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"Ronaldinho: My goal was no fluke"

Ronaldinho insists his goal which beat England in the World Cup quarter-final was no fluke.

His free-kick from 30 yards out went over the head of David Seaman, and under the bar, to put Brazil 2-1 ahead.

Cynics dismissed it as an over-hit lob into the penalty area, but Ronaldinho was adamant he intended to surprise Seaman.

"Cafu had told me that Seaman usually moves forward preparing to take the square balls," he said.

"I was a bit far (out from goal), but I tried it and I was able to score. He (Seaman) moved back, but he couldn't stop it."

Minutes after the goal, Ronaldinho was sent off for a studs-up tackle on Danny Mills.

Ronaldinho was convinced he did not deserve to be sent off and claimed Mills agreed with him.

"I don't believe that it was a foul for a red card," he said.

"I met Mills in doping control later and he also believes I did not deserve to be sent off."

The sending-off means he is automatically ruled out of Brazil's semi-final, but he expects to be available for the final, if they get there.

"I don't want to say anything more about all this because it depends on Fifa, but I have hope," he added.

Ronaldinho_da_2nd are you from Brazil?

i hate toi spoil things but to quote juniniho who probrably knows a little more than us:

"ronaldinho came in to the changing rooms and told us that the goal was a fluke and that he had meant to just chip it into the area"

> PS: Ronaldinho IS a Brazilian football genius.

Rivaldo is far better!

I love Brazil and always will. It's the class, flair and their knack for scoring unbelievable goals (and meaning to).

Ronaldinho clearly meant to lob Seaman. Incase no one remembers when france played some French team........

It was the exact same position and seaman came off his line to shout something to his defenders. What happend? Same thing as Friday.... I rest my case.

PS: Ronaldinho IS a Brazilian football genius.

I'm still not sure as to wether or not it was a fluke or if it was intentional. But I am sure that he should not have been Red Carded as there was no real intention there.

What I think he may have been trying to do with that free kick is to try and make Seaman fumble infront of goal to give Ronaldo or someone a simple task of putting the ball into the empty net.

You can't call it a back-post cross as it was too high and to near the centre of the goal. And he didn't c***-up the kick at all!
So he meant whatever he was trying to do then...

I can see this debate going on into the next World Cup....

he claims ST. Danny Mills cleanest player in the world agreed with him. News just in patrick Viera, Graeme le saux and roy keane all agreed too. I'm glad he seeks danny Mills' approval on disciplinary issues.

I wonder what gary Lineker thought?

I think that he didnt deserve that red card, i think that ref had some personal vendetta against him. Brazil should try to convince fifa to let him play in their next match.

Tetchy wrote:
> Thats pretty special if he can score like that without even looking at
> where he's aiming for.

Well, he is a brazillian footballing genius :)

If you watch the replay, never once does 'The fourth Bee-Gee'look at where Seaman is.

He keeps his head down and only ever looks down the line of players in the box as he takes his run up.

Thats pretty special if he can score like that without even looking at where he's aiming for.

It looked an awful lot like a fluke...