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Ronaldinho, one of the most successful footballers in the recent past, celebrated a milestone birthday on Saturday. Ronaldo de Assis Moreira probably imagined his forties a little differently. The former FC Barcelona superstar is in prison in Paraguay with fake documents after entering the country. Despite this fact and despite the corona virus, Ronaldinho nevertheless asked to celebrate.
03/21/2020 20:52
Online since today, 20.52
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The former soccer player wanted to celebrate his 40th birthday in prison in Asuncion on Saturday with a churrasco, a typical Brazilian barbecue, with his fellow prisoners. The sports broadcaster ESPN Brasil reported, citing a director of the detention center in the capital of Paraguay, where the 2002 world champion has been behind bars for two weeks.
The former FC Barcelona player and his brother were caught and arrested with false identification documents shortly after entering Paraguay. Prosecutors in the South American country have filed charges against Ronaldinho and Roberto Assis. The defense has repeatedly failed to get the brothers out of prison.
Pastime with futsal
According to the head of the correctional facility, Ronaldinho had been depressed by the circumstances in the past few days. Because of the corona virus pandemic, only lawyers have access to the prison. Ronaldinho had previously received fans and signed autographs. “We offer full board for prisoners, but they can get food from outside or prepare it inside,” the director is quoted as saying. “They do that in the area where Ronaldinho is and he eats what they’re preparing.”
Ronaldinho is not bound to his cell while in detention. The 40-year-old has almost unlimited freedom to move around in the courtyard and spends most of his time with futsal. He is said to have participated in a tournament while in custody and shot his team for an 11-2 victory, as reported by the newspaper “ABC Color”. The main prize, according to the report, was a smoked pig.
Former players such as Ronaldo or Rivaldo, who together with the jubilee in Japan and South Korea in 2002 had won the World Cup for Brazil for the fifth time, honored Ronaldinho on his birthday with congratulations and messages of support. Others, like his former coach at Gremio Porto Alegre, regretted the deep fall of the former world star.
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