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Nearly recovered Brazil's Ronaldo plays benefit game
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) -- For soccer fans, it seemed like the end of a nightmare. There was Ronaldo, donning the No. 9 jersey and taking the field at giant Maracana soccer stadium, just like in the old times. OK, so it was only a benefit game for a children's campaign. And the players were a gallery of retired soccer stars, TV actors and a racing champion Michael Schumacher, here for Sunday's Brazilian F1 Grand Prix in Sao Paulo. No matter. For Brazilians, it was enough to see the two-time FIFA Player of the Year back in action, nearly a year after a serious knee injury that many feared would end his career. Ronaldo, who underwent surgery last April and was recently pronounced fit to return, tried to tone down the expectations. "I'm not looking at it as my return to the soccer pitch," the 24-year-old striker said at a pre-match news conference. "I'm not ready to give it my all, but I'll do what I can." The knee, with a rebuilt tendon, feels fine. Although he hasn't returned to action for Italy's Internazionale, Ronaldo says he's getting close. "I'm in an important phase of my recovery, which is recuperating my physical stamina," he said. "I'm training every day and after the game I'll train some more because I can't miss a day. Then I'll decide when I return to play, depending on the confidence I have in my physical condition." After winning Player of the Year honors in 1996 and 1997, Ronaldo was expected to lead Brazil to an unprecedented fifth World Cup title in 1998. But his career was hampered by knee problems and a mysterious ailment just before the final, when Brazil lost 3-0 to host France. Although Ronaldo played on the Brazilian team that won the Copa America in 1999, he continued to complain of knee problems. After surgery and long convalescence, he returned in April, only to collapse screaming in pain after just seven minutes with a snapped tendon. Ronaldo is a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF, the United Nations Fund for Children, and proceeds of the game will go to projects sponsored by UNICEF and the Hope for Children campaign of Brazil's Globo TV network. More than 40,000 tickets were put on sale at 5 reals (US$2.35) apiece, and fans quickly snapped them up. Other past and present stars taking part in the game include 1970 World Cup champion Jairzinho, Zico, Bebeto, Juninho, Junior, Branco, Renato Gaucho, Ricardo Gomes, Roberto Dynamite and Paulo Sergio. Rounding out the lineups were drivers Schumacher and Jarno Trulli as well as Globo stars, local musicians and former street kids from Rio's Sao Martinho Foundation.
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