Ronaldo concedes his playing days may be over

AC Milan and Brazil striker Ronaldo said yesterday he had yet to make a decision about his playing career after having knee surgery that will rule him out for at least nine months.

"I haven't decided yet what I should do but I'm ready for anything," the three-time World Player of the Year told a news conference before leaving the Pitie-Salpetriere hospital in Paris. "I have the will to carry on playing, this is what my heart is telling me to do. But my body is giving me signs that it is tiring and needs rest," he added, speaking in Portuguese and Italian, with Milan sports director Leonardo translating.

"I know that physically and mentally it will be very hard. If, at the end of the day, I have recovered and can play again, fine. If not, it will be a very hard decision to make but it will have to be the decision."

Ronaldo, the all-time leading scorer in World Cup finals with 15 goals, ruptured his left knee tendon playing for Milan in a 1-1 Serie A draw against Livorno on February 13th. The surgeon who operated on the 31-year-old, Eric Rolland, said he would "not be able to run before up to five months and not be able to train before nine months.

"Anything can happen in the next three months because surgery is not an exact science. It will all depend on the rehabilitation.

"We'll have a first check-up in three months and another in six months. From a medical point of view, we'll stay cautious for six months," he added. "The recovery will not depend on Ronaldo for the first six months. It will all depend on him afterwards. Psychologically, he is a remarkable man."

Ronaldo hardly featured this season because of a series of injuries and the Champions League holders have yet to commit to a new contract.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times