Ronaldo to run for Brazil federation presidency

Brazil legend Ronaldo has announced he will run for the presidency of the country’s football association and wants to “recover the prestige” of the national team.

The 48-year-old, who was capped 98 times, will run as a candidate to replace current Confederation of Brazilian Football (CBF) president Ednaldo Rodrigues.

Brazil, record five-time winners of the World Cup, last won the competition in 2002 and have not progressed further than the quarter-final stage since.

“For many decades, Brazilian football has always been the escape route for the Brazilian people when they faced daily problems,” Ronaldo told Globo Esporte.

“This was the fuel of the Brazilian people and today we see a total lack of interest from the population in the national team.

“Among hundreds of things that motivate me to become a candidate for president of the CBF is to recover this prestige and respect that the national team has always had and that no-one else has today.”

Rodrigues’ term runs until March 2026 and the presidential elections must take place in the 12 months before then.

Ronaldo, a World Cup winner in 1994 and 2002, is second on the competition’s all-time top scorer list behind Germany’s Miroslav Klose with 15 goals in 19 appearances.

The former Real Madrid striker’s international career spanned 17 years and included two Copa America titles and an Olympic bronze medal.

Brazil have won the Copa America once since Ronaldo’s international retirement in 2011 and were knocked out of the 2022 World Cup by Croatia in the quarter-finals.

“We have the best players, we have [Vinicius Jr], Neymar, Rodrygo, Estevao, Endrick… we have a lot of talent, how can we not play well?” said Ronaldo.

“We have to change this dynamic. Brazil has to be a protagonist in the World Cup, in the Copa America, it can’t miss out on the Olympics. It’s unacceptable for the talent we have.”

As part of his bid for presidency, Ronaldo says he will sell his stake in La Liga side Real Valladolid.