Van Dijk, Sancho and Other Players Who Idolise Ronaldinho After Kobbie Mainoo’s Admission

• Manchester United youngster, Kobbie Mainoo, has named Ronaldinho as his idol
• The retired Brazilian icon was one of the biggest influences football has ever seen
• He has several current footballers across different positions name him as their idol

Manchester United youngster, Kobbie Mainoo, has named Brazilian legend, Ronaldinho, as his idol and a player he looked up to in his early days aspiring to be a footballer.

Ronaldinho Gaucho is one of Brazil's greatest-ever footballers and one of the best entertainers the game has ever seen, with many current stars referring to him as their idol.

Sports Brief looks at nine other footballers who idolised the Barcelona legend.

Footballers who idolise Ronaldinho

1. Virgil van Dijk

The Liverpool captain looked up to the playmaker despite being a defender by trade since his early days in football. The love is shared between the two after the legend hailed the Dutch star as a fantastic player on Instagram after his performance in Liverpool's 3-1 win over Crystal Palace in January 2022.

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2. Jadon Sancho

Per Goal, the English winger claimed he learned his skills and skills from the former Paris Saint-Germain star. Though his career has dwindled in the past months, Sancho has not lost that dribbling aura. He is on loan at former club Borussia Dortmund from Man Utd.

3. Bruno Fernandes

The Portuguese star, during a Q&A with fans on Twitter in 2022, disclosed that the quick-footed winger was his first idol in football, claiming he was like every other kid growing up at that time. He also idolises Andres Iniesta and Cristiano Ronaldo.

4. Sadio Mane

Per Soccer Bible, the Senegalese claimed he was nicknamed 'Ronaldinho' in his village in Bambali during his childhood days. He also emulated his compatriot, El Hadji Diouf.

5. Dele Alli

Dele Alli was so good in his early days at Tottenham Hotspur that he drew comparisons to Diego Maradona. The English footballer disclosed his idol as Ronaldinho and Liverpool legend, Steven Gerrard. His career has nosedived in the last four years.

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6. Jama Musiala

7. Wilfred Zaha

8. Raheem Sterling

9. Philippe Coutinho

Musiala names Ronaldinho as his idol

Sports Brief previously reported on Bayern Munich star, Jamal Musiala naming Ronaldinho as his idol, also adding Lionel Messi, both of whom he has been compared to.

Musiala caused a stir in Germany after ignoring legends of his club and country, including Thomas Muller, to pick the two South American superstars as his inspirations.