Brazil's Ronaldo says he needs knee surgery

MADRID, July 7 (Reuters) Ronaldo said on Friday he agreed with Brazil's team doctor that he needed a minor knee operation.

Jose Luiz Runco said Ronaldo was suffering from tibial calcification and that surgery was needed to remove the calcium.

On Thursday the striker's club, Real Madrid, denied Ronaldo was to go under the knife.

''It is better that they operate on the calcifications thereby removing the problems they have caused me over the past eight months,'' Ronaldo said in his column with Spanish daily El Mundo today.

''I will travel to Brazil shortly to see if I will finally have surgery to sort out this minor problem.

''I won't be out for very long because it is not a serious operation and I think the benefits will be greater than if they don't operate.

''Either way I will be ready to start the season with Real.'' Real said on their website yesterday: ''Ronaldo returned from the World Cup with pain in his left knee that obliged him to be examined by Real's doctors. The player has now been told to rest to preserve the tendon in his right knee.

''The Madrid doctors have made contact with Runco to analyse the tests done in Madrid and find out about the state of the knees. For the moment surgery has been ruled out.'' Ronaldo is holidaying in Europe with his family after Brazil were knocked out by France in the World Cup quarter-finals.

Real's next game is a friendly against Real-Salt Lake in the United States on Aug. 12.

Ronaldo struggled with minor health problems and suggestions he was overweight ahead of the World Cup. Two goals against Japan and one against Ghana allowed him to break the scoring record with 15 goals in the finals.

Reuters AY GC1802