Valentino Rossi’s final MotoGP weekend included a surprise visit from football legend Ronaldo; ‘With Ronaldo, I understand what it’s like [to be a fan]’

A special visit from football icon Ronaldo was one of the surprises in store for Valentino Rossi before of his final MotoGP race in Valencia.

The Italian has previously credited Ronaldo with sparking his interest in football as well as his support for Inter Milan.

However, witnessing the Brazilian gave Rossi a better understanding of what it’s like to be a fan on the “other side,” possibly increasing his appreciation of the massive support he receives at the track every weekend.

“I became an Inter fan because of the arrival of Ronaldo. Before then I didn’t follow football much,” Rossi told Sky Sports over a decade ago. “When I was small I supported Sampdoria… Then Ronaldo came to Inter and this excited me more.”

From 1997 until 2002, the World Cup winner was a member of Inter Milan, where he received the nickname ‘The Phenomenon’ from the Italian press and became a ‘idol’ to Rossi, who was still in the early stages of a 26-year grand prix career.

When Rossi saw Ronaldo sitting in the pits before his final race on November 14, 2021, he punched the air with joy and cheered:

“Ronaldo is my idol,” Rossi explained afterwards. “Outside of motorsport, he is the best sportsman for me. He gave me a lot of emotion when I would go to the San Siro [stadium] to watch him, especially when there was the derby against Milan.

“I think Ronaldo gave to me the same feelings that I give to my best fans. So with Ronaldo I understand more about what it’s like [to be a fan] on the other side and today was very emotional.”

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