions, he recently asked his mother, presumably with a dash of irony, if it was all right for him to stop studying now.

Robson, commenting on the rapid rise of the man he describes as the finest young footballer on earth, says: "He's an intelligent person. He is carrying his success well, but he needs our support." Ronaldo's closest team-mate is his compatriot Giovanni, and he enjoys the fatherly protection of Barca's captain, Gheorghe Popescu, whom he knew during his two years at Eindhoven and with whom he speaks Dutch.

The third son of a couple who separated when he was 14 because of his father's alcoholism, Ronaldo joined Rio's modest Sao Cristoval club that year. He was discovered by the former Brazilian international Jairzinho, left home at 16 to join First Division Cruzeiro of Belo Horizonte and transferred to Eindhoven in 1994. The moment he started earning big money, he bought a house each for his separated parents.

"Ronaldo-mania" has taken hold in less than a month, following his dazzling goal against Compostela when he dribbled half-way down the pitch and scattered defenders right and left in a magical 14-second cameo that flashed round the world. A week later he led Barca to an 8-0 win against Logrones, and last weekend scored his first hat-trick against in-form Valencia. He also hit three in a friendly international between Brazil and Lithuania.

Robson insists that his golden boy is part of a team and does not win matches by himself. But commentators agree that the club's main strategy is to catapult Ronaldo into the opponents' goalmouth. One observer was particularly cruel: "Without him, Barcelona are just a vulgar collective in search of an identity."

Barcelona have insured his legs for pounds 20m and the Italian giants Milan are reported to be sniffing around, waving the same amount of money in his direction. For the moment, however, Ronaldo is happy in Barcelona where he steers clear of internal controversies. But he is clear about one thing: "I'll never give up playing for Brazil." This promises to bring the World Cup, a place in history and the adoration of his country. No doubt Pele would approve.