New Delhi: Former Brazil striker Ronaldo Nazario has announced that he will run for the presidency of the country’s football confederation and wants to recover the prestige of the national team. The 48-year-old was capped 98 times for Brazil and will run as a candidate to replace the current Confederation of Brazilian Football (CBF) president Ednaldo Rodrigues in the next elections in 2026.
The record five-time World Cup champions, Brazil, last won the competition in 2002 and have not progressed beyond the quarter-final stage since then. While speaking to Globo Esporte, Ronaldo said, “Among hundreds of things that motivate me to become a candidate for president of the CBF, I want to recover this prestige and respect that the Selecao (Brazil’s national team) always had, and today nobody else has.”
🚨🇧🇷 Official: Ronaldo Nazario is now candidate to Brazilian Federation presidency. pic.twitter.com/oCLlV5dLrW
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 16, 2024
Ronaldo won the World Cup in 1994 and 2002 and is second on the competition’s all-time top scorer list, just trailing behind Germany’s Miroslav Klose with 15 goals in 19 appearances.
The former Barcelona, Inter Milan, and Real Madrid forward had a promising career spanning 17 years, including two Copa America titles and an Olympic bronze medal. Since his retirement in 2011, Brazil have managed to win only a single Copa America and were knocked out by Croatia in the 2022 World Cup in the quarter-finals.
O Fenomeno even said that Brazil has the best players in the world, including Vinícius Jr, Rodrygo, Estevao, and many other talents. “How can we not play well?” he questioned. He mentioned that the dynamics need to be changed to make Brazil a protagonist in the World Cup, Copa America, and the Olympics. “It’s unacceptable for the talent we have,” he added.
Ronaldo previously owned a 90% stake in the Brazilian team Cruzeiro, which he sold earlier this year. He also announced that he would sell his stake in La Liga side Real Valladolid.
Ronaldo announces his candidacy for CBF president aiming to restore Brazil’s football prestige and make the national team a dominant force in world competitions. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
