Ronaldo seeks World Cup glory and vows to end career at Corinthians

Published on Tuesday 20 October 2009 22:43

BRAZIL'S Ronaldo has set himself the goals for 2010 of helping Corinthians win the South American Libertadores Cup and making it to his fifth World Cup.

The 33-year-old three times Fifa World Player of the Year is negotiating terms for a new contract with Corinthians where he wants to end his career.

"I've already said I'm staying," Ronaldo was quoted as saying on the club's website. "Now we're sorting out details of the contract.

"I'm a Corinthians partner forever, that won't change. This story will keep on for many years."

Ronaldo had declared his love for Flamengo and looked set to join them at the end of last year.

He has played 31 matches and scored 19 goals this season for Corinthians, his first Brazilian club since he left Cruzeiro for Europe when he joined PSV Eindhoven in 1994.

The former Barcelona, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and AC Milan striker helped Corinthians qualify for the Libertadores Cup with victory in the Copa Brasil in June.

His season suffered a setback three months ago when he broke his hand and he is still trying to recover his best form since coming back into the side on 20 September.

Ronaldo last played for Brazil at the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany.

He was out of action for virtually the whole of 2008 after suffering a knee cap injury in February of last year when he was with AC Milan, who did not renew his contract at the end of the 2008/9 season.

"My expectations of returning (to the Brazil team] will depend a lot on the Paulista and Libertadores, on my performances in those two competitions," said Ronaldo, referring also to the Sao Paulo state championship that precedes the Brazilian championship every season.

Ronaldo praised the work of Brazil coach of Dunga, who was captain of the team that won the country's fourth title in the US in 1994, the striker's first World Cup as a 17-year-old member of the squad. "The national team has done an optimum job, the qualifiers were never easy and Dunga gets the credit," said Ronaldo, who helped Brazil win their fifth title in Asia in 2002.

Brazil secured their place at the 2010 finals in South Africa with three matches to spare and finished top of the ten-nation South American qualification group last week.