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Ronaldo and the mystery of the 1998 World Cup final
1998 World Cup Final: Hosts France facing Brazil, the tournament favorite. In a team full of stars, Ronaldo was the best Brazilian player. His goal: to help his team win the remaining 90 minutes of the World Cup and also win the Golden Boot as the top scorer. However, there was a big surprise: Ronaldo's name was not on the team sheet.
Speculations started to run wild instantly. The media desperately tried to find out why the world's best player would miss the biggest game of his career. There were rumors that his knee injury had worsened and, more worryingly, that he had suffered a seizure. But suddenly, just before kick-off, a new team sheet appeared - this time, the number 9 was listed. However, the striker was unable to repeat his previous performances in the tournament and France won 3-0.
What really happened that day is still not clear today. On the day of the big final, Ronaldo suffered a severe attack in the team hotel after lunch. His whole body contracted heavily and he began foaming at the mouth. Roberto Carlos shouted for help, followed by his teammates Edmundo and César Sampaio who rushed into the room. When the medical team arrived, Ronaldo fell asleep. It is said that the team doctor Toledo cried when he left the room - he thought the situation was very serious. When Ronaldo woke up, none of his teammates told him what had happened.
But Ronaldo seemed worried after he got up, Toledo explained the situation and requested some medical tests. As soon as it was verified that the test results were positive, Ronaldo was called back to the team, despite the protest of some teammates.
The most common conspiracy theory is that a sponsor forced Ronaldo's selection. Some claimed that there was a clause in the contract and that Brazil was obliged to let Ronaldo play. Another theory is that the incident was the result of severe stress or an illness that Ronaldo kept secret for his entire life.
To this day, the details about Ronaldo and the 1998 World Cup final are still unclear. It is possible that only the legendary number 9 knows what really happened.
Speculations started to run wild instantly. The media desperately tried to find out why the world's best player would miss the biggest game of his career. There were rumors that his knee injury had worsened and, more worryingly, that he had suffered a seizure. But suddenly, just before kick-off, a new team sheet appeared - this time, the number 9 was listed. However, the striker was unable to repeat his previous performances in the tournament and France won 3-0.
What really happened that day is still not clear today. On the day of the big final, Ronaldo suffered a severe attack in the team hotel after lunch. His whole body contracted heavily and he began foaming at the mouth. Roberto Carlos shouted for help, followed by his teammates Edmundo and César Sampaio who rushed into the room. When the medical team arrived, Ronaldo fell asleep. It is said that the team doctor Toledo cried when he left the room - he thought the situation was very serious. When Ronaldo woke up, none of his teammates told him what had happened.
But Ronaldo seemed worried after he got up, Toledo explained the situation and requested some medical tests. As soon as it was verified that the test results were positive, Ronaldo was called back to the team, despite the protest of some teammates.
The most common conspiracy theory is that a sponsor forced Ronaldo's selection. Some claimed that there was a clause in the contract and that Brazil was obliged to let Ronaldo play. Another theory is that the incident was the result of severe stress or an illness that Ronaldo kept secret for his entire life.
To this day, the details about Ronaldo and the 1998 World Cup final are still unclear. It is possible that only the legendary number 9 knows what really happened.
