The World Cup is just 73 days away and excitement is building.
It's probably one of the safest bets in sport to assume he celebrated in style. That's something that Ronaldinho has never lost - the ability to throw a damn good party.
It was his 34th birthday on Friday. And we trust that the man who courted controversy in the Brazilian off-season when an image of him standing in front of a harem of bikini-clad girls went viral, marked the occasion like only he knows how.
But images of him partying it up three months out from a World Cup on home soil that could have been the crowning moment for one of the game's magicians don't make for a happy picture. This could have and should have been his time.
On form: Many had hoped that Ronaldinho would make Brazil's squad for the World Cup this summer
Is 34 too old for a World Cup in the modern game? It's probably worth asking three other 34-year-olds who will travel to Brazil with their country's hopes on their backs: Andrea Pirlo, Xavi and Steven Gerrard.
In those outrageous, breath-stealing years at Barcelona, Ronaldinho never relied on pace anyway. No one with his skill set could possibly rely on any one factor. The body and those feet would be more than able to light up the summer. It's the mind and the heart that are the problem.
There was to be no 34th birthday present forthcoming from the brains trust behind the Brazilian national team though. No gift-wrapped olive branch or second or third chance.
In fact, Luis Felipe Scolari's assistant Carlos Alberto Parreira pooped the party by picking this weekend as the opportune time to confirm that Ronaldinho will definitely not be part of their drive for glory.
He 'lacked dedication and consistency' in his national team career, said Parreira, unlikely to be invited to the 35th shindig you'd have to imagine.
No thanks: Brazil head coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has confirmed that Ronaldinho is not required this summer
Distracted: Ronaldinho's off-field activities have counted against him
A harsh judgement? For some, perhaps. But from this vantage, no. The confirmation that his international career is over leaves one of the most gifted players of all time, a man who put more beauty into the beautiful game than most, staring back at some damn ugly numbers.
Ronaldinho played in his last World Cup in Germany as a 26-year-old. His final total on the biggest stage reads 10 games, two goals, the last of which was that free-kick that sailed over David Seaman's head in 2002.
The weekend after a riveting Clasico, was Ronaldinho ever the same after he left Barcelona? Not even close. His disinterest at AC Milan in two-and-a-half seasons couldn't have been clearer.
There have been flashes back home - the unforgettable duel with Neymar when the elder genius put the upstart in his place and Flamengo beat Santos 5-4 on the back of his hat-trick.
Leading Atletico Mineiro to the Copa Libertadores was no small feat either. But it's not been the same, not close.
It is in his Brazil career that things couldn't be more stark. Consider this, Ronaldinho never scored another competitive international goal after leaving Barcelona. He only played another four competitive games - in six years.
So he'll be free to party it up with the rest of the world this summer. The only problem is the rest of the world would prefer to see him partying on the pitch. But it's not be. Ronaldinho...all out for 34.
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