Where Is Ronaldinho Now? Inside the Soccer Legend's Life Today, 8 Years After He Retired

Ronaldinho and his mom on December 11, 2005 in Barcelona, Spain ; Ronaldinho with his brother Roberto in 2002
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Ronaldinho, born Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, grew up in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

His father, João Moreira, was a shipyard worker, and his mother, Miguelina de Assis, was a salesperson studying to become a nurse, according to Biography.com. But soccer was always in Ronaldinho's blood.

“I come from a family where soccer has always been very present,” he told Sports Illustrated in June 2006. “My uncles, my father and my brother were all players. Living with that kind of background, I learned a great deal from them. I tried to devote myself to it more and more with the passage of time.”

Unfortunately, João died unexpectedly after hitting his head and drowning in the family’s new swimming pool when Ronaldinho was eight, per the Bleacher Report.

In a January 2017 letter to his younger self for The Players’ Tribune, the Brazilian star reflected on the pain of losing his “superhero.”

“You’re not going to feel sadness right away," he wrote. “That will come later. A few years from now, you will accept that Dad is never coming back on earth. But what I want you to understand is that every time you have a ball at your feet, Dad will be with you.”

He became one of the game’s biggest stars in Europe

Ronaldinho on July 21, 2003 in Barcelona, Spain
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Ronaldinho was part of the Grêmio system and made his debut for the senior side in 1998. During his time with the hometown team, he scored at a prolific rate and showed flashes of his signature flair.

Ronaldinho’s game started attracting the attention of European clubs, and he eventually signed with Paris Saint-Germain in 2001. But it was his 2003 high-profile move to FC Barcelona that made him one of the most recognizable players in the world, as he played alongside Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto'o, Xavi and Andrés Iniesta.

During his five seasons with the club, Ronaldinho helped Barcelona win two La Liga titles and the UEFA Champions League in 2006. He also earned the coveted Ballon d’Or in 2005, was named FIFA World Player of the Year twice and was awarded the 2005 European Footballer of the Year.

After leaving Barcelona in 2008, Ronaldinho joined AC Milan. He later returned to Brazil, playing for clubs including Flamengo and Atlético Mineiro, helping the latter win the Copa Libertadores in 2013.

Ronaldinho also had brief stints with Querétaro FC and Fluminense FC before stepping away from top-level competition.

He helped win the 2002 World Cup for Brazil

Ronaldinho on June 30, 2002 in Yokohama, Japan after winning the FIFA World Cup
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Ronaldinho made a splash on the international stage in 1997 when he brought home Brazil’s first FIFA U-17 World Cup in Egypt.

“The U-17 World Cup is a very special tournament for me,” he shared 20 years later in a September 2017 interview with Goal.com. “It opened the door for my professional career. I was lucky enough not only to take part in the competition but to win it too. I can honestly say that it opened the door for my professional career.”

Five years later, he starred in a powerful trio with Ronaldo and Rivaldo as part of Brazil’s squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by Japan and South Korea.

Ronaldinho played a key role in Brazil’s run to the title, scoring twice during the tournament, including a memorable long-range free kick against England in the quarterfinals. Brazil went on to defeat Germany 2–0 in the final, securing the country’s fifth World Cup title.

His son is also a soccer player

Ronaldinho Gaúcho during the Champions League Semi Final on April 26, 2006 in Barcelona; Joao Mendes de Assis Moreira playing with the FC Barcelona youth team on October 8th, 2023 in Barcelona.
Credit: Liewig Christian/Corbis via Getty; Noelia Deniz/Urbanandsport /NurPhoto via Getty

Ronaldinho welcomed his son, João Mendes, on Feb. 25, 2005, with professional dancer Janaína Mendes.

João spent time in FC Barcelona’s youth system before making a move to Burnley F.C. in August 2024 on a reported two-year deal, according to ESPN. His stint there was short-lived, with reports in May 2025 indicating he would be released early.

Later that year, João continued his development by joining Hull City’s academy in September 2025.

When João first arrived at Barcelona, a supportive Ronaldinho shared his excitement about seeing his son wear the club’s colors.

“Yes, he [João] is coming [to Barcelona] now,” he said in a 2023 interview with RAC-1, via Marca. “I’m never out of the club. Barcelona is part of life. Wherever I go, I take Barcelona with me. With my son arriving at Barça, I’ll be more present than ever.”

The father and son later played together in an exhibition match in 2023, which their team won.

He faced legal and financial issues off the field

Ronaldinho on May 26, 2024 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Credit: Buda Mendes/Getty

The Instituto Ronaldinho Gaúcho, an organization serving underprivileged youth in Brazil, was investigated in 2012 and 2015 for allegedly irregular contracts with the city hall of Porto Alegre, per the Associated Press.

In 2018, his assets were seized in connection with an unpaid environmental fine related to the construction of the Instituto Ronaldinho Gaúcho, ESPN reported. Among the items seized were two BMW cars, a Mercedes, a painting and televisions.

More trouble followed in 2019, when Brazilian paper Folha de S.Paulo reported that the striker owed $2.51 million in environmental fines after illegally building a pier on the shores of the Guaiba river at his Porto Alegre lake house, according to Reuters.

The report also claimed that Ronaldinho had amassed debts amounting to more than $2 million. That same year, his Brazilian and Spanish passports were confiscated due to the unpaid fines and taxes, per ESPN.

Despite reportedly regaining access to his passport in September 2019, the star soccer player and his brother Roberto were arrested in March 2020 for entering Paraguay with fake passports, the BBC reported. The brothers agreed to a plea bargain that included hefty fines and stipulations regarding travel.

He retired in 2018

Ronaldinho on April 14, 2018 in Ethiopia
Credit: Getty

Ronaldinho officially hung up his cleats in January 2018, three years after he last played professionally. The retirement was confirmed by his brother Roberto, who also doubled as his agent.

“He has stopped, it is ended,” Roberto said, according to ESPN. “Let’s do something pretty big and nice [to celebrate his farewell] after the Russia World Cup, probably in August."

He continued, “We will do various events in Brazil, Europe and Asia and, of course, we are arranging something with the Brazilian team as well.”

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