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Charles Oliveira names four Brazilian football legends who inspired his UFC career
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- Charles Oliveira names four Brazilian football legends who inspired his UFC career
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Charles Oliveira has revealed which Brazilian football legends inspired him during his journey to becoming a UFC champion.
The former lightweight titleholder grew up in Sao Paulo and, like many young Brazilians, spent much of his childhood watching football before fully dedicating himself to martial arts.
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Ahead of his upcoming fight with Max Holloway at UFC 326, 'Do Bronx' reflected on the players he admired most growing up and how their success for Brazil helped motivate him as an athlete.
Charles Oliveira says Ronaldo and Ronaldinho inspired him growing up
Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images
Speaking in an interview with Daniel Cormier ahead of UFC 326, Oliveira discussed the football icons who captured his imagination as a young fan.
The 36-year-old pointed to several legendary figures who were starring for the national team during his childhood.
Oliveira said: "Ronaldo, Ronaldinho… those were the guys who were playing great football, representing Brazil [when he was growing up]. So Kaka, Pele, those were the guys we looked up to."
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Those players were part of one of Brazil's most celebrated eras, with Ronaldo and Ronaldinho playing key roles in the country's 2002 World Cup triumph, while Kaka – still a prospect at that time – was on the bench of Luiz Felipe Scolari's squad.
On the other hand, three-time World Cup winner Pele is widely regarded as the greatest Brazilian athlete ever, and many see him as the real GOAT of football.
Charles Oliveira builds his 'ultimate Brazilian footballer'
Oliveira also recently took part in a fun challenge with TNT Sports where he created his 'Ultimate Brazilian Footballer' by selecting different attributes from famous countrymen.
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The UFC star chose Ronaldo for the right foot, while Ronaldinho was selected for both the left foot and overall skills.
For first touch, Oliveira picked Neymar , while Real Madrid legend Marcelo was chosen for speed.
Hulk was selected for strength, and Oliveira highlighted former Corinthians goalkeeper Ronaldo Giovanelli when choosing the player who best represents passion.
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