Brazilian Soccer Legend Gets His Own Drama Series

Mediacrest Entertainment and Playtime Movies have announced Época 10: Ronaldinho, a biographical drama series about the life and career of Brazilian soccer legend Ronaldinho Gaúcho.

Often cited as Brazil's most talented soccer star, Ronaldinho began his career Grêmio in 1998 before moving to clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, and AC Milan. He won the FIFA Player of the Year Award on two occasions, and received the Ballon d'Or in 2005 while playing for Barcelona.

Ronaldinho's Career On The Small Screen

The series will reportedly trace Ronaldinho's meteoric rise to success throughout the '90s and early 2000s, detailing the countless accomplishments that he made along the way. It will also explore the player's legal troubles in recent years, which included various property seizures on the grounds of unpaid taxes and fines - resulting in a brief prison sentence in Paraguay in 2020.

The drama series is inspired by real-life interviews with the soccer star and his brother/manager Roberto de Assis. The personal and professional dynamic between the brothers, which grew publically strained as Ronaldinho shot to success, is said to be one of the show's central themes.

Cristian Liarte, CEO of Mediacrest Entertainment, refers to Milos Forman's Oscar-winning drama Amadeus as inspiration for the show: "[Ronaldinho & Roberto's] relationship was similar to that between Salieri and Mozart at the time, admiring but also jealous."

But Época 10: Ronaldinho won't be a typical family drama, Liare assures: "It’s also about how sport can resonate so powerfully that it transforms individuals, reshapes teams and even alters the spirit of a country at a defining moment."

The show's pilot script and series bible are reportedly already completed, with Carlos Franco and Alex Murrull helming the project. The latter is best known for directing The Final Game, a sports drama about the 1992 Olympics.

João Daniel Tikhomiroff, CEO of Mixer Films, assures that Época 10: Ronaldinho is "not just a series about soccer. It’s a series about Ronaldinho – the man, the character and his journey. It’s an extraordinary journey, marked by moments of pure brilliance and moments of deep hardship."