After facing legal issues and serving time in prison for using a fake passport, Ronaldinho has made a triumphant return to the limelight with significant successes in his post-incarceration life.
Around this time a year ago, Ronaldinho welcomed the new year of 2020 with the burden of almost being bankrupt.
57 of Ronaldinho’s properties were seized due to unpaid taxes. Additionally, his illegal construction activities resulted in fines, and both Ronaldinho and his brother, Roberto de Assis Moreira, had their passports confiscated.
In March 2020, amidst the complex Covid-19 pandemic, Ronaldinho was arrested when he entered Paraguay with a fake passport. As a result, the 2002 World Cup champion with the Brazilian national team spent 171 days in prison.
During his time in prison, Ronaldinho participated in futsal. His team emerged as champions, with Ronaldinho scoring 5 goals and assisting in 6 more in the final.
Ronaldinho had to pay 1 million Brazilian reais (approximately 188,000 USD or 4.35 billion VND) to be released from prison.
Since his release, Ronaldinho distanced himself from the Brazilian government. Nevertheless, he had a private meeting with President Jair Bolsonaro.
The fact that Ronaldinho was released from prison is believed to have had an impact in Brazil. At the very least, Sergio Moro, the Minister of Justice, reached out to Brazilian authorities.
Following the meeting with President Jair Bolsonaro, Ronaldinho was appointed as a tourism ambassador for Brazil.
From this point on, his life changed significantly. From being nearly bankrupt, in the final months of 2020, Ronaldinho raised his personal net worth to 5 million Brazilian reais, and this figure is likely to continue growing.
One of Ronaldinho’s first activities after being released from prison was to establish a studio and enter the world of music. He created music videos with the Recayd Mob group and rapper Djonga in the “Tropa do Bruxo” project.
Of course, Ronaldinho’s world of music is not lacking in beautiful models.
“Tropa do Bruxo” has now garnered over 2.1 million views on Twitter.
Furthermore, the 40-year-old legend has returned to the business sector, developing his own organic gin brand called R-ONE.
His first gin brand is “Vino de Campeones” (Champion’s Wine).
In addition to his role as a tourism ambassador for Brazil, Ronaldinho was recognized as an honorary citizen of Belo Horizonte.
This recognition has allowed him to successfully enter the world of esports, where he promotes Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) and FIFA video games.
Ronnie even created his own gaming team, known as R10 Team, and became an important partner of EA Sports.
Initially, EA Sports had concerns about Ronaldinho’s previous passport issues. Nevertheless, they eventually utilized his image and achieved a certain level of success.
In late October 2020, Ronaldinho tested positive for Covid-19, causing delays in several projects. However, he rapidly became a millionaire in Brazil.
This year, Ronaldinho is expected to earn a fortune as a documentary about his football career is set to be released.
The glow of Ronaldinho’s star is returning, making him one of the most intriguing footballers of the 21st century.