Sales of the Brazilian Playboy magazine have declined since the glory days of the 1990s when it was possible to sell over one million copies a month and a grand old institution is in need of rejuvenation. According to Extra newspaper in Brazil, the man to revive the fortunes of this one-time giant is Ronaldo, whose 'Midas Touch' could be just what the soft-porn publication needs. You might be surprised to learn that 'Il Fenomeno' has made a very smooth transition into the business world after retirement and sees Playboy as a potentially lucrative opportunity.
The 35-year-old's marketing firm 9INE manages images rights to some of Brazil's biggest sports stars, including Neymar and he receives around £10 Million a year from sponsors including Nike, Fiat and Duracell. The former Real Madrid and Barcelona striker (ironically) owns a chain of gyms, a sports health clinic and a six-storey building which houses a Rio de Janeiro university, as well as a nightclub in Rio's most affluent neighbourhood, Leblon. The estimated billionaire also has apartments in Rio, Sao Paulo, Paris and Madrid, and his own private island off the Rio de Janeiro coast.
Therefore his credentials to be the Brazilian version of Hugh Hefner are impeccable and we could easily see Ronaldo in many photos like this one in years to come.
