Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
RONALDINHO STRIFE BEGINS AT 40
Brazil legend’s biggest battle as he spends his landmark birthday in jail
RONALDINHO spent his time on the pitch dodging defenders and his post-football career evading the law.
But the Brazil superstar will spend his 40th birthday in a Paraguayan prison today with the biggest challenge of his life threatening to shackle him to a six-month jail term.
The former Paris Saintgermain, Barcelona and AC Milan playmaker won the 2002 World Cup – after beating David Seaman with a famous free-kick – the 2005 Ballon d’or and the 2006 Champions League Final.
He is arguably among the three best Brazil players to follow Pele, along with Ronaldo and Neymar. But Ronaldinho was the undisputed best at Samba-style partying.
Years of alcohol and orgies – and his attempts to eke extra late years out of his playing career – made him more like another George Best as he struggled to fulfil his outrageous talent.
He officially retired in 2018 – though he has not played professionally since 2015 – and his tragically bizarre existence since then has been brought to worldwide attention by his recent arrest.
Ronaldinho and his older brother Roberto were detained at Asuncion Airport on March 4 for attempting to enter Paraguay on false passports costing $6,000 each.
His lawyer Adolfo Marin claimed: “He could have entered Paraguay with his Brazilian papers. He thought he had received special Paraguayan documents. He didn’t know he was committing a crime, because he didn’t understand he’d been given false documents. He’s stupid.”
The official version of events was they were in
Paraguay to take part in commercial appearances, including a book launch.
But since their arrest, a judge has rejected pleas to release them from detention for fear of them fleeing the country – and because businesswoman Dalia Lopez, who arranged the Paraguayan visit, went on the run to avoid a court appearance of her own this week.
Chief Prosecutor Osmar Legal said: “She could be implicated in money laundering and this means we must investigate every other person who is linked to this type of crime, including Ronaldinho.”
His rap sheet is as long as his Shizuoka free-kick which knocked out England in the 2002 World Cup quarter-finals.
With his domineering brother Roberto and his entourage, he has been named in 20 different investigations worldwide.
A company called 18K
Ronaldinho set up to sell sports watches is suspected of pyramid fraud after fleecing investors guaranteeing a return of two per cent a day through bitcoin. In 2018, the brothers had their passports and 57 properties confiscated for illegally building a pier in an environmentally-protected zone in Porto Alegre. They were returned after paying a huge fine – and becoming an ambassador for tourism. And his ex-fiancee Priscilla Coelho has filed charges for assault.
French newspaper L’equipe quoted one judge saying: “They think they are above the law.”
The family’s desire to cash in on Ronaldinho is not new. Spanish sports daily AS told the story this week of how a film crew went to film the star at his Barcelona home. During the chat, Roberto suddenly told him: “It’s time.”
Ronaldinho apologised and went on the balcony to wave to some Japanese tourists. His brother had arranged to be paid for tourists visiting the house in exchange for a wave.
Now the latest chapter in his extraordinary story has seen Prisoner 194 score five goals and provide six assists in a prison futsal tournament.
His former team-mate Rivaldo said: “I am sad. It is bad for the reputation of one of football’s big idols and he doesn’t deserve it.”