Oh man, this is a real tricky one!
In terms of presentation and concept, this is an incredible grand slam: from the very start with the way the title flips in and the menu pops up to some incredibly music, I could already feel the professional craft and charm exuding from this game. I just wanted to scream out Ronaldinho Soccer! Indeed, the game shows a lot of polish which continues even into the gameplay, where the game takes a more simplifed, arcadey stance to the game ala NBA Jam/NFL Blitz and goes crazy with intense fighting game style mechanics for more traditional soccer moves. There's just so much to love here with its charming presentation and simple but intense gameplay!
However, I had a really rough time enjoying my time in the gameplay. Once the appeal of watching the explosive effects wore off and I was trying to win the fighters cup, I couldn't even get past the first round! I really, really tried hard to work with the game, switching my formations depending on whether I was on offense or defense, using all of the various kicks appropriately depending on the situation, and so on, but the computer was just too tough. The game just seemed to work against me with it constantly changing my character to someone else that I didn't want, and the enemy seemed to practically cheat with its instant reactions and always kicking back everything I try to get past them no matter what. For something so simplified, it's just so damn hard!
Overall, despite my difficulties, I still respect the craft shown in this game and plan to keep trying to get better at it.