Ronaldinho, or Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, was born and raised in Porto Alegre, Brazil.
The fact that Ronaldinho is Catholic should come as no surprise, considering he's from Brazil. But whether or not he's a practicing Catholic seems to be up for debate. Some sites claim he is devout,[1] and others not so much.[2]
God, I'm Sorry for Last Night. Please Let Me Win This Game?
The press is fond of snapping pictures of the soccer star praying before games,[3] but that doesn't mean he's going to church every week. If he does decide to make an appearance, he might be getting comfortable in the confessional. Ronaldinho has a reputation for someone who likes to have a good time, vowing at one point to "have a party every day."[4] He also had a child out of wedlock, which the pope isn't too big on.[5]
And, it probably didn't help his cause when he accidentally kicked a soccer ball through a stained-glass window in a medieval cathedral in Spain. Ronaldinho was glad to hear the window wasn't as old as the building itself, but he apparently didn't feel guilty enough to pay for it. The local council footed the bill instead.[6]
Ronaldinho does not appear to have an interest in the politics of his home country of Brazil nor his current country of residence, Spain. Maybe he's too busy playing soccer and partying to keep up with all that European debt stuff.
He is, however, an ambassador for UNAIDS, a United Nations program which promotes AIDS and HIV awareness throughout the world. Ronaldinho's role is intended to target young people who look up to the athlete. And he seemed happy to receive the invitation to join the organization.
I am delighted to make a small contribution to this important cause by doing what I do best: playing football.[7]
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