Pele: Ron has 'lost his way'
Brazilian legend Pele says troubled striker Ronaldo could have been a better player.
Brazilian legend Pele says Ronaldo could have been a better player if he had not 'lost his way' due to personal problems.The Real Madrid striker has left his future at the Bernabeu in doubt after criticising the club's fans for a lack of support, and his time with the Liga giants has seen him endure jibes about his weight and lifestyle.
Despite a glittering career to date, including a key role in Brazil's World Cup triumph in 2002 , Ronaldo is yet to win the UEFA Champions League and Pele believes a sense of underachievement surrounds the exceptional striker.
The Real forward, who has been linked with a move back to Italy with both Milan and Internazionale, is keen to surpass Pele's total of 95 goals for the Brazilian national side, but his predecessor as Brazil's darling believes a failure to control his personal life has had an impact on his performances on the pitch.
"Ronaldo has proved to be a good player with all those titles but he tends to lose his way," Pele told Shanghai Daily.
"He could have been an even better player had he not been affected by troubles off the pitch.
"You can't get married one day and divorce only two months later and remain unaffected by it. His personal life is so confused that he isn't able to keep the balance."
After bursting into prominence with Cruzeiro, Ronaldo made his name in European football with PSV Eindhoven and Barcelona before suffering severe injury problems at Internazionale which threatened his career in the game.
After a stunning renaissance at Real Madrid he now looks set to leave Los Merengues in the summer, and Pele has urged his countryman to calm down and consider whether he wants another change of club at this stage of his career.
"He must take it easy," commented Pele. "Fans are always impatient. It's very normal.
"He may find a better new environment but age is also not on his side."
