Brazilian legend Ronaldo becomes minority owner of Fort Lauderdale Strikers

One of the greatest strikers to ever player the game has just become a minority owner of the... Strikers.

The Fort Lauderdale Strikers, to be exact.

Legendary Brazilian striker Ronaldo was announced as an owner of the North American Soccer League (NASL) franchise on Thursday, as the club with a rich soccer history continues to build strong links with Brazil.

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Ronaldo joins three other Brazilians -- Paulo Cesso, Rafael Bertani and Ricardo Geromel -- in owning the team who play at Lockhart Stadium, and the World Cup winner in 1994 and 2002 released the following statement about his involvement in the club.

“I will be very involved with the management of the team and have already started to make introductions that will certainly help us to turn the Strikers into a global powerhouse,” Ronaldo said. “There are no doubts that the beautiful game is growing exponentially in the U.S., and I guarantee you that the NASL will play a key role in the rise of professional soccer here.”

With legendary players like Raul signing for the New York Cosmos and Ronaldo flexing his connections to help put the Strikers back on the global soccer map, things are looking up for NASL as they continue to expand as North America’s second-tier. A true giant of the game, Ronaldo has scored 15 goals at the World Cup finals and was named FIFA World Player of the Year three times during his illustrious career with Inter Milan, Barcelona and Real Madrid among others.

Since his playing days ended, Ronado has set up several business ventures and manages the likes of Brazilian superstar and current captain of the Selecao Neymar and UFC fighter Anderson Silva.

Here’s hoping Ronaldo can help soccer in South Florida continue to prosper, as his Strikers could soon be in direct competition with his former teammate David Beckham and his MLS venture in Miami. Exciting times for soccer fans in South Florida.

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