Grass To Grace: How Ronaldinho Made Ksh104 M Four Months After Prison

When Ronaldinho alongside his brother Roberto de Assis Moreira was arrested and detained in Paraguay for forging travel documents, it was alleged the World Cup winner was on the verge of bankruptcy.

There were reports the former FIFA Best was only left with Ksh745 to his name.

Four months following his release, El Pais reported in January the 41-year-old raked up Ksh104 million thanks to endorsements and smart business moves.

Firstly, he helped promote Atlético Mineiro’s stadium – the club where he won the Copa Libertadores in 2013.

He also received the title of an honorary citizen in Belo Horizonte and decided to open a studio there to take a step into music. He recorded a music video with the group Recayd Mob and rapper Djonga. The video reached one million views in less than a week with Ronaldinho being surrounded by women in bikinis.

He’s also launched his own brand of organic gin, named R-ONE. This bottle can be seen throughout the music video. It follows on from his first wine brand, ‘Vino de Campeones.’

Read: Ronaldinho To Skip Kenyan Trip After Brazilian Authorities Seize His Passport Over Debt

He’s also featured in an advertising campaign for the travel application Buser where he appears, once again, with several women (have you spotted a theme?)

He was also the face of Betcris, a bookmaker with which he’s had a contract since 2019.

Ronaldinho also features heavily in e-sports, where he advertised Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) and FIFA. He even created his own team, R10 Team, which features in FIFA 21.

Despite his troubles, he’s remained Brazilian tourism ambassador and has met the president, Jair Bolsonaro, in person since his release from prison.

Meanwhile, a film about his football career was released called “Ronaldinho: The happiest man in the world.” It looks like a must-watch.

“A difficult stage is coming to an end, thank God. I have no words to thank you for all the care and support that I have received in recent months,” Ronaldinho wrote when he released the trailer for his film.