• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, June 22, 2012

Ronaldo might be retired from the game, but that won't keep the legendary footballer from making his mark on the 2014 World Cup -- and helping Microsoft do the same.

Microsoft Advertising has entered into a partnership with 9ine, a sports marketing shop founded by WPP and the Brazilian -- whose full name is Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima.

Together, the two are offering to help brand marketers put in a good show during next year's Cup, which is taking place in Brazil, and reach fans of the game across various channels.  

Like Ronaldo’s play, the pair’s mission is to help brands “surprise, delight and entertain its audience,” according to Frank Holland, CVP of advertising and online at Microsoft.

Specifically, 9ine and Microsoft plan to co-create multiscreen, digital experiences to reach the roughly 2 billion people who interact with Microsoft platforms.

This is the first tie-up between Microsoft and 9ine, but the agency -- thanks to Ronaldo’s influence -- is understood to have a unique insight into soccer and Brazilian culture.     

The partners have yet to sign any brands, but according to a Microsoft spokesman, they are currently “meeting with a select number of advertisers that we believe are interested in creating truly unique experiences.”

“We’re looking for brands that want to collaborate and create with us,” the spokesman said. “We’re offering an opportunity for brands to imagine what is possible and then make it happen.”

Beyond that, the partnership is still “in its infancy,” and the details are still being worked out.

No word on how individual Microsoft properties -- from MSN.com to Bing -- will be utilized for the campaigns. To date, Microsoft has executed several partnerships with WPP, the most recent being a deal with 24x7 to make the agency’s inventory more accessible via the Microsoft Advertising Exchange.