Lamar Jackson has been compared to legendary soccer star Ronaldinho. The Baltimore Ravens franchise quarterback was likened to the World Cup winner ahead of the NFL‘s first ever game in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where they will take on the Dallas Cowboys. Action Jackson has been compared to Brazilian soccer legend Ronaldinhogetty“Lamar Jackson was asked what soccer player he would compare himself to,” Ravens’ Editorial Director Ryan Mink shared on X. “He said he’s not sure but accepted the reporter’s suggestion of Ronaldinho. That was our comparison too!”The Ravens’ official website then proceeded to build an album comparing other players, both past and present, to Brazilian football legends. In this spread, Mink stated that the $260 million QB’s comparison to the former Barcelona, AC Milan and PSG star was because the shift dual threat QB is “a magician on the field”.“Ronaldinho played the game with flair and joy. He was known for rainbowing the ball over defenders’ heads and more,” he wrote. “Jackson plays the game with a similar ‘Lamarvelous’ awe, leaving defenders and fans amazed.”Ronaldinho won virtually everything there was to win during his career for both club and country, scoring 235 goals and notching 181 assists in 647 appearances. But it was his skills which defined the ‘Joga Bonito’ era of Brazilian football in the 2000s, doing what very few would dare to try out on the pitch. Ravens star running back Derrick Henry was compared to Ronaldo because R9’s “dangerous combination of raw speed and power” made him one of the “most fearsome” players the sport has ever seen – with Henry deemed as one of the greatest running backs in history. Similarly, wide receiver Zay Flowers – who penned a four-year, $140 million extension in the summer – was likened to Neymar Jr. because of his speed, whilst Hall of Famer Ray Lewis was compared to defensive stalwart and 2002 World Cup-winning captain Cafu. In his prime, Ronaldinho was one of the best players in world footballGettyThe playing surface of the Maracaña Stadium has been criticizedGettyPlaying surface a cause for concernAlthough there has been huge excitement about Rio de Janeiro hosting their first ever NFL game, the condition of the playing surface at the Maracaña Stadium has been heavily criticized. A week before the Ravens and ‘America’s Team’ were due to fly to South America, there were reports emerging that the pitch conditions were so bad – with Flamengo soccer players condemning the surface – that the NFL were considering the possibility of moving the game to AT&T Stadium in Dallas. Ultimately, the decision was made by the league for the game to go ahead as planned. Workers at the stadium were still trimming the turf at the stadium on Saturday, using scissors to level the high grass, according to reports. View Tweet: https://x.com/hashtag/Cowboys?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwThis came after the NFL Players’ Association’s executive director stated that both the league and the NFLPA had sent experts to monitor the field conditions amid concerns about slippage and the increased propensity for injury due to loose turf. But field director Nick Pappas was confident that Ravens and Cowboys players would find no issues on game day. “Things check out,” Pappas said. “No need to worry.”However, a video showing a close-up of the surface from 105.3 The Fan, appears to indicate otherwise. Join talkSPORT’s dedicated US Sports YouTube channel The S* Word every Tuesday and Thursday for our brand new NFL shows.On Tuesdays, Will Gavin and US senior reporter Brian T. Smith will debate the biggest talking points from the NFL weekend, while on Thursdays Efe Obada joins the crew to talk to players past and present and break down what to look for across the league.