No one can deny Ronaldinho’s extraordinary football talent. But behind the dazzling footwork was a personal life filled with shocking relationships, lavish parties, and even a stint in prison.
The Playboy Behind the Genius
While the world applauded Ronaldinho’s magic on the pitch, his off-field antics became just as notorious. In 2004, he made headlines when Brazilian dancer Janaina Mendes became pregnant after just one season with Barcelona. Their son, Joao, was born in February 2005, named in honor of Ronaldinho’s late father. However, the relationship didn’t last.
Meanwhile, despite having various flings during his early days at Paris Saint-Germain, Ronaldinho mostly kept things private. However, after his return home to play for Atletico Mineiro, Ronaldinho became infamous for throwing wild, extravagant parties. One particularly memorable event in 2012 involved inviting his teammates to a party with models, who are reportedly paid 3,000 USD each for their presence.
Married Like Royalty to 2 Women
In August 2018, Ronaldinho shocked the football world when he reportedly tied the knot with Priscilla Coelho and Beatriz Souza, at the same time. Both women had been living “harmoniously” with the star since 2017 in his 5 million British pounds mansion (approx. 6.7 million USD) in Rio de Janeiro.
Ronaldinho began dating Beatriz in 2016 while still in a relationship with Priscilla. According to reports, he gave both women equal monthly allowances of around 1,500 pounds (approx 2,000 USD) and even bought them identical gifts, including perfume during overseas trips. The two accompanied him on nearly every journey.
However, His sister, Deisi, firmly opposed the polygamous arrangement and refused to attend the wedding.
Partying as a Lifestyle
Even during his peak at Barcelona, Ronaldinho’s love for nightlife was no secret. Then-manager Pep Guardiola reportedly wanted him out of the squad due to his lack of discipline and passion for partying, alcohol, gambling, and women.
Former teammate Aleksandr Hleb recalled, “Ronaldinho and Deco would show up to training drunk. That’s why they were sold in 2008. The club feared they’d negatively influence Lionel Messi.”
In another wild incident in 2010, Ronaldinho had to be physically removed from a Milan nightclub by AC Milan fans just days before the derby against Inter Milan.
Jail Time in Paraguay
In 2020, Ronaldinho made global headlines again, this time for all the wrong reasons. He and his brother Roberto were arrested in Paraguay for entering the country with fake passports. This came after both had their Brazilian and Spanish passports revoked due to illegal construction violations.
Ronaldinho claimed the passport was a gift from a local sponsor and had no idea it was fake. His lawyers even described him as “naive,” but Paraguayan authorities weren’t convinced.
Despite the legal drama, Ronaldinho entertained inmates by playing football in prison, even helping his team win a suckling pig for dinner. But friend and former Paraguayan player Nelson Cuevas noted that something was missing, stating, “Ronaldinho has lost his smile. That joy and unique energy are gone because he’s somewhere he doesn’t belong.”
After 32 days behind bars, he was moved to house arrest in a hotel after paying 1.6 million sterlings (approx. 2.1 million USD) in bail. He was finally released in late August 2020 after four months under surveillance.