Brazilian soccer legend Ronaldinho Gaucho turned 40 years behind bars at a maximum prison in Paraguay. Several Brazilian soccer legends who were part of the Brazilian national team that won the 2002 World Cup played in South Korea and Japan, among them Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima, Rivaldo and Roberto Carlos took to social media to wish him a happy birthday.
Ronaldinho and his brother Roberto Assis who is his business Manager had shortly travelled to Paraguay March 4, 2020 for a charity event. The two ended up in prison for what was reported as entering the neighboring country using falsified passports.
The two were first ordered to remain in their hotel suite in Asuncion while Paraguayan authorities conducted investigations but two days later they ended up in jail, with a judge denying them bail and refusing to release them into house arrest.
WHO IS Ronaldinho?
Ronaldinho Gaucho (born Ronaldo de Assis Moreira) was born on March 21 in the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre which is the state capital of Rio Grande do Sul. His father João de Assis Moreira was a footballer for Esporte Clube Cruzeiro while his mother Miguelina Elói Assis was a nurse. His elder brother is Roberto Assis who is also his business manager while his sister Deisi Assis works as his press coordinator. He has a son João (named after his father) who was born on February 5, 2005 to a Brazilian dancer Janaina Mendes.
Ronaldinho rose to fame at the age of 13 when he featured in the 1997 Brazilian U-17 World Championship team in Egypt.
RONALDINHO’S SOCCER CAREER – Teams:
Grêmio (Brasileirão) – 72 goals in 145 appearances
Paris Saint-Germain – 25 goals in 77 appearances
Barcelona (La Liga) – 94 goals in 207 appearances
AC Milan (Serie A) – 26 goals in 95 appearances
Flamengo (Brasileirão) – 28 goals in 72 appearances
Atlético Mineiro – 27 goals in 85 appearances
Querétaro (Liga MX) – 8 goals in 29 appearances
Fluminense (Brasileirão) – 0 goals in 9 appearances
Brazilian (National) – 33 goals in 97 appearances
RONALDINHO’S Achievements?
Paris Saint-Germain – UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2001
Barcelona:
La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06, Super Copa de España: 2005, 2006, UEFA Champions League: 2005–06
AC Milan:
Serie A: 2010–11
Flamengo:
Campeonato Carioca: 2011, Taça Guanabara: 2011, Taça Rio: 2011
Atlético Mineiro:
Campeonato Mineiro: 2013, Copa Libertadores: 2013, Recopa Sudamericana: 2014
National Team:
Copa América: 1999, FIFA World Cup: 2002, FIFA Confederations Cup: 2005, FIFA U-17 World Championship: 1997, Olympic Bronze Medal: 2008, CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic Tournament: 2000
Individual Accolades:
- FIFA Confederations Cup Golden Ball: 1999
- FIFA Confederations Cup Golden Shoe: 1999
- South American Team of the Year: 1999
- Bola de Prata: 2000, 2011, 2012
- FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2002
- Ligue 1 Goal of The Year: 2003
- La Liga Best Foreign Player: 2003–04, 2005–06
- Trofeo EFE: 2003–04
- FIFA World Player of the Year: 2004, 2005
- UEFA Team of the Year: 2004, 2005, 2006
- World Soccer Magazine World Player of The Year: 2004, 2005
- UEFA Club Forward of the Year: 2004–05
- FIFA Confederations Cup Bronze Ball: 2005
- Ballon d’Or: 2005
- Onze d’Or: 2005
- FIFPro World Player of the Year: 2005, 2006
- FIFPro World XI: 2005, 2006, 2007
- UEFA Club Footballer of the Year: 2005–06
- La Liga top assist provider: 2005–06
- UEFA Champions League top assist provider: 2005–06
- FIFA Club World Cup Bronze Ball: 2006
- FIFA World Player of the Year Bronze award: 2006
- Golden Foot: 2009
- Sports Illustrated Team of the Decade: 2009
- Serie A top assist provider: 2009–10
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Team of the Year: 2011, 2012
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Best Fan’s Player: 2012
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A top assist provider: 2012
- Bola de Ouro: 2012
- Copa Libertadores top assist provider: 2012, 2013
- South American Footballer of the Year: 2013
- UEFA Ultimate Team of the Year (substitute; published in 2015)
- FIFA 100
- Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame
- A.C. Milan Hall of Fame
