Ronaldo to start against Australia despite trip to hospital (AP) Updated: 2006-06-16 09:18
KOENIGSTEIN, Germany _ Something has gone right for Ronaldo.
The struggling Brazilian hero has been cleared to start in Sunday's game
against Australia after yet another health scare. Ronaldo was taken to a
Frankfurt hospital complaining of dizziness on Wednesday, was given some
medication and went back to the team hotel.
Brazil team doctor Jose Luiz Runco said Thursday that Ronaldo was examined as
a precaution, and coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said the striker will be in the
lineup for the match in Munich.
"He's confirmed (to start)," Parreira said, adding that "there was nothing
wrong" with Ronaldo.
But not much else has been positive for the hero of the 2002 World Cup
championship squad.
Ronaldo has twice had serious knee injuries that have sidelined him for
several months at a time. After a series of injuries with Real Madrid earlier in
the year, Ronaldo arrived for Brazil's training camp admittedly overweight and
not in form. Even the Brazilian president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, got
involved in the weight controversy.
In Brazil's last warmup match before its World Cup debut, against New Zealand
in Switzerland, Ronaldo was forced to leave the field because of blisters caused
by new shoes. A couple of days later he missed practice because of the
respiratory infection.
Then came the "Is he fat?" controversy, followed by such a mediocre
performance in Brazil's 1-0 win over Croatia to start defense of its title that
Ronaldo was replaced with 21 minutes remaining.
Then the dizziness.
Runco said Ronaldo was taken to a medical clinic after feeling unsteady for
the second time in less than a week. The doctor said Ronaldo also complained of
dizziness when he suffered the respiratory infection last week.
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