MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Ex Barcelona and 2002 World champion with Brazil, in deep financial trouble

Folha de S.Paulo the former World Player of the Year owes some US$ 2.5 million in unpaid environmental fines after illegally building a pier at his lake house

A court in southern Brazil has forbidden ex-Barcelona striker Ronaldinho from selling 57 of his real estate properties due to an unpaid environmental fine and other debts, a Brazilian newspaper reported on Monday.

The Folha de S.Paulo paper said the former World Player of the Year owes 9.5 million reais (some US$ 2.5 million) in unpaid environmental fines after illegally building a pier at his lake house in Porto Alegre.

Creditors have also taken action to recover 7.8 million reais in other debts, Folha said.

Authorities have confiscated Ronaldinho's passport until the cases are resolved, the newspaper added.

The judge in Porto Alegre said the case is under judicial secrecy rules and would not confirm or deny any details about the newspaper report.

Ronaldinho's lawyer denied the player's assets were under restriction but told Folha de S.Paulo he could not comment on the details of the case because of the judicial secrecy ruling.

The 39-year-old striker retired from football in 2015 after spells with a host of clubs in Brazil and Europe.

He was twice voted FIFA player of the year while playing for Barcelona and he also won the World Cup with Brazil in 2002.