Why is Ronaldinho in prison? Former Barcelona and Brazil star’s incarceration explained

Ronaldinho is widely accepted as one of the best footballers to have ever played the game, having lit up pitches across the world in the colours of Barcelona, Brazil and AC Milan, among others.

However, despite scaling the heights of football and enjoying all of the associated riches, his personal situation has deteriorated rapidly in the past year and he now finds himself behind bars in a Paraguayan prison.

So why is Ronaldinho in prison? Goal takes a look at the reasons behind the Brazilian’s imprisonment and when he will get out.

Why is Ronaldinho in prison?

Ronaldinho has been detained in a prison in Paraguay for the alleged use of a fake Paraguayan passport. He is being held in the country’s maximum security Agrupacion Especializada prison.

The World Cup winner was arrested along with his brother Roberto at the beginning of March on his arrival to Asuncion, Paraguay’s capital city. Both were subsequently imprisoned.

A statement from Paraguay’s Ministry of the Interior explained: “The Attorney General’s office issued a warrant for their arrest, charged the player Ronaldinho with using a public document with false content, and requested preventative detention.”

Ronaldinho, whose Brazilian and Spanish passports had already been seized by Brazil’s authorities in 2019 relating to separate legal issues, claimed that the Paraguayan passport was given to him as a gift from a local sponsor.

He says that he had made an innocent mistake in using it, maintaining that he was not aware of the wrongdoing. 

That line of argument was also expressed by the star’s legal counsel, who went further by somewhat cuttingly describing his client as “an idiot”.

However, Paraguayan authorities have not agreed with their of analysis of the situation, hence his incarceration.

He is now serving the time in the same penitentiary as convicted murderers, thieves and other high-security inmates, though is being kept in a different part of the facility.

Is Ronaldinho playing football in prison?

Despite the ill-fated scenario Ronaldinho finds himself in, he has still been making headlines for his football powers, having taken part in a number of games within the prison.

Most notably, the man who won the Ballon d’Or in 2005 was hailed for his prowess during an exhibition futsal match and revelled along with prisoners who won themselves the prize of a suckling pig for dinner.

Photos and video footage have emerged from behind the confines of the prison walls showing Ronaldinho taking part in the games, with his trademark smile evident.

🇧🇷 Ronaldinho is playing football in jail and he’s running the show by doing some tricks and flicks. This is like FIFA street in real life. 😲 pic.twitter.com/8tmXlgaW46

— FutbolBible (@FutbolBible) March 14, 2020

So, while he is being held in a part of the prison the Paraguayan Minister of the Interior Euclides Acevedo described as being “almost a hotel”, he shares the prison yard with everyone.

Behind the whimsical nature of the real-life ‘Mean Machine’ story, though, the brutal fact is that he remains locked in a prison and his freedom has been taken away from him, so it is not all sunshine and rainbows.

Indeed, former Paraguay international Nelson Cuevas has suggested that his friend has “lost” his smile.

“Ronaldinho is not happy at all,” Cuevas told CNN Radio. “What distinguishes him is his smile, his good energy, his way of being but today, due to the situation he is going through, that smile is lost because he is in prison which is a place he is not accustomed to.”

Primera imagen de @10Ronaldinho 🇧🇷 disputando el campeonato de Futsal de la Agrupación Especializada, donde se encuentra recluido por ingresar a Paraguay 🇵🇾 con pasaportes falsos.#Dinho #Ronaldinho pic.twitter.com/TTJ5gx0zTz

— Santiago Ravidlas (@SantiRavidlasPy) March 13, 2020

When will Ronaldinho be released from prison?

It is not clear exactly when Ronaldinho will be released from Agrupacion Especializada, but reports suggest that the former Barcelona attacker is facing up to six months inside.

That means he may end up incarcerated until September 2020, depending on how the prosecution pans out. A bail application was denied because authorities deem him to be a flight risk.

The aforementioned Cuevas, who has visited the player, offered to host Ronaldinho at his home, where the Brazilian could ostensibly be held under house arrest, but that was also rejected.