11.7.2026
Brazil two-time World Cup winning Ronaldo has opened about his struggle with mental health and weight issues after he quit the game that brought him to world reckoning.
Ronaldo retired at the age of 34 in 2011 after achieving a career that saw him at top European sides like Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan and PSV winning several titles. He won the World in 1994 and 2002.
Now 49, Ronaldo disclosed that leaving the game was tough for him and it made him feel so empty.
“When you decide to leave the game, it feels like someone close to you has died,’ he told the Futebol Legends Talks podcast.
“I suffered from severe depression; I gained a lot of weight. It was very difficult to leave football.
Since those struggles, the two-time Ballon d’Or winner has found a way to move on but admitted it took some time.
“Then you realise there are other things in life that you can do, you can reinvent yourself, but the idea of not competing stayed with me for a long time,’ he added.
