Ronaldo is on the way back (Allsport).

By Alistair Grant, PA Sport

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Whatever you call him - Ronaldo Luiz Nazario da Lima as it says on his birth certificate, Ronaldinho as he is popularly referred to in Brazil, or Ronaldo, as he is known in Europe - the fiery striker is banishing the nightmare memories of France 98.

The South American giants crashed to a 3-0 defeat against the hosts in the World Cup final four years ago, sparking a chain of events which led to Ronaldo tumbling from his lofty position as the gifted World Player of the Year to the injury-plagued forgotten man of Brazil.

Ronaldo played in the final at the Stade de France despite suffering convulsions just hours before kick-off.

However, the prolific striker was a shadow of his usual self and had a negligible effect on the showpiece event.

Weeks of argument and speculation followed over why he played when his name had earlier been missing from the team-sheet.

Ronaldo, who in 1997 had moved from Barcelona to Inter Milan in a then world-record £18million deal, returned to club football planning to shunt his career back on track.

However, that did not happen, as in November 1999, he suffered a knee injury, and in the Italian Cup final later that season ruptured his knee ligaments.

The 25-year-old forward finally made his comeback for high-flying Serie A giants Inter Milan in early December 2001 and came on as a late substitute in the 4-0 second-leg win over Ipswich Town in the UEFA Cup.

After finding his scoring touch again at club level, Ronaldo returned to Luiz Felipe Scolari's squad for the March friendly against Yugoslavia in Fortaleza.

Both Ronaldo and Brazil were desperate to impress in these World Cup finals, having only sneaked into one of the qualifying berths from the South American section after losing six matches.

However, the men in gold put in impressive displays - albeit against lesser opposition - to top their group in the Far East and then stepped up a gear to beat Belgium in the second round.

They managed to overhaul England in the quarter-final without too much trouble, although Ronaldo's exertions were beginning to take their toll.

He limped out of the second half with a thigh injury that is still threatening his place in the semi-final against Turkey.

Still, five goals in six games show he is back to the goalscoring performances of old.

He started his career by blasting 36 goals in 54 games for second division side Sao Cristovao, and after plundering 58 strikes in 60 matches for first division Cruzeiro, he made his international debut for Brazil as a 17-year-old in a 2-1 victory over Argentina in March 1994.

He scored in his second Brazil appearance - the 3-0 victory against Iceland in May, and was a non-playing member of the World Cup-winning squad.

Ronaldo then moved to PSV Eindhoven for a club-record £5million and amassed an incredible 55 goals in 56 games, before switching to Barcelona, where he cracked 33 goals in 38 appearances.

He then joined Inter Milan and despite almost three seasons blighted by injury now seems ready to finally lay the ghosts of France 98.

If the injury problems can stay away for just six more days, he surely will.