Retired Soccer Star Ronaldinho Has Gotten Into Quite a Lot of Trouble Since Leaving the Sport
Ronaldinho is not one to lay low.
Published Jan. 8 2026, 9:21 a.m. ET
The legendary Brazilian soccer player Ronaldinho is known for his fun-loving playing style and flair for dazzling moves. So fans were likely not surprised when he kept his life after soccer anything but boring.
Since retiring from the sport, Ronaldinho has been embroiled in several different schemes and scandals. Here's what we know about what Ronaldinho has been up to.
What happened to Ronaldinho?
57 of Ronaldinho's properties were seized a year and a half after his retirement, according to the Daily Mail. This was because he had large, unpaid fines due to environmental taxes and illegal construction. His and his brother's passports were suspended as well, but that didn't stop them from traveling.
In 2020, Ronaldinho and his brother went to Paraguay with fake passports, which granted them a 32-day stay in a Paraguayan jail. While they were there, Ronaldinho celebrated his 40th birthday and organized a soccer tournament for inmates, per the Daily Mail.
He and his brother coughed up a $200,000 fee to be released from the Paraguayan prison and instead spent four months of house arrest at a luxury hotel, per BEIN Sports.
After their release, Ronaldinho filmed a music video, was in advertising campaigns for an agency, and launched his own e-sports team called R10. He even has a brand of gin, called R-ONE.
However, it wasn't all rainbows and butterflies after Ronaldinho and his brother were out of prison. He ended up owing the Brazilian IRS money, and upon finding less than 5 euros in his bank account, they seized two more of his properties.
But the drama did not stop there. Ronaldinho was also caught up in a crypto scheme called 18kRonaldinho. It promised daily cryptocurrency returns, and when it wasn't able to deliver, a lawsuit was filed against the firm. Ronaldinho said he had no involvement with the firm and that he was actually a victim, as they had used his name and likeness without his permission.
However, it seems as if Ronaldinho always bounces back. As of January 2026, he has multiple brand deals, is a co-owner of American soccer clubs Greenville Triumph SC and Greenville Liberty SC, and even has a contract to work as a TV Globo ambassador during the 2026 World Cup, per Yahoo Sports.