“Dad, that fat guy arrived and the party’s over”: Ronaldo teammate’s memories of Brazil star
The Uruguayan former striker Beto Acosta has looked back on his experience of sharing a locker room with Ronaldo Nazário.
A former teammate of Ronaldo Nazário has shared never‑before‑told anecdotes from his time alongside the Brazil great at Corinthians, offering up memories that paint a picture of an entertaining experience.
- “We just started applauding”
“In the middle of training one day, a helicopter starts descending,” the retired Uruguayan forward Beto Acosta told El Espectador. “And who steps out? ‘O Fenômemo’, wearing pajamas. We all just started applauding.” An image that perfectly captures Ronaldo’s larger‑than‑life aura.
Celebrations also have their place in the storybook. “When we won the Paulista undefeated, we threw a party at Ronaldo’s place that went on for three days,” Acosta said, before sharing what he considers his most unforgettable moment with the Brazilian.
“The funniest one was at my daughter’s birthday,” he recalled. “It was all music and dancing until Ronaldo showed up. Suddenly the party stopped. My daughter came to me crying: ‘Dad, that fat guy arrived and the party’s over.’ Try explaining to a kid who that ‘fat guy’ was…”
- Ronaldo’s key Corinthians impact
Beyond the anecdotes, Ronaldo’s stint with Corinthians left behind numbers and trophies that underline his impact. Then 33, he arrived at the São Paulo club in 2009, returning to Brazil after spells at European giants such as Real Madrid and Inter Milan. In two seasons with Corinthians, he plundered 35 goals in 69 appearances.
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Ronaldo was instrumental in the team’s triumph in the 2009 Campeonato Paulista and the Copa do Brasil that same year, before retiring in 2011.
At Corinthians, the World Cup winner found a final competitive chapter worthy of his legacy, and in the memories of teammates like Acosta, he left much more than statistics - he left stories still told today with a smile.
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