Ronaldinho, soccer star

Renowned for his trademark smile and ability to score jaw-dropping goals, the charismatic Brazilian Ronaldinho was voted FIFA World Player of the Year in December 2004.

A World Cup winner with Brazil in 2002, he inspired his team Barcelona to the Spanish title in 2004-2005.

A hero of Brazil’s “favelas”, or shanty towns, whose father died when he was just eight, Ronaldinho grew up in an impoverished quarter of Porto Alegre, in the south of the country.

The family’s fortunes were transformed when his older brother Roberto was signed by the local soccer club.

As a WFP Ambassador Against Hunger, Ronaldinho will use the same uplifting passion that enables him to inspire both teammates and fans to draw attention to the plight of the 300 million hungry children around the world.