Brazil legend Ronaldo tests positive for Covid-19

Former Real Madrid star has mild symptoms and will undergo isolation

Brazilian football legend Ronaldo has tested positive for Covid-19, his boyhood club Cruzeiro said. Former Real Madrid stat will not attend the 101st-anniversary celebration of his first-ever team, Cruzeiro.

The 45-year-old ex-striker "is fine, with light symptoms, and will now undergo a period of rest and social isolation, in line with medical advice" after testing positive for COVID-19, Cruzeiro, who Ronaldo bought last month, said on Twitter.

Ronaldo, who starred in Brazil's 2002 World Cup win and was thrice voted FIFA World Player of the Year, announced on December 18 he was buying a controlling stake in recently struggling Cruzeiro, where he made his professional debut in 1993 at age 16.

Ronaldo played for Brazil in 98 matches, scoring 62goals, and is the third-highest goal scorer for his national team. At age 17, he was the youngest member of the Brazilian squad that won the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

Ronaldo was named the 1996 FIFA Player of the Year, at the age of 20, making him the youngest recipient of the award. At 21 he received the 1997 Ballon D’or, and he remains the youngest recipient of the award.

“The first time I saw him play was at Cruzeiro. He was still a kid. It was in a game where he ended up scoring five goals. From that point on he showed he was truly a phenomenon,” Brazilian Defender Cafu on Ronaldo.

He ended his career at Sao-Paulo based Corinthians in 2011. Mired in financial strife, Cruzeiro finished 14th in the Brazilian Serie B last season.

Globoesporte.com reported Ronaldo paid 400 million reais (about $72 million) to become the club’s majority shareholder.He also has a controlling stake in Spanish club Real Valladolid, who were relegated to the second division last season.