World Cup's 101 Most Memorable Moments: Ronaldo returns for 1998 Final

By Doug McIntyre
FOX Sports Soccer Writer

Editor's note: Each day between now and the kickoff of the first match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Nov. 20, we'll unveil a different memory from World Cup history. The countdown from 101 continues with Ronaldo's 1998 controversy.

Ronaldo Nazário was both the best and the most famous player on the planet heading into the 1998 World Cup in France; an unstoppable, supernatural goalscorer and the undisputed face — thanks in large part to a global Nike marketing campaign — of the Brazilian team hoping to defend the title it won at USA ‘94.

Up until the final in Paris against the host Les Bleus, everything was going according to script. Ronaldo had four goals in six games for the Seleção, who were back in the championship match and potentially 90 minutes away from a record fifth World Cup title. 

Then just hours before kickoff, Ronaldo suffered a seizure at Brazil’s hotel. He was taken to a local hospital, and manager Mario Zagallo replaced the striker in his lineup, convinced that he wouldn’t be able to play. But the medical tests done on Ronaldo — who claimed to have no memory of the incident — came back normal. He insisted that he felt fine and wanted to play. Zagallo tweaked his starting XI again, putting the reigning Ballon d"Or winner back in.

Ronaldo’s teammates were clearly rattled by what had happened, though, and he was a shadow of his usual self in the game, which Brazil lost 3-0. The cause of Ronaldo’s seizure remains a mystery.

One of the leading soccer journalists in North America, Doug McIntyre has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at multiple FIFA World Cups. Before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.