Kaka claims Brazilians treat Ronaldo like 'a fat man walking down the street'

• Ronaldo helped Brazil to two World Cup wins
• Ex-striker is a football icon
• Kaka says Brazilians do not respect him

WHAT HAPPENED? Ronaldo established himself as one of the finest players in football history as he helped fire Brazil to World Cup success in 1994 and 2002 and enjoyed successful spells at Barcelona, Inter and Real Madrid. However, ex-Madrid and AC Milan star Kaka believes the rest of the world respects him more than his fellow Brazilians.

WHAT THEY SAID: "It's strange to say this, but many Brazilians don't support Brazil," Kaka said on BeIN Sports. "It happens sometimes. If you see Ronaldo walking around here, you'll be like: 'Wow', he has something different here. In Brazil, he's just a fat man walking down the street. Of course, many Brazilians love Ronaldo, I love Ronaldo, but the way he is respected in Brazil and abroad is different, I see more respect for him outside the country than there."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Ronaldo put on weight after his career came to an end and many media and fans poked fun at him for his change in shape over the years.

IN THREE PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO? The legendary striker will be cheering on Brazil as they take on Croatia in the World Cup quarter-finals on Friday as they look to win the competition for the first time since 2002.