During an exciting visit organized by the betting house Betfair to São Cristóvão de Futebol e Regatas, the club that opened the doors to his football career, Ronaldo, brand ambassador, recalled significant moments from the beginning of his career. The initiative, shown on Betfair's social networks, reinforces the importance of supporting grassroots football and the appreciation of training clubs.
“São Cristóvão was my first field football club. I played up to the junior category. At 14, I was already training with the youth team, and sometimes even played with the juniors. I never got to play professionally, but it was an important bridge that opened doors for me,” said Ronaldo during the visit.
Walking through the corridors and fields of the Ronaldo Nazário Stadium, the five-time world champion and three-time best player in the world remembered and highlighted the strategy that led him to choose the Cadet Club instead of seeking more renowned teams.
"I had the possibility to try out for Flamengo. I even went, but the competition was huge. So, I preferred a smaller team, where I could stand out by facing big clubs in state championships. My strategy worked because it soon sparked the interest of several teams and Cruzeiro sped up the process".
Ronaldo also reflected on the importance of São Cristóvão in achieving his dream of playing football and said that, despite a successful career, he never imagined he would see his name given to a stadium.
"I just chased my dream. I never had the intention of having a stadium with my name. But it's cool, it's a matter of pride, it's very nice,” said the Betfair ambassador.
The number 9 of the Brazilian National Team also highlighted Betfair's initiative in allowing this meeting, recalling the difficulties of staying competitive in the Brazilian football scene.
“It's a training club that needs help. Betfair understands that promoting the club that projected me to the world is a way to give back. As I said, it's very cool to be here and see this partnership".
In addition to making the reunion happen, Betfair, one of the largest betting houses in the world, took the opportunity to honor the former player and inspire future generations who play for the club. A mural was created at the edge of the field, illustrating the iconic celebration of the number 9, so that all athletes who pass by there remember that it was in São Cristóvão that the Phenomenon was born.
“We are very proud of the partnership we have built with Ronaldo over the past years, having the phenomenon as a Betfair ambassador is a very big milestone and we wanted to do something that was not only significant for his fans but also for him,” said Aidan Kilcoyne, head of sponsorship at Betfair.
“Reuniting him with the club that revealed him, being able to remember his story and still create such a strong tribute as the mural were ways to thank our eternal number 9 for the partnership,” reinforced Kilcoyne. The activation was carried out with the support of the agency Octagon Brazil.
The star also left an inspiring message for the young athletes of the club he encountered on this historic visit.
"Chase your dream and dedicate yourself to the fullest. No one is going to give you your dream as a gift. You need to have a vision for the future. It's not an easy career, as many might imagine, because they see professional players, sometimes with fancy cars, houses, and beautiful women, but there is a huge sacrifice from the beginning of the career until you reach the top. So the message is this: chase after it, train a lot, dedicate yourself to the maximum and keep conquering your space”.
One of the largest providers of online sports betting in the world, Betfair is the official sponsor of Cruzeiro and Vasco da Gama. The company, founded in London in 2000, was a pioneer in offering peer-to-peer betting (Betfair Exchange) and manages a complete set of sports betting, entertainment events, and online gaming products for more than four million customers over 18 years old worldwide.
Thanks to its cutting-edge technology, the platform offers a wide catalog of products that allows betting with your own odds and odds offered by other users.
Betfair is licensed to operate online betting and other games in 19 countries, including Spain, Italy, Malta, and Great Britain.
Source: GMB
