• Ronaldinho's time at PSG marked the beginning of his European career.

• He joined PSG from Gremio for €5 million.

• His first goal for PSG came in a 2-2 draw against Lyon.

• Despite conflicts with coach Luis Fernández, Ronaldinho showcased impressive performances.

• Ronaldinho's notable moments include helping PSG reach the Coupe de la Ligue semi-finals and scoring a brace against Marseille.

• He left PSG for Barcelona in a €30 million deal, where he became a pivotal figure in the club's revival.

One of the greatest to have ever played the game, and also one of the most recognizable names produced by football as well. Ronaldinho was not only a legendary footballer, but someone that was widely considered to be one of the most visually splendid to see as well. His magnificent dribbling ability, technical brilliance, tricks, and skills were what made him one of the best players to watch in the game. Ronaldinho’s individual accolades are yet another testament to how legendary he was as a player, with two FIFA World Player of the Year awards and a Ballon d’Or. He had won all the major titles as well in his career, both at club and international level. This article will be looking at one of the earliest phases in Ronaldinho’s career, when he was playing for PSG in the French League.

From Gremio to PSG

Ronaldinho was signed by PSG from Gremio for a €5 million transfer, and he was inserted into a lineup that had fellow Brazilian Aloísio along with star players Jay-Jay Okocha and Nicolas Anelka.

Beginning of life at Paris

Ronaldinho spent the first few months of his PSG Career alternating between the bench and starting lineup, and it was in the month of October that he scored his first goal for the club. His first goal for the club came on 13 October in a 2–2 draw against Lyon, as Ronaldinho converted the equalizing penalty in the 79th minute after having come on ten minutes prior.

It was after his return from the winter break that Ronaldinho finally found his stride in Paris, as the player went on to score in 4 consecutive league matches. In addition to his impressive form in the league, Ronaldinho was also influential for PSG in the 2001–02 Coupe de la Ligue. He helped them progress till the semi-finals, but was unfortunately eliminated by Bordeaux.

Despite a successful first season with the club, all of this was overshadowed by then PSG coach Luis Fernández's criticism of Ronaldinho. The manager had accused the player of being more focused on the Parisian nightlife rather than football, thus questioning his commitment to the team.

The final season

Even though Ronaldinho went on to have repeated rifts with Fernández, he returned to PSG for the 2002–03 season. Ronaldinho continued to perform finely for the club, but his overall contributions were underwhelming compared to his debut season. One of his notable performances that season was during PSG's 3–1 victory over Classique rivals Marseille, which saw the Brazilian score a brace. Ronaldinho was once again instrumental in the Coupe de France well, with the player scoring a brace against Bordeaux to take PSG into the finals. They failed to win the cup however, as they bowed out 2–1 to Auxerre due to a last minute goal from Jean-Alain Boumsong. Ronaldinho's solid performances did not help PSG much in the league as well, as they finished the season at 11th position. That was the end of Ronaldinho's short yet beautiful stint at Paris Saint-Germain.

The aftermath

Ronaldinho went on to join Barcelona in a €30 million deal and the rest as they say is history. The Brazilian's signing was arguably one of the most influential in the history of the club, as it was Ronaldinho who marked the beginning of Barcelona's revival as the kings of Spain and Europe at the time. He went on to become the best player in the world at Barcelona, which was further solidified by his Ballon d'Or victory with the club. The Brazilian will forever be remembered as one of the greatest in Barca history.