PokerStars has signed another big-name sports legend after inking a deal with Ronaldo Nazario. The former Brazilian footballer now joins tennis star Rafael Nadal, Olympic hockey medalist Fatima Moreira and tennis player Boris Becker on Team PokerStars SportsStars.
Ronaldo retired in 2011, at the age of 34, after citing injuries and hypothyroidism. Despite the fairly early retirement, the Brazilian striker managed to score a World Cup record 15 goals. Overall, he scored 62 goals in 98 international matches for Brazil. Other accolades for Ronaldo include being a three-time FIFA Player of the Year and two-time World Cup champion.
Many people may think that Ronaldo merely signed this deal for the money, while knowing nothing about poker. However, the truth is that the 36-year-old has been playing the game for quite some time. He discussed this with the following statement:
Whenever I try to deliver my best in everything, in football and in life. Poker is another challenge that excites me: read the game and opponents and choose the best way to win. For some time I have been discovering the game of poker and PokerStars chosen because they meet a community passionate about the sport. Moreover, it has a great team of players.
Those who are interested in competing against Nazario can find him playing under his namesake PokerStars ID “Ronaldo.” He’s also expected to play in plenty of live tournaments in Brazil too – especially the Brazilian Series of Poker.
This differs quite a bit from another Team PokerStars SportsStars in Rafael Nadal; Rafa is rarely found online – let alone in live tourneys. Of course, it’s also worth mentioning that Nadal is still a top-ranked professional tennis player, which cuts down on his availability. Ronaldo, on the other hand, is retired and has a bit more free time.
