Brazilian football legend Ronaldo has revealed the depth of the emotional collapse he suffered after retiring from the game, admitting he fell into severe depression and “gained a lot of weight” as he struggled to adapt to life without football.

The former striker, widely regarded as one of the greatest forwards in history, ended his 18-year professional career in 2011 at the age of 34. By then he had won two World Cups with Brazil, in 1994 and 2002, and finished as top scorer at the 2002 tournament with eight goals, cementing his status as a global icon.

Yet the glory and adulation masked a brutal reality once the stadium lights went out. Speaking on the Futebol Legends Talks podcast, Ronaldo described retirement as an emotional shock that shook the foundations of his identity.

“When you decide to leave the game, it feels like someone close to you has died,” he said. “I suffered from severe depression, I gained a lot of weight. It was very difficult to leave football.”

For a player whose life had been defined by competition, training and the relentless pursuit of trophies, the sudden emptiness proved overwhelming. The two-time Ballon d’Or winner explained that the loss of routine and purpose was as painful as any injury he had endured on the pitch.

“The idea of not playing anymore was devastating,” he confessed, reflecting on the psychological toll of walking away from the sport that had shaped his entire existence from childhood.

Ronaldo’s openness adds to a growing chorus of former elite athletes who have begun to speak publicly about the mental health challenges that can follow retirement, even for those who appeared untouchable at the peak of their fame.

Over time, he said, the darkness began to lift as he slowly rebuilt his life away from the field. Ronaldo has since moved into club ownership and business, carving out a new role in the game while learning to live without the weekly rush of competition.

“Then you realise there are other things in life that you can do, you can reinvent yourself,” he noted. “But the idea of not competing stayed with me for a long time.”