A couple of weeks ago Ronaldinho was filmed ripping the piss out of a defence with arguably his finest ever no-look pass during a charity game.
Now 36 and seemingly finished with professional football, the two-time Ballon D'Or winner has signed on to star in a Hollywood blockbuster - ominously entitled Kickboxer: Retaliation.
Alongside the former PSG and Barcelona star will be Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg - more commonly known as action-movie icon Jean-Claude Van Damme, Mike Tyson and UFC star Paige van Zant, in what's surely the most intriguing sporting ensemble since we caught wind of upcoming London-Irish crime drama Jack Mulligan.
In the film's first twist, Ronaldinho's character will be named 'Ronaldo' - a martial arts expert hired to teach Van Damme's character how to survive in Thailand. Ronaldo, of course, is Ronaldinho's actual first name, and he's shown quite recently that he's still a wizard with his feet, so it's probably not too much of a departure for the great man.
Kickboxer: Retaliation producer Rob Hickman explained to The Hollywood Reporter why it made perfect sense to get the Brazilian star on board:
As producers, much like advertisers and brands, we must look at a potential star's total value. In addition to his charisma, Ronaldinho also brings with him 66 million social media followers from all parts of the globe.
Those numbers are an element that a lot of traditional movie stars can't offer and when we market the film, that is something that will be invaluable.
Who said Hollywood was a cynical, soulless pit of depravity and despair?
Retaliation is the sequel to 1989's Kickboxer, which also starred JCVD. The protagonist obviously holds a grudge.
H/T: Bleacher Report
