Ronaldinho Gaucho, a Brazilian football legend, has just shared an emotional story about his deep friendship with Lionel Messi, who helped him find meaning in life after difficult months. From a surprise phone call to a special gift that was not money, Messi brought Ronaldinho back to the spotlight in an unexpected way.
After being released from prison in Paraguay for a fake passport case in 2020, Ronaldinho chose to live a closed life, away from everyone. He was immersed in feelings of self-blame and disorientation. One quiet night, Ronaldinho’s phone suddenly rang. On the other end of the line was Lionel Messi, his close junior since his days at Barcelona.
Instagram page @callmemrshiffdeen quoted part of Ronaldinho’s interview with Atena 1 radio (Brazil), where he told about the special call from Messi.
Not money, Messi gave a gift that saved Ronaldinho’s life – Photo 1.
Instagram page @callmemrshiffdeen quoted part of Ronaldinho’s interview.
During the conversation, Messi surprised Ronaldinho with a bold proposal. He said: “Ronie, I have an idea that you might hate at first!”. Ronaldinho, in a depressed mood, immediately refused if it was a sum of money: “If you are going to give me money, forget it!”.
But Messi wasn’t talking about money. Instead, he offered a unique opportunity: to become a 40% co-owner of Greenville Triumph, a soccer club that plays in the USL League One division of the United States.
Ronaldinho, who lost almost everything after the scandal, felt he did not deserve this gift. He flatly refused: “I do not deserve to be a partner… I have lost everything!”. However, Messi did not give up easily. He emphasized that this was not financial help, but an opportunity for Ronaldinho to find himself again. “If you wanted to help me financially, you would have sent me some money, but I want Ronaldinho, who made the whole world laugh with football,” Messi said.
Messi continued to convince with inspiring words: “These shares… are just an excuse to bring you back to where you belong. The world needs your magic… and this is the only way to ensure that you share it.”
It was these words that touched Ronaldinho’s heart, making him realize that what he needed was not money, but faith to remember who he was.
In the end, Ronaldinho accepted Messi’s offer, not because of the financial value of the shares, but because he wanted to find meaning in life again. He shared: “In the end, I accepted not because I needed money, but because I needed to remember who I am!”.
Through this story, Ronaldinho never stopped praising Messi, who is not only an excellent player but also a loyal friend, always remembering his companions on his journey. “Messi is not just a player, and he never forgets his friends.”
Previously, in October 2024, the Greenville Triumph club in the United States announced that Ronaldinho had become a shareholder through Grupo Ronaldinho, led by Wallace Cheves. Along with Ronaldinho, the ownership group includes members such as Joe Erwin, his wife Gretchen, Wallace Cheves, William M. Webster IV, Rick Pennell, Jim Casey, Doug Erwin and Shannon Wilbanks. According to the announcement, Ronaldinho signed an agreement to join the ownership group right at the New York Stock Exchange, when he was present to ring the opening bell of the trading session. However, details about the percentage of shares that Ronaldinho holds in the Greenville Pro Soccer group were not disclosed. In addition to Greenville Triumph, Ronaldinho also joined the ownership group of Greenville Liberty, a women’s soccer team that competes in the USL W League – a semi-professional tournament for women.
“I am impressed with the focus that Greenville Triumph and Liberty have placed on youth soccer development through their boys and girls academy teams, as well as the level of competitive excellence of the Triumph professional team and the Liberty semi-professional team. For me and my team, this is an opportunity to support the development of soccer at all ages and levels, while being part of a community that values international presence and unique cultural exchange,” Ronaldinho said on becoming a shareholder of the club.
Becoming a co-owner of Greenville Triumph marks a new chapter in Ronaldinho’s life. From a man who had hit rock bottom, he is slowly regaining his shine, not only on the pitch but also in his new role.
For Greenville Triumph, the presence of Ronaldinho – who won the 2002 World Cup with Brazil and the 2005 Ballon d’Or – as a shareholder is expected to help raise the profile and promote the development of the team. Ronaldinho, with 97 caps for Brazil and brilliant years at top European clubs such as Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan, is one of the greatest players in football history.
