Featured Image Credit: Alamy - Twitter/@BeardedFC
Topics: Ronaldinho, Barcelona, La Liga, Brazil
Josh Lawless
Topics: Ronaldinho, Barcelona, La Liga, Brazil
For all of the magic he produced, it remains a real shame that Ronaldinho's greatest pass didn't result in a goal.
In rare footage that has been doing the rounds, the 2005 Ballon d'Or winner played an utterly outrageous pass into the path of Henrik Larsson when they two were playing for Barcelona against Celta Vigo in 2006.
If you needed to sum up Ronaldinho's playing style with one clip of him doing his thing on the pitch then this would be it. It's so carefree and casual but yet so utterly brilliantly audacious.
The Brazilian touched the ball down exquisitely on touchline after a cross-field pass was fired over to him, and then deftly knocked the ball past his opponent with his left peg.
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Then, R10 conjured up one of the most satisfying passes ever seen when he cut across the ball and fizzed it right into the danger area for Larsson to latch onto.
The precision and flight on the ball was just insane and looked like a cheat code pass straight out of a FIFA game.
Had the Swede been able to convert from close range, we would have be talking about one of the greatest passes ever seen.
However, Larsson saw his effort saved by the goalkeeper's legs, denying Ronaldinho a memorable assist.
Still, it was a pass that is still remembered to this day.
One fan reacted to a recent re-post of the video, saying: "I have plenty of evidence to prove Ronaldinho was an alien from a different dimension," while another commented: "The most talented footballer I’ve seen in real time. Nobody comes close."
A third said: "That is the best pass of all time. No debate."
A fourth commented: "That’s outrageous. One of the best passes I’ve ever seen."
Ronaldinho's highlight reel is so special that there's an array of incredible, jaw-dropping moments that more than make up for Larsson not finishing that insane pass.
Who can forget his stunning debut goal for Barcelona? His free-kick that caught out David Seaman in 2002? The greatest toe-poke in football history at Stamford Bridge? That solo goal to silence the Bernabeu?
There will never be another like him.