RONALDINHO is spending his landmark 40th birthday behind bars, his staggering football career a distant memory and the prospect of six months in prison a millstone around his neck.
The Brazilian legend – or Prisoner 194, as he is now known – stunned millions around the world with his never-ending arsenal of tricks, feints and jaw-dropping strikes.
Ronaldinho is used to partying with other sporting icons like Floyd Mayweather, but is spending his 40th in a jail in ParaguayCredit: Instagram @Ronaldinho
The Brazilian hero faces spending six months behind barsCredit: AP:Associated Press
Everywhere today, March 21, there are videos of his heroics.
That Elvis-like hip swivel against Chelsea, just over 15 years ago. His first goal for Barcelona – an absolute thunderbolt from miles out.
One prominent Twitter account heralded him as “the man who made so many of us fall in love with football”.
He could make you hate it, too.
England fans will remember only too well when he lobbed David Seaman from all of 35 yards to send the Three Lions home from the 2002 World Cup.
But for all the memories, the only thing that really matters is winning the legal case that will see him a free man in the future.
Ronaldinho was detained on March 4 for attempting to enter Paraguay with a fake passport. He was officially arrested two days later.
He and his 49-year-old brother Roberto left a court hearing in handcuffs on Wednesday after both denied going into the South American country illegally.
The 2005 Ballon d’Or winner’s lawyer called him “stupid” because he “didn’t know he was committing a crime, because he didn’t understand he’d been given false documents”.
Now, the former Barcelona, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain icon is trapped in a jail threatened with coronavirus.
His appeal against a judge’s decision to swap his jail remand for house arrest was knocked back last week and he was warned he faced six months inside.
The entrance of the National Police headquarters in Asuncion, where Ronaldinho and his brother Roberto Assis are being heldCredit: AFP or licensors
Ronaldinho was accused of using a fake Paraguayan passportCredit: Refer to Caption
Ronaldinho, a star of Brazil’s 2002 World Cup winning side and one of the greatest ever footballers, is being held in a prison on the outskirts of Paraguayan capital Asuncion.
This birthday will be a far cry from others, including his 26th, when he partied until 6am at a Barcelona nightclub.
His 32nd, which lasted five days and cost tens of thousands of pounds, took place at a luxury hotel in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Pele sent a greeting after last year’s bash saying: “Whenever I see Ronaldinho he always has a smile. Happy birthday my friend.”
Now, those messages have been replaced with accounts from friends who speak only of how “sad” he is.
Nelson Cuevas, who used to play for Argentine giants River Plate and recently visited Ronaldinho in his cell, said: “He is sad. Hopefully, he can get out soon.
“He is just sad because of the situation. His lawyers are handling the rest. I hope he can get out of there soon.”
Things have got so bad even Lionel Messi, his former Nou Camp team-mate, had to deny that he was sending £3.25million to help pay for his legal fees.
This birthday will be very different.
No smiles, no splashing the cash in a lavish show of excess. He might manage a game of futsal with other inmates, but that’s it.
Ronaldinho, a footballer everyone wanted to be, a man everyone wanted to know, is spending one of the most significant days of his life trapped and alone.
Ronaldinho ‘to get six months in jail’ after ‘using a fake passport to enter Paraguay’
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
