Barcelona's Brazilian international striker Ronaldinho has applied for Spanish citizenship, confirmed a spokesman for the Catalan club. “He could obtain the citizenship early in 2007,” he said.

According to Catalunya Radio, the two-time world player of the year, presented the necessary documents himself before a court in Gava, in the Barcelona suburbs, on Wednesday.

"The process was started a long time ago and the player is handling the details himself," a Barcelona club spokesman said Thursday.

The 26-year-old former Paris Saint Germain player joined Barcelona in 2003, winning the Champions League with the club last year. His Mexican team-mate Rafael Marquez recently obtained Spanish citizenship.

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