Following is a factbox on Ronaldinho, named FIFA World Player of the Year on Monday:

1980 - Born in Porto Alegre, Brazil, March 21. Full name Ronaldo Assis de Moreira. Brother Roberto Assis is a former Brazilian international.

1997 - Top scorer at the under-17 world championship in Egypt.

1998 - Makes professional debut with local team Gremio, playing five games.

1999 - Plays first game for Brazil against Latvia on June 26. Wins Copa America with Brazil, scoring his first international goal against Paraguay. Has won 34 caps for Brazil, scoring 13 goals to date.

2000 - Top scorer in the Confederations Cup with six goals.

2001 - Signs for Paris St Germain on a five-year contract. Moves to Paris in March but starts playing only at the beginning of the 2001-2002 season in August after a protracted legal battle between PSG and Gremio over the transfer fee. Gremio receive $4.5 million for the player.

2002 - Wins the World Cup with Brazil. One of the best players in the tournament, scores a spectacular 35-metre lob against England in the quarter-finals.

2002-2003 - Resumes playing with PSG late after recovering from the World Cup. His relationship with coach Luis Fernandez deteriorates despite occasional brilliant performances and his tally of eight goals.

2003 - Makes it clear he hopes to leave PSG after they fail to qualify for European competition. His brother and now agent Roberto Assis starts negotiations with Manchester United. Barcelona enter the fray with an offer for the Brazilian.

July 19 - Ronaldinho signs a five-year contract with Barcelona.

September 2 - Scores his first league goal for Barcelona in the 1-1 draw against Sevilla, completing a slaloming run from inside his own half with a stunning 25-metre shot.

October 15 - Scores a brilliant hat-trick as Barcelona crush Slovak side Puchov 8-0 in the UEFA Cup.

Ends his first season with Barca with 14 league goals, inspiring the team to a 17-game unbeaten run that lifts them to second place in the Primera Liga.

July 2004 - Like Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos is rested for the Copa America and misses Brazil's title triumph.

Scores a hat-trick in Brazil's 6-0 friendly international win over Haiti in August.

Struggles early in Spanish season with an ankle injury.

Nov 2004 - Scores a stunning last-gasp winner in Barcelona's 2-1 victory over AC Milan at the Nou Camp in Champions League.

Inspires Barcelona to a 3-0 win over arch-rivals Real Madrid at the Nou Camp.

Included alongside Andriy Shevchenko and Thierry Henry on the three-man shortlist for the 2004 World Player of the Year.

December 20 - Named World Player of the Year.