Ronaldinho’s first picture from Paraguay prison emerges

Ronaldinho, the 2002 World Cup winner and former Barcelona star, was preparing to take a flight back to Rio de Janeiro, where he lives, shortly before the arrests.

Ronaldinho was arrested Friday night in a hotel in Asunción, Paraguay’s capital, and accused of using false Paraguayan ID documents. (Screengrab/Twitter)

Ronaldinho’s first images as a prisoner in the Paraguayan prison emerged online after the Brazilian footballer was caught with a fake passport. The 2005 Ballon d’Or winner and former Barcelona star is being kept at Asuncion prison after a court in Paraguay refused his bail and rejected appeals for house arrest. Earlier, Ronaldinho and his brother were taken in handcuffs to a courthouse in Paraguay on Saturday following their arrest for allegedly entering the country with falsified documents.

Ronaldinho huko kifungoni…Dah
A sad ending for the best player in the world previously Brazilian “Ronaldinho Gaucho” gave him almost everything life money and fame and in his time became the best player in the world undisputed, but because of his addiction to the life of pic.twitter.com/2JwXdW8L0Q

— Urs truly✍️🏌️‍♂️☄️ (@MwebeKelvin) March 9, 2020

The Brazilian brothers were taken in custody on Friday night in a hotel in Asunción, Paraguay’s capital, and accused of using false Paraguayan ID documents.

Incidentally, former Barcelona star, was preparing to take a flight back to Rio de Janeiro, where he lives, shortly before the arrests.

Ronaldinho Gaúcho pode passar seu aniversário de 40 anos na prisão em Assunção, no Paraguai. O craque, que irá comemorar mais um ano de vida no próximo dia 21 de março, teve a decisão de continuar detido preventivamente mantida pela juíza Clara Ruiz https://t.co/JMojIuSRV8 pic.twitter.com/MO261iqiew

— LUIZ FERNANDO (@ludiasleite) March 9, 2020

The 2002 World Cup winner had also said that he went to Asunción for business reasons. The former footballer and his brother said the documents were offered as a gift by a Brazilian businessman, Wilmondes Sousa Liria, who has been jailed.

Ronaldinho’s passport was seized in November 2018 because of a lawsuit over alleged environmental crimes.

Here is the latest photo-

Jornalista paraguaio Hernan Rodriguez publicou uma foto que seria de Ronaldinho Gaúcho preso. Acredito que esse seja o rolê mais aleatório que o bruxo conseguiu fazer nos ultimos anos, hein?!? pic.twitter.com/z1E10NxIqA

— Marcelo Alixandre (@daredacao) March 9, 2020

Meanwhile, prosecutors are seeking to extend the detention of 39-year-old Ronaldinho and brother Roberto Assis, while defense lawyer Sérgio Queiroz says they should be freed because they are not a threat or flight risk.

(With AP inputs)