When we talk about the greatest players to ever lace up boots, the name Ronaldo Nazário—the original Ronaldo—always sits right at the top. But if you look at the history books, his time at Inter Milan is often framed as a tragedy of "what could have been." People see the stats, the injuries, and that heartbreaking image of him clutching his knee against Lazio, and they assume his stint in Italy was just a series of hospital visits.
Honestly? That’s a massive oversimplification.
His time in Milan wasn't just a medical report. It was the peak of human athletic capability. For a brief window between 1997 and 1999, Ronaldo Inter de Milan was less of a footballing partnership and more of a supernatural event. He wasn't just playing the game; he was breaking it.
The Record-Breaking Arrival
Inter president Massimo Moratti didn't just want a striker; he wanted a revolution. In the summer of 1997, Inter triggered Ronaldo’s release clause at Barcelona, paying roughly $27 million. That sounds like pocket change in today’s market where mediocre wingers go for $100 million, but back then, it was a world record.
It made him the first player since Diego Maradona to break the world transfer record twice.
Think about that. At just 21 years old, he had already moved for record fees twice and was heading into Serie A, which was basically the NBA of football at the time. It was the toughest league on the planet. Defenders like Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Nesta, and Fabio Cannavaro were in their primes.
And Ronaldo? He made them look like they were playing in slow motion.
That 1997-98 Season: Total Domination
His first year at the San Siro was stuff of legend. He finished with 34 goals in all competitions. In his first 10 games, he already looked like he was playing a different sport. He didn't just run past people; he ran through them with a combination of power and a step-over that left world-class defenders literally sitting on their backsides.
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The peak of this era was the 1998 UEFA Cup Final against Lazio.
If you haven't seen the footage of his goal in that game, go find it. He’s one-on-one with the goalkeeper, Luca Marchegiani. Ronaldo does a series of body feints—no touches, just shifting his weight—and Marchegiani just... collapses. Ronaldo skips around him and taps it into an empty net.
It was 3-0. Inter won the trophy. Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or. He was the king of the world.
The Injuries: A Timeline of Heartbreak
Then, the narrative shifted. The physical toll of being that explosive started to catch up.
Basically, Ronaldo’s body was too fast for its own tendons. His power was so immense that his knees couldn't handle the torque he generated when he changed direction.
- November 1999: He ruptured a tendon in his knee during a match against Lecce. He needed surgery and months of rehab.
- April 12, 2000: The comeback. This is the moment everyone remembers. He comes on as a sub in the Coppa Italia final against Lazio. Six minutes in, he tries a trademark step-over. His knee simply explodes.
The stadium went silent. Even the Lazio players were visibly shaken. It wasn't just a sports injury; it felt like watching a masterpiece get ripped in half. He didn't play a single minute of football for the next year and a half.
The "Betrayal" and the Move to Madrid
By the time the 2001-02 season rolled around, Ronaldo was back, but the vibe had changed. Inter lost the Scudetto on the final day of the season in a crushing 4-2 loss to Lazio—the "5 Maggio" disaster. Ronaldo was substituted and seen crying on the bench.
Most fans expected him to stay and fight for the title the next year. Instead, after a legendary performance at the 2002 World Cup, he left for Real Madrid.
Why? It wasn't just about the money. He had a toxic relationship with Inter coach Héctor Cúper. Ronaldo famously told Moratti, "It's him or me." Moratti, surprisingly, chose the coach.
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Ronaldo left, and for years, Inter fans felt betrayed. They had stuck by him through three years of surgeries and rehabilitation, only for him to leave the moment he got healthy. It’s a wound that took a long time to heal, though most fans now look back on him with pure affection.
What Most People Miss
People often debate who was better: "R9" or the modern superstars. But what's often missed is the context of the Italian league in the late 90s.
- The Pitches: They weren't the bowling greens we see now. They were often muddy, uneven, and heavy.
- The Rules: Defenders could get away with murder. "Tactical fouls" were basically an art form designed specifically to stop him.
- The Speed: Ronaldo was clocked at speeds that would rival modern sprinters, but he was doing it with the ball glued to his feet.
He finished his Inter career with 59 goals in 99 appearances. That's a goal every 1.6 games, despite half of those games being played while he was recovering from major trauma.
Actionable Insights for Football Historians and Fans
If you’re looking to truly understand the impact of Ronaldo at Inter, don't just look at the trophies. Look at how he changed the game.
- Study the 1998 UEFA Cup Run: This was Ronaldo at his absolute physical apex. Watch the semi-final against Spartak Moscow on a frozen pitch; it’s a masterclass in balance.
- Analyze the "Fenomeno" Branding: This was the era where a single player became a global "brand" in the modern sense, paving the way for the CR7 and Messi eras.
- Revisit the Medical Context: Understand that the surgeries he had in 2000 were experimental at the time. The fact that he came back at all, let alone won a World Cup and a second Ballon d'Or, is one of the greatest medical miracles in sports history.
To really appreciate him, you have to look past the injuries. Ronaldo at Inter was a shooting star—brief, brilliant, and completely unique. We haven't seen anything quite like it since.
Find the full 90-minute replays of the 1997-98 season if you can. Highlights don't show the fear he put in defenders for the other 89 minutes of a match. That’s where the real story is.