King of the World：Ronaldo
Ronaldo Luiz Nazario de Lima was born on September 22， 1976in a poor suburb of Rio de Janeiro.Like most of his childhood friends，Ronaldo began his soccer career playing barefoot in the streets of his neighborhood.At the age of 14，he joined SCristovo soccer club and only two years later became the star of Cruzeiro Belo Horizonte scoring a total of 58goals in 60matches and earning himself a reputation for his explosive pace and outstanding finishing skills.His goalscoring record and unusual agility led him to be included in the Brazilian World Cup winning team the following year.After the World Cup，many top European football clubs were trying to sign him.Many people，including Brazilian football legend Pelé，referred to him as the most promising footballer of his generation.
Since his transfer to Dutch team PSV Eindhoven，Ronaldo’s biography is one of success after success.Two Copa America’s，a UEFA Cup，a Dutch Cup，a Spanish League Cup，and two awards as best player in the world，all in the space of two years，are some of Ronaldo s impressive achievements.On arrival to InterMilan in 1997，Ronaldo became the idol of the local fans who refer to him as “il Fenomeno.”
Since the 98World Cup he has suffered two serious knee injuries that have severely limited his appearances.Just when people began to wonder whether Ronaldo would be able to continue with his football career，he proved to the world that he still could play.In the World Cup held in Korea and Japan，the magical striker won the Golden Shoe award and tied Pelé’s Brazilian record for career World Cup goals with 12.He helped Brazil capture its fifth World Cup championship on June 30，2002with a 20win over Germany.It was the third time that Ronaldo has ever played in the World Cup.
世界球王：罗纳尔多
罗纳尔多1976年9月22日出生在里约热内卢的贫困郊区。像多数童年的伙伴一样，他的足球生涯是从小区的街道上赤脚踢球开始的。14岁的时候，他加盟圣克里斯托旺足球俱乐部，仅仅两年后他就成长为克鲁塞罗俱乐部的明星，60场比赛进了58粒球，快捷有力的步伐和非凡的射门技巧令其名声大噪。第二年，他射门得分的纪录以及超凡的敏捷使他入选巴西国家队参加世界杯。世界杯结束后，许多欧洲顶级足球俱乐部都削尖脑袋想同他签约。许多人，包括巴西传奇人物贝利，都认为他是同代人中最有希望的足球运动员。
自从转会到荷兰的埃因霍温足球俱乐部后，罗纳尔多取得了一次又一次的成功：两次美洲杯冠军、一次欧洲足协联盟杯冠军、一次荷兰杯冠军、一次西班牙联赛冠军、两次获得世界最佳球员奖，所有这一切都是在短短两年内取得的。1997年，他一到国际米兰队，就成为当地球迷心中的偶像，被称为“奇才”。
自1998年世界杯以来，罗纳尔多经历了两次严重的膝伤，这极大地限制了他上场踢球的时间。正当人们怀疑他是否能继续踢球的时候，他向全世界证明他风采依旧。在韩日举行的世界杯上，这位神奇的前锋获得金靴奖，以12粒进球平了贝利创造的世界杯进球纪录。他帮助巴西队在2002年6月30日的比赛中以2比0的比分战胜了德国队，从而第五次获得世界杯冠军。这也是罗纳尔多第三次参加世界杯。
The God in Youth：Michael Jordan
There were already signs that he had a good deal of talent.Harvest Smith，a classmate and close friend who in those days played basketball with him practically every day，thought he was the best player on their ninthgrade team—he was small，but he was every quick.“You’d seehim get a shot off，and you’d wonder how he did it，because he wasn’t that bit，”Smith said，“but it was the quickness.The only question was how big he was going to be—and how far up he would take his skill level.”
The summer after ninth grade，Jordan and Smith both went to Pop Herring’s basketball camp.Neither of them had yet come into his body，and almost all of the varsity players，two and sometimes three years older，seemed infinitely stronger at that moment when a year or two in physical development can make all the difference.In Smith’s mind there was no doubt which of the two of them was the better player—it was Michael by far.But on the day the varsity cuts were announced—it was the big day of the year，for they had all known for weeks when the list would be posted—he and Roy Smith had gone to the Laney gym.Smith‘s name was on it，Michael’s was not.
It was the worst day of Jordan’s young life.The list was alphabetical，so he focused on where the Js should be，and it wasn’t there，and he kept reading and rereading the list，hoping somehow that he had missed it，or that the alphabetical listing had been done incorrectly.That day he went home by himself and went to his room and cried.Smith understood what was happening Michael，he knew，never wanted you to see him when he was hurt.
“We knew Michael was good，”Fred Lynch，the Laney assistant coach，said later，“but we wanted him to play more and we thought the jayvee was better for him.”He easily became the best player on the jayvee that year.He simply dominated the play，and he did it not by size but with quickness.There were games in which he would score forty points.He was so good，in fact，that the jayvee games became quite popular.The entire varsity began to come early so they could watch him play in the jayvee games.
Smith noticed that while Jordan had been wildly competitive before he had been cut，after the cut he seemed even more competitive than ever，as if determined that it would never happen again.His coaches noticed it，too.“The first time I ever saw him，I had no idea who Michael Jordan was.I was helping to coach the Laney varsity，”said Ron Coley.“We went over to Goldsboro，which was our big rival，and I entered the gym when the jayvee game was just ending up.There were nine players on the court just coasting，but there was one kid playing his heart out.The way he was playing I thought his team was down one point with two minutes to play.So I looked up at the clock and his team was down twenty points and there was only one minute to play.It was Michael，and I quickly learned he was always like that.”
Between the time he was cut and the start of basketball in his junior year，Jordan grew about four inches.The speed had always been there，and now he was stronger，and he could dunk.His hands had gotten much bigger，Smith noticed.He was as driven as ever，the hardestworking player on the team in practice.If he thought that his teammates were not working hard enough，he would get on them himself，and on occasion he pushed the coaches to get on them.Suddenly Laney High had the beginning of a very good basketball team，and its rising star was Michael Jordan.
少年天才：迈克尔·乔丹
迈克尔的天赋早已有所显露。他的一位同班同学和亲密伙伴哈维斯特·史密斯，当时基本每天都和他一起打篮球，并觉得他是九年级球队中最出色的——他身材不高但非常灵活。史密斯说：“你看到他盖帽儿，就想问问他是怎么盖的，因为他没那么高大，可他身手敏捷。惟一的问题是他将会长多高，会把自己的技能提高到什么程度。”