Ronaldinho’s charisma illuminates grey night in Texas

By: Nayib Morán, BBVA Compass Stadium Houston

Ronaldinho commands this new Queretaro FC; he takes the job seriously. His decision to come to Gallos Blancos put the team on the map. He was the player leading the team out of the tunnel for warm-ups, raising his arm, saluting the crowd that came to BBVA Compass Stadium during a grey, drizzly day in Texas. His well known smile was the only source of sunlight in an autumn type of Houston day: rainy and slightly chilly.

The opponent was Santos, a team that has a strong presence in Houston. Hours before the starting whistle, Santos’ fans gathered outside and danced to music under the light rain that accompanied the day.

As calm and light as it could be, both teams’ coaches, Pedro Caixinha and “Nacho” Ambriz walked out of the tunnel, chatting amiably, Caixinha’s arm on Nacho’s shoulder, as the US National Anthem played in the loudspeakers. If the setting was Torreon or Queretaro, there would have only been a “hello, good luck, and goodbye.”

Queretaro’s new hero, with the number 49 behind his back, did his best to put on a show. While Santos led attacks early on and forced Gallos Blancos’ goalkeeper, Victor Hugo Hernandez, into important saves, Ronaldinho trotted around the pitch that had seen an American ‘Football’ game a day before.

He gave a backheel pass to William on the right flank, while his gaze was always looking for former Whitecap Camilo Sanvezzo. He, most out of the Brazilian bunch that includes Ronaldinho, Danilinho, William, and Sinha, has the electric speed that leaves most of Liga MXs defenses looking slow.

Ronaldinho’s presence impressed everyone at BBVA Compass Stadium, and even the referee was among the impressed. Santos’ Ribair Rodriguez came late on a tackle, and fouled Ronaldinho hard, earning him a straight red card. The Santos bench laughed because they thought the red-card was obviously too harsh. The referee just wanted to protect Ronaldinho, the star of the day. Or so it seemed.

In the 55th minute he left the pitch. Coincidentally just seconds before he came off the pitch a trio of teenagers ran to the pitch with camera on hand to take the picture with Dinho. Two of them started running away as security personnel sprinted towards them; one of them was smarter and tightly hugged the Brazilian star.

It wasn’t about taking the picture, it was about being besides one of the best to ever play the game. But that incident prompted his departure, planned or not.

He left the pitch and headed to the dressing room. The easy thing would have been to walk to the tunnel, smile at the thousands of smartphones that flashed on his face, and clap to the beat of their chants, but no.

Dinho is different. He left the pitch by high-fiving each of the fans’ hands, stretching them out as if they were asking Ronaldinho to save them from falling off a cliff. The game was over; the star had left leaving behind raindrops of charisma on the pitch.