Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho gets UAE golden visa

The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, Dubai confirmed the news on social media.

GDRFA Dubai receives the football star Ronaldo de Assis Moreira known as @10Ronaldinho, and grants him The Golden Visa in the presence of His Excellency Major General Mohammed Al Marri, Director General of GDRFA-Dubai and Major General Obaid Muhair bin Surour,Deputy Director pic.twitter.com/WG1JlirvSS

— GDRFA DUBAI إقامة دبي (@GDRFADUBAI) May 18, 2021

Ronaldinho turned into the most recent soccer icon to have obtained this golden visa.

The footballer also known as Ronaldinho Gaúcho was named the FIFA World Player of the Year for 2004 and 2005.

The legend born in Porto Alegre, first showed his wondrous skills in futsal and beach soccer before gaining a foothold in organised football.

It was at the Brazilian club Gremio where Ronaldinho first announced his arrival as a youngster with genuine class and won World Cup in 2002.

In his whole career, Gremio scored 266 goals from 699 club appearances. With the Brazilian national team, he scored 33 goals in 97 matches.

Brazil’s 1994 World Cup hero Bebeto, Chelsea legend Didier Drogba, Juventus’ Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldinho’s former Barcelona teammate Samuel Eto’o are among the sporting heroes that have been given the long-term UAE visa by the authorities.

In May 2020, Ruler of Dubai decided to award 10-year Gold Card residency visas to doctors of the Dubai Health Authority who were providing direct medical services to Covid-19 patients.

The UAE launched a permanent residency scheme for expatriates in 2019.