Soccer Superstar Ronaldinho Gets Bio Series

Entertainment

Spain’s Mediacrest Entertainment and Playtime Movies have partnered with Brazil’s Mixer Films to co-produce “Época 10: Ronaldinho,” a bio-series about one of the greatest soccer players.

The announcement comes as anticipation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues to build.

A two-time FIFA World Player of the Year, Ronaldinho, now 45, is widely regarded as the only soccer player to have won the Copa América, the Ballon d’Or, the UEFA Champions League, the FIFA Confederations Cup and the Copa Libertadores.

Based on interviews with the former FC Barcelona star and particularly his brother-manager Roberto de Assis, the series traces their meteoric rise and dramatic fall—from their beginnings in Porto Alegre, Brazil to prison in Paraguay. Set in Paris, Barcelona and Milan, it explores Ronaldinho’s sporting, professional and personal triumphs and failures, charting the journey that made him a generational icon. But at its core, the series is about the relationship between the two brothers.

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Having lost their father prematurely, Roberto, also a successful soccer player until an injury ended his career, became a father figure to Ronaldinho. His younger brother’s rapid rise to stardom stirred both jealousy and friction between them.

“Their relationship was similar to that between Salieri and Mozart at the time, admiring but also jealous,” said Cristian Liarte, CEO of Mediacrest Entertainment, referring to the real-life characters portrayed in Milos Forman’s multi-Oscar winning film, “Amadeus.”

‘“We are looking at an intellectual property with strong international appeal. Ronaldinho is a global name with a unique ability to connect with audiences and platforms,” he noted.

“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,” Liarte mused.

With the pilot script and series bible completed, they have kickstarted the financing and international sales phase at Content Americas.

“Having the opportunity to produce a series about Ronaldinho is a privilege. Beyond being a football genius, his life follows a trajectory of success and conflict worthy of a dramatic hero,” said João Daniel Tikhomiroff, CEO of Mixer Films who will tap his head writer Camila Raffanti, who wrote 13 episodes for Mixer smash hit “The Business,” which ran for four seasons on HBO Lati America, to work on the Brazilian part of the story alongside Spanish writer Carlos Franco.

“It’s 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. That contrast is what makes his story so compelling and so beautiful,” he added.

The languages spoken will naturally reflect the settings, with dialogue in English, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese.

The series was created by Franco and Álex Murrull. The latter co-directed the 1992 Olympics-set water polo drama “42 Segundos” (“The Final Game”) with Playtime’s Dani de la Orden, which Franco wrote.

“We believe Ronaldinho’s biopic is a unique piece of fiction, set within a historically significant moment for Barcelona and its most internationally renowned institution, FC Barcelona. That’s why we say it is ‘més que un club’ (‘more than a club’),” said de la Orden, CEO of Playtime Movies.

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Anna Marie de la Fuente

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