Few players have ever made football look the way Ronaldinho made it look. The elasticos, the no-look passes, the goals that made entire stadiums — including the opponents — rise to their feet. Now, nearly a decade after hanging up his boots, the man behind the magic is getting the documentary treatment he has always deserved.
Netflix dropped the official trailer on Thursday, April 2, for Ronaldinho—The One and Only, a three-episode miniseries that pulls back the curtain on one of the most beloved athletes in sports history. Set to premiere on April 16, 2026, the series follows Ronaldinho’s journey from his childhood in Porto Alegre to becoming one of the most decorated players in history, including winning the Ballon d’Or at FC Barcelona.
This is not just a highlight reel. It is a full portrait of the man, the myth, and the moments that defined a generation.
What the Ronaldinho Doc Promises to Deliver
The miniseries features exclusive access, never-before-seen archival material, great victories, delicate moments, and testimonials from iconic figures including Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr., Roberto Carlos, Gilberto Silva, Carles Puyol, and Galvão Bueno, among many others.
That guest list alone separates this from a standard sports retrospective. Hearing Messi speak about the man who was widely considered the best player in the world just before Messi himself took that crown — that is a conversation worth watching. Neymar, who grew up idolizing Ronaldinho and later became his teammate at Barcelona, adds another layer of generational perspective.
The series covers ground that fans have never fully seen before
- Exclusive present-day access to Ronaldinho’s private life
- Never-before-seen archival footage from his earliest years
- Career-defining victories and the harder, more personal chapters
- Interviews with teammates, rivals, and football legends
From Porto Alegre to the World Stage
Across three episodes, the documentary moves through every chapter of his journey — from early life in Porto Alegre to PSG, Barcelona, and Milan — using rare archival material and newer interviews.
Ronaldinho’s story has always been more than a football story. He grew up in a modest neighborhood in Porto Alegre, Brazil, where talent was everywhere but opportunity was not guaranteed. His rise through the ranks of Grêmio, then onto Paris Saint-Germain at just 21 years old, was the beginning of something the football world had never quite seen before.
By the time he arrived at FC Barcelona in 2003, he was already a World Cup winner. What followed was arguably the greatest individual run of form the modern game has ever witnessed — two consecutive FIFA World Player of the Year awards, a Ballon d’Or, and performances so extraordinary they redefined what was considered possible on a football pitch.
Why Netflix Is Betting Big on Ronaldinho Now
The timing of this release is no accident. The soccer documentary trio will premiere in the months leading up to this year’s World Cup, positioning Netflix to capture the massive wave of football energy building globally. Ronaldinho leads the charge as the most recognizable name in the lineup.
The release follows the success of Netflix documentaries on David Beckham and Pelé, two productions that proved the streaming giant knows exactly how to handle football royalty. Ronaldinho— The One and Only carries the same pedigree — and arguably an even more electric subject.
The series is a co-production by Canal Azul and Trailer Films, directed and written by Luis Ara, who also serves as executive producer alongside Ricardo Aidar and Liz Reis.
The Legacy That Makes This Story Worth Telling
What makes Ronaldinho different from every other subject in this genre is the joy. Most sports documentaries lean on struggle, controversy, or redemption. Ronaldinho’s story has all of those threads — including a well-documented arrest in Paraguay in 2020 and years of personal turbulence after retirement — but at its core, it is a story about pure, unbridled love for the game.
He played with a smile. He celebrated with teammates like they were his best friends. He made defenders look foolish and then grinned about it. In an era when football can feel like a high-pressure corporate machine, Ronaldinho was the last true embodiment of the beautiful game.
Ronaldinho— The One and Only premieres on Netflix on April 16, 2026. If the trailer is any indication, it will be well worth the wait.
