Ronaldinho makes the game so beautiful: Platini
Paris: As far as awards go, Ronaldinho didn’t know which was better ? winning the 50th European Player of the Year award or hearing some of football’s greatest-ever players gushing over his talents.
On Monday at a lavish ceremony near the Champs Elysees, football royalty, including Alfredo di Stefano, Michel Platini and Johann Cruyff, paid tribute to the silky smooth Brazilian who won the award with a whopping 225 points.
Ronaldinho is the third Brazilian to have win it in less than a decade, after Ronaldo’s two victories in 1997 and 2002, and that of Rivaldo in 1999.
But only days after another former winner, Manchester United star George Best, died after a long illness it was perhaps fitting that another player with dazzling individual skills walked off with the prize.
Best and Ronaldinho may be worlds apart on human terms, but when it comes to the game, the Brazilian is looked upon with as much awe as the northern Irishman.
“Ronaldinho just makes the game so beautiful. He makes everyone happy, and his smile when he’s playing says it all,” said France and Juventus legend Platini, one of three three-time winners of the Ballon D’or.
Cruyff, one of the pioneers of the attacking, flowing game in the 1970s which came to be known as ‘total’ football, said the Brazilian had the power to strike fear into any opponent.
“He deserves this Ballon D’or. He animates the game and people love watching him when he's playing,” said the former Ajax and Holland great, another three-time winner along with countryman Marco van Basten.
“Every one of his gestures is potentially dangerous (to opposition teams) and that, obviously, is what the fans want to see.”
For France and Marseille great Jean-Pierre Papin, Ronaldinho’s ‘magic’ comes accompanied with another crucial sporting ingredient.
“Ronaldinho is the last magician. He’s a genius with the ball at his feet,” said the 1991 winner, whose goalscoring feats have forever left their mark on fans in the country.
“But he is also humble. What he enjoys most is playing for himself, and for the fans in the stands. He’s a joy to watch. I would have loved to have had him as a teammate just for his sense of being able to come up with that final pass.”
Platini was of a similar opinion. ”Not only is he individually brilliant, he’s an altruist. He knows how to give a good pass. It’s not just about the dribbling. I’ve seen players who know how to dribble and juggle with the ball, and don’t know how to give a good pass.
“They are only good for the circus. Ronaldinho is great for football.”
dinho and diego are two of the greatest players who ever played the game... let's settle with that.
(the legend himself) zidane far ahead of dinho.
personally game is easier now, but its my opinion, just dont ask why 
