* His moves to Barcelona ($19.5 million) and Inter Milan ($27.9) were both for then world record fees. Real Madrid paid 43 million euros ($55.55 million) for him in August 2002.

* Has won only one league title, in his first season at Real Madrid. Has never won the European Cup but won the Cup Winners' Cup with Barcelona and the UEFA Cup while at Inter.

* Married Brazilian female footballer and model Milene Domingues in December 1999. The couple had a child, Ronald, and were divorced four years later. In 2005, got engaged to Brazilian model Daniella Cicarelli, marking the occasion with a lavish St Valentine's celebration at a French chateau. The couple split up three months later.

* Underwent surgery after a disappointing 2006 World Cup, took longer than expected to recover and failed to win the confidence of Real's new coach Fabio Capello.

* He has scored just one league goal this season, but was the leading scorer in each of his previous seasons at Real Madrid, scoring a total of 104 goals in all competitions.

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