Ronaldinho reveals passion for wine

Former Brazilian star Ronaldinho has spoken about his passion for wine and the “Wine of the Champions” project, but also about a broader issue: footballers’ responsibility toward fans, especially children.

The Ballon d’Or winner is part of a unique project in which more than 20 football legends have created their own wines, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.

The project, launched more than 10 years ago by producer Fabio Cordella, aims to bring together the worlds of football and wine, with former players also taking part in the production process.

Ronaldinho, in his characteristic style, did not hesitate to joke about the fact that so many football stars have entered the wine industry.

“Now Ronaldinho is setting the trend. I see that everyone wants to make wine after me. Everyone copies me. But the truth is that the best wine is still mine,” the Brazilian joked.

He believes active footballers should be much more careful about the products they promote because of the influence they have on younger generations.

“When your sporting career is over, in everyday life it is perfectly fine to put your face on and promote an alcoholic product. But during your competitive career, it is different. A 10-, 12- or 15-year-old child cannot separate the importance of their idol as a role model from the product that idol promotes. A footballer who is still playing is not a good example for young people if he starts promoting wine, vodka or other alcoholic drinks. We can do this because we are legends,” Ronaldinho said.

The legends have been directly involved in creating their wines. Ronaldinho spent more than a week at the winery, carefully selecting the barrels for his wine.

The same has been true of other major football names.

Eden Hazard spent three days at the winery and returned on two other occasions, Ivan Zamorano stayed for 10 days, while Amauri and Sébastien Frey spent around 15 days at the winery, even taking part in grape harvesting during the pandemic.

In the end, Ronaldinho appears to have found another way to continue his legacy after football.

From dazzling fans with the ball at his feet, the Brazilian is now looking to make his mark in the world of wine. And if he left everyone behind with his dribbling on the football pitch, according to Ronaldinho himself, the competition has now begun in the winery too — and he still claims to be on top.

Photo: Chat GPT