Mrs Ronaldo plays while husband sits it out

Ronaldo's wife is making sure the family is still represented on the pitch while her twice World Player of the Year husband recovers from his latest injury in Rio.

According to a report in Tuesday's Gazzetta Dello Sport , Milene Domingues is preparing to make her debut for Italian Women's Serie A side Monza.

"She is very good," Monza coach Raffaele Solimeno was quoted as saying.

"She has speed and is very agile. Now she plays in attack although she would prefer to be behind the main striker."

Domingues, who married Inter Milan forward Ronaldo in 1999, trains three times a week and could make her Monza debut in mid March against an American team.

Ronaldo, who has been sidelined by thigh injuries three times this season, has been in his native Brazil for almost two weeks recovering from a hamstring strain. He had only returned to action this season after effectively two years out following two knee operations.

February is carnival season in Brazil but Ronaldo has said that training and rest were the only things on his mind.