A Cruzeiro Story

Debt. Problems. Phone calls engraved into Brazil football folklore and relegation that haunts the club to this day - but how did it come to this? And will Ronaldo turn the tide?

Cruzeiro was founded in 1921 and is one of the traditional Brazilian clubs and a member of the G-12 [the 12 best and most historic clubs in Brazil]. It has a long-standing mark on the development of football in the Land of Coffee as it also “gave birth” to some of the most legendary players to wear the Seleção jersey.

Names such as Joãzinho, Palhinha, Zé Carlos, and many more, including Ronaldo (the Phenomenon) who is now looked at as “The Messiah" much like he was when he first burst out on the scene. But we’ll get to him later on in the story, at least at its very end.

The club is also one of the most illustrious in the nation, having won the Libertadores twice, the Sudamericana once, the Serie A four times and the Copa do Brasil - six. Alongside those sit a grand total of 39 regional Campeonato Mineiro trophies.