Fake passport saga: Ronaldinho faces six months jail term in Paraguay

Brazilian soccer legend Ronaldinho faces six months behind bars after his hopes of release from a fake passport rap were dashed yesterday.

The party-loving former Barcelona and AC Milan superstar, famed for his lavish birthday bashes, left a court hearing in handcuffs.

He and his 49-year-old brother Roberto deny entering Paraguay with doctored passports.

His defence was dealt a blow when a businesswoman who fixed his book launch trip to the South American country failed to show up in court.

It means Ronaldinho faces spending his 40th birthday tomorrow in a jail threatened by coronavirus.

His appeal against a judge’s decision to swap his jail remand for house arrest was knocked back last week and he was warned he could faced six months inside.

Ronaldinho, a star of Brazil’s 2002 World Cup winning side and one of the greatest ever footballers, is being held in a jail in the outskirts of Paraguayan capital Asuncion.

His birthday will be a far cry from others including his 26th when he partied until 6am at a Barcelona nightclub.

His 32nd, which lasted five days and cost tens of thousands of pounds, took place at a luxury hotel in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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Soccer legend Pele sent a greeting after last year’s bash saying: “Whenever I see Ronaldinho he always has a smile. Happy birthday my friend.”

Ronaldinho was arrested on March 6. Last night he was still cracking his trademark grin in his cell.

Just days earlier, he was allowed to take part in a kickabout game with fellow inmates and guards in which he scored five and set up the other six in an 11-2 victory.