Former Brazil and Barcelona ace Ronaldinho is making the best of his time in a Paraguayan prison, as he scored five goals and assisted a further six in a football match against fellow inmates.
The 39-year-old former Ballon d’Or winner was detained by Paraguayan authorities this past week after he and his brother had allegedly attempted to enter the South American country without valid documentation.
According to Paraguayan periodical Hoy, Ronaldinho was persuaded to take part in a prison football tournament, in which the prize was a 35-pound suckling pig, a prize that stood in stark contrast to the honors that the ex-Barca man had previously won throughout his glittering career.
Per reports, the Ronaldinho was in discussion with a prison guard near to where the game was to take place and, despite initially being hesitant, was eventually persuaded to join in.
Despite being man-marked by another inmate – former Paraguayan politician Miguel Cuevas – the World Cup winner was directly responsible for each of his side’s eleven goals in the rampant win.
The ex-PSG and AC Milan man was said to be struggling upon his initial entry into the prison, but his prison warden has since told Reuters, “In broad terms, he is doing very well.”
“I see he is in good spirits, just like you see him on television, always smiling. Since yesterday he looks very well, he talks to his other inmates, he goes out to the patio.”