The driving force

A bewilderingly skilful player with the ball at his feet, whom many have compared to the recently-deceased George Best, he was the driving force behind Barca8217;s 14-game winning streak in the middle of the season which was instrumental in them winning La Liga again.

Ronaldinho is usually modest when it comes to assessing his own brilliance. 8220;I have always loved playing football. For me it8217;s a pleasure not a job. But I couldn8217;t achieve the things I have done without the other players in the Barcelona team,8221; said the ever-smiling Ronaldinho, whose joy is evident to all.

His teammates are more effusive about his ability. 8220;He8217;s a genius who does the most unbelievable things with the ball day in, day out,8221; said his teammate Eto8217;O recently.

It was his day in, day out work for Barcelona that got him elected as the FIFA World Player of the Year for the second successive year in December.

His football feats this season, on both a domestic stage and also in the Champions League, have been seen on TV screens around the world and regularly filled Barcelona8217;s Nou Camp Stadium to its 98,000 capacity.

However, the defining moment of this campaign was arguably when Barcelona beat bitter rivals Real Madrid 3-0 in their own Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in November.

Ronaldinho8217;s runs down the left flank tormented the Real defenders that night but brought the usually hostile home crowd to its feet, applauding his every touch.

In a Brazilian jersey, he did win FIFA8217;s largely ignored Confederations Cup last summer but it was largely for his performances for Barcelona that won the votes of the national coaches and team captains around the world.