Clubs: São Paulo FC, AC Milan, Real Madrid CF

• Born Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite in Brasilia, he was recruited by São Paulo at an early age and went on to star for their first team despite sustaining a potentially career-threatening spinal injury at 18.

• Made his national-team debut while with São Paulo in January 2002 and had a brief cameo role in the FIFA World Cup triumph in the Far East that same year; played at the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup, which Brazil won, and the 2006 FIFA World Cup, where he hit a spectacular winner against Croatia.

• Left São Paulo for Milan in summer 2003 and helped the Rossoneri to Serie A success in his first season; UEFA Champions League runner-up in 2005 and winner in 2007, when he was top scorer with ten goals, including three in the semi-final against Manchester United FC.

• Won 2007 Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards in addition to UEFA Club Footballer of the Year.

• Milan's top scorer with a personal-best tally of 16 Serie A goals in 2008/09, after which he joined Madrid on a six-year contract for €68m.

• Struck his first goal for Madrid from the spot in a 2-0 win at Villarreal CF on 23 September 2009, one of eight goals he would score in 25 Liga appearances in his first season.

• Sent off at the 2010 FIFA World Cup during Brazil's second group match against the Ivory Coast, but was back in the team for the second round and subsequent 2-1 loss to the Netherlands in the quarter-finals.

• Had surgery on his left knee in August, causing him to miss the first half of the 2010/11 campaign; made his return as a late substitute against Getafe CF on 3 January 2011, before winning the Copa del Rey that season, and the Liga title the following season.

• Returned to Milan on the final day of the summer 2013 transfer window.

UEFA honours
UEFA Champions League: runner-up 2005, winner 2007
UEFA Champions League: leading scorer 2006/07
UEFA Super Cup: winner 2007
UEFA Club Footballer of the Year: 2007
UEFA Club Midfielder of the Year: 2005
UEFA Club Forward of the Year: 2007
UEFA.com users' Team of the Year: 2006, 2007, 2009