Barcelona and Brazil legend Ronaldinho turns 40 in prison

You don't have to have much of an imagination to guess what Ronaldinho would have had planned to celebrate a birthday as special as his 40th. 

Ronaldinho celebrates the landmark on Saturday but his plans were canceled two weeks ago when he was imprisoned in Paraguay, along with his brother, Roberto de Assis, for entering the country with forged documents. 

The brothers used passports that belonged to two Paraguayan citizens who are now under house arrest. A court ratified their imprisonment and they were later denied bail as they were said to be a flight risk. 

The subsequent investigation has uncovered a money-laundering scheme -- which could even be linked to drug trafficking  -- although Ronaldinho's legal team insists that he and his brother are being used in a political situation. 

There are no signs that they will be released immediately. The investigation remains ongoing but hearings have been cancelled due to the coronavirus crisis. 

Ronaldinho's legal team are hopeful of a breakthrough next week, when mobile phone records of those implicated, including the former Barcelona and Brazil star, are due to be looked at. 

Meanwhile, Ronaldinho, who has enjoyed playing football and a private room in the prison, has given his first signs of discomfort at the situation. According to reports in Brazil, he's worried about his mother's health as she lives alone in Brazil while her two sons are locked up across the border.  

It's certainly now how the former Ballon d'Or winner would have imagined celebrating his 40th birthday.