Ronaldo Luis Nazario da Lima, known to the soccer world as “O Fenomeno” (“The Phenomenon”), recently made headlines for a deeply personal and spiritual milestone. At the age of 46, the Brazilian and global soccer legend took a significant step on his faith journey by receiving the sacrament of baptism.
The Maestros Symphony:
Ronaldo Nazário 🇧🇷 – Il Fenomeno ⭐️
[Compilation 🎬] pic.twitter.com/Rp1F1K8mSS
— JSTNFUTBOL (@jstnfutbol) September 16, 2023
The reason is the pivotal role of faith in his life. Despite not receiving the sacrament of baptism till recently, he revealed that his Christian faith had always been a central part of his life since childhood. Ronaldo experiences rebirth as a child of God as a result of this holy ritual, which strengthens his renewed, conscious, and profound faith.
They held the baptism ceremony at Sao Jose (St. Joseph) Parish in Sao Paulo’s Jardim Europa neighborhood. Ronaldo Nazario, a two-time world champion with the Brazilian national team, took to social media to share the significance of this life-changing event after the ceremony. On September 12, he posted, “Today is a very special day,” to his Instagram account. “I underwent a baptism.”
Former Brazilian football star Ronaldo Nazário has been baptised into the Catholic Church. pic.twitter.com/BoAKxNa0C9
— Sachin Jose (@Sachinettiyil) September 13, 2023
Nazario also vowed in his message to keep following the righteous path, motivated by his own free will and a firm faith in the benevolent love of Jesus.
Notably, Ronaldo’s most recent baptism is not the first time he has publicly professed his Catholic faith. He started on the Way of St. James in 2021, a well-known pilgrimage route, and had a profound and introspective experience there.
Kaka gives Ronaldo Nazario the nod over Cristiano Ronaldo
Brazil legend Kaka recently shed light on the best player he played with. The debate went between two of the greatest players in history by the name “Ronaldo.”
Despite the Portuguese superstar’s five Ballon d’Or victories and more than 800 career goals, Ronaldo Nazario was superior to Cristiano Ronaldo in Kaka’s eyes.
As a matter of fact, Kaka, the 2007 Ballon d’Or winner, shared the pitch with both players throughout his illustrious career. In a recent interview, Kaka stated, “Brazilian Ronaldo was the best player I ever played with. The things I saw that guy do on the field was amazing. Ronaldo was the best I played with.”
However, the AC Milan legend also acknowledged Cristiano Ronaldo’s illustrious career. His stance on the Portuguese icon was, “What Cristiano did – and is doing – is just unreal. “The most important thing for me about Cristiano is the way he can motivate himself after all the achievements he has got.”
Despite being two of the greatest players in soccer history, the two Ronaldos have never faced off in a match.
However, in a charity game organized by Luis Figo back in July 2005, the two players played together on the same field only when they were on opposing teams.