Ronaldinho earns Spanish status
Monday, August 27, 2007
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FC Barcelona midfielder Ronaldinho will no longer be counted as a non-European Union player after being granted Spanish citizenship on Monday morning.
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Four-year stay
The 27-year-old Brazilian, who signed for the Catalan club from Paris Saint-Germain FC in 2003 before helping them to two Primera División titles and UEFA Champions League successin 2005/06, will now be registered as an EU player for Barça’s squad. Ronaldinho has made 129 league appearances for the Blaugrana, scoring 64 goals and last August was voted UEFA Club Footballer of the Year. Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o, Ivorian international Yaya Touré and Giovani Dos Santos of Mexico now constitute Barcelona's trio of non-EU players with Giovani, who was promoted from the reserves this season, the next in line for Spanish citizenship. Barça will learn their UEFA Champions League group opponents this Thursday at 18:00 CET when the draw takes place in Monaco.