The incident occurred when Ronaldo was just 16, playing for Cruzeiro in Brazil. Even at that young age, he had already earned the nickname "The Phenomenon" due to his exceptional scoring ability and influence on the game.

Ronaldo at the premiere of "The Phenomenon" documentary about him in Madrid, Spain, on 14/10/2022. Photo: Reuters

Before a domestic league match, Ronaldo gave an interview, confidently stating he would score three goals. "I was very young, very confident. I said in an interview on Wednesday that I would score three goals in Sunday's match," Ronaldo recounted to Mundo Deportivo on 29/12/2022.

According to the 49-year-old former Brazil striker, he didn't recall much about the reactions to his statement until the game began. Things quickly escalated on the field. "In the second minute, when I was looking away, someone came from behind and punched me," he said. "The punch made me fall to the ground before I could understand what was happening." He rose with a bleeding mouth, questioning the opponent. "He told me, 'You'll never score three goals here in your entire life'," Ronaldo recalled.

The aggression continued. About 10 minutes later, with the referee still oblivious, the opponent approached him again. "He came back and punched me again, almost knocking out another tooth," Ronaldo stated. "Towards the end of the first half, I was hit a third time. With five minutes left in the first half, he punched me again, and I didn't even see it. Three punches, all from behind."

Ronaldo noted that back then, around 1993, matches lacked extensive camera coverage, so no angle clearly recorded the assaults. "From the outside, it was almost impossible to see me being assaulted. But my mouth was bruised, with many tears," he added. At halftime, a distraught Ronaldo left the field crying, overwhelmed by the experience as an inexperienced 16-year-old. His teammates and coaching staff comforted him, encouraging him to continue in the second half.

Returning to the field for the second half, Ronaldo adopted a different mindset. "I wasn't looking at the ball anymore. I was only looking to see where he was," Ronaldo explained, focusing solely on his assailant.

The match ultimately concluded with a 3-0 victory for Cruzeiro, with Ronaldo scoring all three goals, fulfilling his earlier promise despite the brutal treatment.

Born on 18/9/1976, Ronaldo scored 44 goals in 47 matches for Cruzeiro in Brazil's top leagues at ages 16 and 17. His European career began with 54 goals in 57 matches for PSV Eindhoven over two seasons, followed by 47 goals in 49 matches for Barca. He also played for Inter, Real Madrid, and Milan before retiring with Corinthians in his home country. Despite numerous knee injuries throughout his career, Ronaldo secured two Ballons d'Or in 1997 and 2002, and won two World Cups in 1994 and 2002.

By Hoang An (according to Mundo Deportivo)