Ronaldinho brought new levels of entertainment to the beautiful game.

We're all aware that the Brazilian icon never produced the head-spinning numbers that Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have plundered over the last 15 years, but frankly, that's missing the point.

With Ronaldinho, it's not really about the GOAT debate or Ballon d'Or trophies, its the pure, unadulterated joy that he brought to football fans that makes him one of the greatest athletes of all time.

The genius of Ronaldinho

In fact, there has arguably never been a footballer who has struck the balance between the productivity required to thrive at the highest level and the untamed entertainment factor that you expect to see in FIFA Street so perfectly.

If anything, the style of play that Ronaldinho championed at the height of his powers would, in the hands of a lesser baller, be considered woefully inefficient, meandering and frankly unnecessary.

But Ronaldinho's truly special ability to deliver cold, hard numbers while still whipping out jaw-dropping skills and borderline showboating straight from the streets of Brazil marks him out as one of a kind.

And when you have the talent to simultaneously win Ballon d'Or titles and play like you're balling out in a charity game, it means that you can produce some of the greatest tricks and flicks that football has ever seen.

Plus, when the pressures of in-game scenarios are stripped away and chasing goals - what are they? - isn't the be all and end all, the handbrake can be taken off and box-office value truly goes through the ceiling.

"Raphinha to Chelsea DONE? Sterling CLOSE!" (Football Terrace)

Ronaldinho's viral warm-up clip

And that's exactly why one of Ronaldinho's finest demonstrations of the very unlimited talent we've been waxing lyrical about actually came before the first whistle even blew.

Yes, that's right, we're talking about the timeless viral clip that the Metro confirms is indeed Ronaldinho, which appears to have been taken during a warm-up in his AC Milan days.

The brilliant footage shows Ronaldinho casually playing keepy-uppies, before deciding to lump the ball so high into the air that it flies out of shot and he can casually walk around as he waits for gravity to take hold.

And not only does the Barcelona icon then proceed to kill it dead like it's absolutely nothing, but he crowns it off with a flip-flap nutmeg. So, go on, be sure to do yourselves a favour and check it out below:

What an absolute joke.

Fan reaction

Makes it look so easy...

It's bonkers to think that just one random instance of Ronaldinho genius captured during a warm-up that he would have had no idea was being recorded says everything you need to know about his brilliance.

To produce a piece of skill like that and look as though it was a walk in the park in the process just goes to show that the arsenal of tricks Ronaldinho was able to call upon in his prime knew no bounds.

And you can tell us that it ultimately doesn't matter because it took place in a warm-up until you're blue in the face, but the fact that Ronaldinho could bring joy to millions even before the game had started sums up why he's such a hero.

Football - AC Milan Training - Fratton Park, Portsmouth, England - 26/11/08

AC Milan's Ronaldinho during training

Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Lee Mills

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We miss you, 'Dinho.