Should Ronaldinho go to the World Cup?

As I watched Ronaldinho terrorise Siena for AC Milan at the San Siro on Sunday, it took me back to the halcyon days of his career at Barcelona.

It took me back to the days of the smiling assassin receiving a standing ovation at Real Madrid’s Bernabeu, after scoring a fantastic goal and putting in a superb display.

Respected football magazine World Soccer voted him the Player of the Decade. I don’t think anybody could argue with that decision. His sheer brilliance made him one of the best players of his generation.

His vision, pace and dribbling ability was unique among his peers. His ability was even compared to Diego Maradona and Pele. He never quite made it to their levels of greatest but I would say he would be in my top ten players ever list. He is certainly one of the best players I have ever seen grace a football pitch.

Fall

In the last few years Ronaldinho’s career has taken a dramatic turn for the worse. His Barcelona career turned sour when personal problems hit him hard. A sad end to a glorious Barca career. He reportedly became a disruptive influence in the squad and Barcelona’s form suffered. He also suffered with numerous injuries in his last season.

He moved to AC Milan in 2008, citing the reason as needing a new challenge. It was clear to everybody that it was in the best interests of everybody involved that the Brazilian moved on. I thought it would prove the catalyst to reignite his career. I wrote at the time that Ronaldinho and AC Milan were a perfect fit. Ronaldinho needed a fresh challenge and to be with a big club and Milan were in desperate need of some inspiration.

Difference

However he endured a disappointing first season at the San Siro. Fitness doubts and bouts on the bench proved frustrating for the flamboyant star. The move started looking like a poor one but the promotion of compatriot Leonardo to AC Milan boss has proved the key to a return to form. The more easy going managerial style of Leonardo has allowed the 29 year-old to express himself more freely and hes thriving.

Under Carlo Ancelotti he was made to play in a more rigid formation. In Leonardo’s team hes allowed to have a more free role. Hes became the midfield playmaker from his supposedly left-wing position. In recent months hes started showing a more positive attitude and it seems hes enjoying his football again. Hes even started to close down opposition players, something which he had failed to do in a long time.

World Cup

His return to form has prompted calls from the media and some fans for him to be recalled to the Brazil squad. He lost his place in the Brazilian national team last season during a poor run of form. This was due to the fact that international boss Dunga couldn’t find a way of accommodating Ronaldinho and the fantastic Kaka in the same team.

They played together for AC Milan, it didn’t work and it seemed it didn’t work at international level either. They play in the same position but Kaka has performed consistently well for the past few seasons. Dunga decided that there was only one solution and that was to drop the out-of-form player. Brazil proceeded to qualify for the World Cup without the former Barca ace.

And Ronaldinho has not got back into the Brazilian squad since that decision. Is Dunga prepared to change his mind and give Ronnie another try? In the form Ronaldinho is in surely he has to be in the squad. At the moment Ronaldinho would be a much better option than the currently woefully out-of-form Robinho on the left-wing.

Robinho has had an awful season and it doesn’t look like getting any better. A fully-fit in-form Ronaldinho is still a force to be reckoned with and for me he is must for the squad. Ronaldinho wouldn’t like to be a bit-part but he deserves at least a place on the substitute bench. He could be Dunga’s plan B.

He could be a not so secret weapon in Dunga’s armoury, which could mean the difference between winning the World Cup and not. I expect Brazilian boss Dunga to eat a bit of humble pie and give Ronaldinho the chance for one big last hurrah on the international stage.