WITH a World Cup and Ballon d’Or below his belt, Ronaldinho had properly and actually conquered the game of soccer.
So beloved and admired was the Brazilian that Real Madrid followers as soon as even stood up to applaud him after he led Barcelona to a crushing 3-0 victory within the El Clásico again in 2005.
But simply three years after formally retiring from the game, the 46-year-old would finish up spending his 40th birthday behind bars in Paraguay.
Along together with his brother and agent, Roberto de Assis Moreira, they’d been accused of utilizing solid id paperwork, together with false passports.
Following their 2020 arrest, the pair would spend a month in jail, adopted by one other 4 months on bail below home arrest in a resort within the nation’s capital of Asuncion.
“Being arrested in Paraguay was the worst moment, without a doubt,” stated Ronaldinho in a brand new Netflix documentary.
“Why did I’ve the passport? It was given to me. That particular person got here to my home handy it over.
“You’re stuck in a situation despite having done nothing wrong. It’s awful.”
Ronaldinho and his brother maintained their innocence.
But it was a weird state of affairs, with out straightforward clarification. After all, Ronaldinho – who had represented Brazil in quite a few worldwide tournaments – was one of essentially the most recognisable individuals on the planet, and was positively not from Paraguay.
To prime it off, Brazilians didn’t even want a passport to journey to the neighbouring South American nation because of a commerce settlement.
When questioned, the pair stated they thought the id paperwork had been a courtesy gesture, and that they’d been tricked.
Eventually they had been launched with out cost – however not earlier than paying £153,000 in damages.
“It was an important trip, and everything happened so fast,” stated his brother Assis. “You belief somebody, they usually don’t maintain their phrase.
“What happened was insane. We never imagined going through something like that, living in a situation like that.”
But as dire as issues had been whereas in jail, Ronaldinho – a participant beloved as a lot for his infectious optimistic power as for his magical contact – nonetheless managed to search out the positives.
He joined in futsal matches and a event whereas behind bars, enjoying with fellow prisoners and guards.
Unsurprisingly, he wiped the ground with them and led his facet to an 11-2 victory. The prize for the profitable group was a piglet.
“I did make friends,” he stated as he mirrored on his time in jail. “It was a way to forget what I was going through.”
Born in a poor neighbourhood within the metropolis of Porto Alegre within the south of Brazil, Ronaldinho grew up in a close-knit household – his mum, dad, older brother, and older sister.
“All my childhood memories revolve around playing football,” he stated.
“My mum would send me to the bar to tell my dad that dinner was ready. On the way there, I’d try to get there without letting the ball drop.”
He idolised his older brother, who at age 17 was signed professionally to the native membership Gremio.
They had been in a position to transfer into a luxurious villa in an prosperous half of city. The membership was their life – his brother would take him alongside to coaching, and Ronaldinho virtually grew up within the group’s locker room. But when he was simply eight years previous, tragedy struck.
His dad had a coronary heart assault within the pool of their residence. After two days in a coma, he died, aged 42. Ronaldinho’s brother, whose career was to be lower brief by damage, stepped in.
“My brother became both brother and father at the same time,” he stated.
By now, although, it was clear that the younger Ronaldinho was gifted with one thing actually particular. His rise is speedy – profitable the under-17 World Cup with Brazil, and carrying Gremio to victory within the State Championships.
It wasn’t lengthy earlier than his magical means with the ball was bringing him to the eye of some of the largest golf equipment on the planet, and in 2001 he joined French facet PSG.
Come 2002, and he was half of the sensational Brazil group that gained the World Cup.
He was prepared to depart PSG – and regardless of curiosity from Manchester United, joined Barcelona, for €30million. Such a stir was there at his Camp Nou debut {that a} native observatory reportedly detected seismic exercise
The Catalonian membership had been going through a trophy drought however because of Ronaldinho they gained the league again to again, and the Champions League.
“His debut at Barca was incredible,” stated Messi. As a younger participant on the group, Ronaldinho had acted virtually as a father determine, delivering assists and even carrying him on his shoulders to rejoice.
Named Ballon d’Or winner and two-time winner of the Fifa Player of the Year award, everybody was able to see him lead Brazil to victory once more within the 2006 World Cup – however they had been eradicated.
Ronaldinho had all the time had a fame for being a celebration animal. It had all the time been tolerated – however when Barcelona’s outcomes began to undergo, he grew to become a goal. Eventually, he left for AC Milan.
“I saw him suffer, and it wasn’t fair, because he made Barcelona great again, so to speak,” Messi stated.
But there could be shock and disappointment when he was omitted of the Brazil squad for the 2010 World Cup – and a few puzzled if it was the tip of an period.
With six months left on his contract at AC Milan, he determined it was time to return to his residence nation – and although he was anticipated to hitch his boyhood membership Gremio, he ended up with Flamengo.
But questions and criticism over his partying habits proceed to comply with him. In 2011, he misplaced a £500,000-a-year contract with Coca-Cola after he was caught consuming Pepsi at a press convention.
His ultimate triumph got here with Atletico Mineiro, main them to their first main title since 1971.
Now a free agent, he was even supplied a contract with non-league facet Basingstoke Town – although this was unsurprisingly turned down. He briefly joined a group in Mexico, however by now his focus was elsewhere.
The icon allegedly as soon as had two girlfriends without delay, Priscilla Coelho and Beatriz Souza, dwelling with them each in a Rio de Janeiro mansion. But Priscilla’s mum, Maria, wasn’t joyful.
“He had his bedroom for him and Priscilla, and another bedroom for him and Beatriz,” she stated.
“He gave both of them the same amount of spending money every month and he would give them exactly the same gifts. He once gave them both a Rolex watch,” she added in an interview with Glam, Set & Match – although Ronaldinho denied experiences he was planning on marrying them each.
Ronaldinho additionally had a son, João Mendes, born in 2005 to dancer Janaina Mendes. He can be now a grandfather.
“What I regret the most is not being there the day my son was born. It was playing, it was match day,” he stated.
His son, himself a footballer for Hull City, additionally appeared within the documentary and revealed that they now have a robust relationship.
“Birthdays were the hardest. We always wanted to be together, but he’d often be traveling abroad, or had a match, or a training camp,” he stated.
“Knowing who my father is, it was never going to be that normal. Our relationship now, besides father and son, is also a friendship.”
In 2018, he and his brother additionally acquired a £2million superb for constructing a pier in an environmental safety space with out permission. When they refused to pay, authorities seized 57 properties, and their passports, and he confronted allegations of chapter.
Tragedy caught when, in 2021, his beloved mum died from Covid. But as we speak, he’s busier than ever, jetting around the globe, and all the time with a smile on his face.
“My life is simply loopy. They name me the type of surprising adventures, as a result of in all places on the planet, individuals invite me to do all kinds of stuff.
“Today, nothing holds me back.”
Ronaldinho: The One and Only on Netflix airs on Netflix from tomorrow
