罗纳尔多的世纪末婚礼

1999年12月24日，在巴西里约热内卢市西区的住宅中，最近烦事多多的罗纳尔多举行了一个简单的闪电式婚礼，终于在20世纪即将结束之际解决了终身大事。这个两度国际足联年度最佳球员的得主希望将婚礼带给他的愉悦心情转化到球场上，尽快使自己的状态回升，重新成为那个令所有的后卫都闻名丧胆的世界第一前锋。

Inter Milan striker Ronaldo weds in Rio

Inter Milan striker Ronaldo married his pregnant girlfriend Milene Domingues on Friday December 24 in a simple civil ceremony[2] at his mother's house on Rio's west side.

The ceremony was attended by about 50 family members and close friends of the couple and was closed to[3] the press[4].

Reporters crowded outside the residence and Globo television broadcast video shot from a helicopter of the couple arriving and greeting their friends.

Still limping from knee surgery[5] earlier in the month, the 23-year-old player and his 20-year-old wife walked out to talk briefly with the press.

"We'd like to wish you all a merry Christmas and a great New Year and we hope you'll all be as happy as we are," Ronaldo said.

Press reports said that the player's mother, Sonia, wanted a larger celebration but Ronaldo insisted on a simple ceremony out of respect for[6] the poverty in which many Brazilians still live.

When he was starting out, Ronaldo, who grew up on Rio's poor north side, often didn't have enough money to pay the bus fare to the local soccer club where he trained.

Ronaldo and Domingues are expected to return to Paris on Jan. 10 where doctors will check on his knee.

Twice named FIFA player of the year[7], Ronaldo has been plagued by[8] knee problems since after the 1998 World Cup where he suffered a mysterious ailment[9] before the final in which Brazil lost to France.

"I don't know when I can take this happiness I'm feeling to the soccer field. I hope that this moment helps me to return to being the player that I was and that next year I am once again the best player in the world," Ronaldo told the O Dia newspaper on the eve of the wedding.

The player's manager said that the couple would marry again in a religious ceremony[10] in June, the same month Domingues turns 21.

注释：

[1]Rio：
Rio de Janeiro的缩写，巴西里约热内卢市

[2]a simple civil ceremony：
一个简单的民间仪式，这是与宗教相对，表示没有宗教色彩，不是在教堂中进行的婚礼。

[3]be closed to：
对……关闭，这里是"谢绝新闻界采访"的意思。

[4]the press：新闻界

[5]limp from knee surgery：
由于膝伤，行走的时候有点跛。

[6]out of respect for：
出于对……尊重，出于……方面的考虑

[7]FIFA player of the year：国际足联年度最佳球员

[8]be plagued by：受……的困扰

[9]suffer a mysterious ailment：
患了一种怪病，这里是指在世界杯期间，罗纳尔多的队友卡洛斯对外宣称他患了一种头痛的怪病。

[10]a religious ceremony：
一个宗教仪式，上文提到这一次罗纳尔多的婚礼是一个民间的婚礼，看来仅仅得到世人的祝福还是不够的，一定还要有上帝的祝福才行。