What do you do when you’re a World Cup winner, two-time FIFA World Player of the Year winner, and the sixth-most-followed sportsman in the world on Facebook (behind Ronaldo, Messi, David Beckham, Neymar and Kaka, trivia fans)?
You’re already in the Middle East, having played in the Barcelona Legends vs Real Madrid Legends game in Beirut on Friday night (check YouTube to note that the silky Brazilian has lost none of his skills at 37 years of age, one sublime ‘no look’ pass in particular), and fancy spending a couple more days in the region before heading back to your native Spain (The Brazilian gained dual Spanish citizenship in 2007).
You could come to Dubai and open a football academy, but Ronaldinho already did that last October. So instead on Satruday night, he went to popular beach bar Barasti with a bunch of friends, feasted on the bar menu and a few aperitifs, and tried (surprisingly successfully for the most part) to blend into the background in a hidden corner table, despite a glowing, bleached white, shirt, shorts and trainers combo and a small army of security, advisors and personal assistants.
Sadly, between the player’s own hefty entourage and Barasti’s management, he wasn’t giving much away to either fans or media. “He doesn’t want to talk to anyone or do any photographs, not fans or press. He’s just here with a group of friends and wants to have a quiet night,” the bar’s management told us. Even bathroom trips were accompanied by a heavy security presence and a cleared facility.
So we left it there, though there’s always that one determined fan that successfully fights through for a photo, as Ronaldinho is doubtless already aware.
cnewbould@thenational.ae
