Ronaldo eyes comeback

HOLLYWOOD (FLORIDA) — Brazilian star Ronaldo says he will attempt to make a playing comeback this spring with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the second-tier North American Soccer League (NASL).

The world player of the year in 1996, 1997 and 2002, Ronaldo is now 38 and has not played since February 2011 with Brazil’s Corinthians. He spoke at a news conference on Wednesday called to announce he has become a part-owner of the Strikers.

Ronaldo, a two-time World Cup winner with Brazil — first as a 17-year-old reserve in 1994, and again in 2002 where he finished the tournament as the top scorer with eight goals — said his return to the game would help the league and football in America.

Asked whether he would play, Ronaldo responded in English that “that is not easy”.

“I love to play,” he said. “That was my big love. But when I retired, it was because of my body. I had so much pain and so many injuries. It isn’t easy to get fit. I will try. I will train a lot.”

Since retiring as a player, Ronaldo has become a part-owner of a marketing company called 9ine Sports and Entertainment, which represents Barcelona forward Neymar and mixed martial arts fighter Anderson Silva. He joins a team that lost to San Antonio in last year’s NASL final. Fort Lauderdale averaged 3,092 for home games, almost half the league average of 5,989.

NASL Commissioner Bill Peterson, who attended the news conference, said his league will soon challenge Major League Soccer, which averaged 18,704 last year.

MLS plans to start a Miami team led by retired star David Beckham, who is trying to find a site in Miami to build a stadium.

“We just finished our fourth season,” Preston said. “We have 11 teams. Our goal is to have 20 teams by 2018. Our goal is to line up against any club in the world by 2018.”

The Strikers play in 55-year-old Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Ricardo Geromel, one of the team’s owners, said a new stadium is planned. The Strikers, who open their season on April 4 against the New York Cosmos, said they will try to bring in players from Brazil, using the connections of Ronaldo and their other Brazilian owners.

“We want to have all the best players,” Ronaldo said. “But we don’t have the money yet. We have a budget.” AP