Career
Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima was born in Rio de Janeiro on September 18, 1976, and grew up in Bento Ribeiro, a poor neighborhood in the suburbs. He began his career in the youth ranks of São Cristóvão before moving to Cruzeiro at 17, where he exploded with 44 goals in 47 matches. In 1994, at just 17, he was called up by Brazil and became a world champion in the United States, although he did not play. He moved to Europe to PSV Eindhoven (1994-96) where he scored 55 goals in 57 Eredivisie matches, and in 1996 to Barcelona: 47 goals in 49 matches, the 1997 Ballon d'Or, and the Cup Winners' Cup. In 1997, he joined Inter for a record fee of 27.5 million pounds: five seasons with the Nerazzurri marked by winning the 1997-98 UEFA Cup and two serious right knee injuries. In 2002, after a long recovery, he led Brazil to victory in the World Cup in Korea and Japan, scoring 8 goals in the tournament, including the decisive brace in the final against Germany in Yokohama, and won his second Ballon d'Or. Between 2002 and 2007, he played for Real Madrid's Galácticos, winning the 2002-03 La Liga, then returned to Italy to AC Milan (2007-08) and ended his career at Corinthians (2009-11). With the Brazilian national team, he made 98 appearances and scored 62 goals, holding the record for goals in World Cup finals with 15 goals from 2006 to 2014. In 2018, he acquired 51% of Real Valladolid, becoming its president until May 2025 when he sold it to the American fund Ignite for approximately 50 million euros. In December 2024, he announced his candidacy for the presidency of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) for the 2026 elections, with the aim of revitalizing the Seleção.
Why collect a Ronaldo Nazario autograph
An original autograph of Ronaldo Il Fenomeno is among the most prestigious and coveted items in world football collecting of all time. Ronaldo is considered one of the greatest strikers in football history alongside Pelé, Maradona, and Messi, and for many experts, the most talented pure nine ever. His signature is particularly valuable on Inter's black and blue jerseys from 1997-2002 with the famous number 9, on the green and gold jerseys of the 1994 and 2002 World Cup-winning Brazilian national team, on the Real Madrid Galácticos kits, Barcelona, and PSV Eindhoven, on iconic photographs of his brace in the 2002 Yokohama final against Germany, and on memorabilia related to his two Ballons d'Or in 1997 and 2002. The collectible value is further supported by the FIFA 100 status bestowed upon him by Pelé in 2004, his 15 World Cup goals which remained a record for eight years, the rarity of his signature for a highly sought-after player, and his international visibility as an entrepreneur and candidate for the CBF presidency for the 2026 elections.
Original Ronaldo Nazario autographs at MTM Memorabilia
MTM Memorabilia is the benchmark in Italy for high-level collecting. Every original Ronaldo Nazario autograph available at MTM is selected with rigorous criteria for provenance and authenticity by our experts. Every autographed item is always accompanied free of charge by the MTM Letter of Authenticity (LOA), a document issued by our experts that declares the provenance and veracity of the autograph according to our direct knowledge. Depending on the type and value of the item, MTM autographs can be accompanied by additional internationally recognized third-party certifications — including the COA issued by entities such as PSA, JSA, Beckett, Epperson, Autograph COA, or Associazione Autografia — included in the price or purchasable separately. Each product sheet precisely indicates the certification available for that specific item.
