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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=yspsctnhdln>Soccer's tale of two Ronaldos</TD></TR><TR><TD height=7><SPACER height="1" type="block" width="1"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>By ROBERT MILLWARD, AP Soccer Writer
<SPAN class=ysptimedate>January 29, 2007</SPAN>
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<SPAN class=yspartclsrc>AP - Jan 29, 12:15 pm EST</SPAN>
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LONDON (AP) -- They share the same name and are famous for bamboozling defenders and scoring memorable goals.
In one case, make that "was" famous.
While the fast, sleek, free-scoring Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to become the world's best player, the more famous Ronaldo is overweight and struggling to keep his career going.
Cristiano Ronaldo's 13 goals for Manchester United have helped the Red Devils move six points ahead of defending champion Chelsea in the English Premier League. After being jeered for his part in Wayne Rooney's red card when Portugal beat England in the World Cup quarterfinals, even rival fans now accept that the winger, who turns 21 next Monday, has the potential to follow his namesake as a soccer superstar.
At 30, the Brazilian Ronaldo is almost Gone-aldo.
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</NOSCRIPT></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Ronaldo, on the verge of going to six-time European champion AC Milan, has lost his touch and speed and has been slowed by an expanding waistline.
After more than 10 years at the top, the two-time FIFA player of the year is a shadow of the star who burst onto the soccer scene at 17.
The teenager would collect passes from 30 yards out, glide past two or three defenders and then sidestep the goalkeeper before rolling the ball into an empty net. With goals like that, Ronaldo helped Brazil get to the final of the 1998 World Cup in France. But a mystery illness made him a virtual spectator as the team lost to France 3-0.
Although a serious knee injury sidelined him for almost two years, he returned to play a leading part in Brazil's fifth World Cup triumph in Japan in 2002. His two g
<SPAN class=ysptimedate>January 29, 2007</SPAN>
<TABLE style="PADDING-LEFT: 8px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 5px" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=ysptblbdr2><TABLE class=yspwhitebg cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>
<SPAN class=yspartclsrc>AP - Jan 29, 12:15 pm EST</SPAN>
More Photos</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
LONDON (AP) -- They share the same name and are famous for bamboozling defenders and scoring memorable goals.
In one case, make that "was" famous.
While the fast, sleek, free-scoring Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to become the world's best player, the more famous Ronaldo is overweight and struggling to keep his career going.
Cristiano Ronaldo's 13 goals for Manchester United have helped the Red Devils move six points ahead of defending champion Chelsea in the English Premier League. After being jeered for his part in Wayne Rooney's red card when Portugal beat England in the World Cup quarterfinals, even rival fans now accept that the winger, who turns 21 next Monday, has the potential to follow his namesake as a soccer superstar.
At 30, the Brazilian Ronaldo is almost Gone-aldo.
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After more than 10 years at the top, the two-time FIFA player of the year is a shadow of the star who burst onto the soccer scene at 17.
The teenager would collect passes from 30 yards out, glide past two or three defenders and then sidestep the goalkeeper before rolling the ball into an empty net. With goals like that, Ronaldo helped Brazil get to the final of the 1998 World Cup in France. But a mystery illness made him a virtual spectator as the team lost to France 3-0.
Although a serious knee injury sidelined him for almost two years, he returned to play a leading part in Brazil's fifth World Cup triumph in Japan in 2002. His two g
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