After almost 17 years, Manchester United legend Paul Scholes
revealed exciting details about the club’s efforts to include
Brazilian soccer star Ronaldinho, before the latter chose
Barcelona.
Alex Ferguson, the training legend of the “Red Devils”, was
a fan of the skills of the Brazilian magician, who was then
defending the colors of Paris Saint-Germain, especially after his
important role in crowning the team of “samba dancers” in the
2002 World Cup.
Returning to the summer of 2003, Paul Scholes said that
Ronaldinho (23 years old at this time) was days away from
joining Old Trafford, but he suddenly changed his direction
to the Catalan team.
“I remember that we sought to include two or three players,
the most important of whom was Ronaldinho. We were
preparing for the season and were about to announce the deal
and choose the number of shirt to wear, but he changed his mind
at the last minute and signed for Barcelona,” Scholes said in
comments published by the Manchester United official website.
The retired midfielder continued: “This was strange because we
faced Barcelona in the preparatory matches for the season and
we were excited … Ronaldinho, what a player, he was coming
from SG and we were eager to play with him.”
He continued: “But after 3 days we were playing against him
(in the preparatory match between Manchester United and
Barcelona). We were trying to kick him because he did not
come to our team,” according to Scholes.
It is noteworthy that Manchester United compensated for its
failure to include Ronaldinho in a heavy-caliber deal in the same
summer, when the rising missile commissioned Cristiano
Ronaldo at the time from Sporting Lisbon.
