Cicinho joined Real Madrid from Sao Paulo FC at the age of 25, where he played alongside David Beckham, Roberto Carlos, Raúl and Zinedine Zidane. As the Brazilian now admits in an interview, he suffered from massive alcohol addiction for a long time.
Cicinho was signed by Real Madrid in 2006 and became part of the “Galactics”, as the royal star troupe of Beckham, Roberto Carlos, Zidane, Raúl and Ronaldo were once dubbed.
The Brazilian then moved to AS Roma and FC Villarreal, among others. He ended his career in 2018 in his home country with FC Brazil.
Now, four years after the end of his professional career, the now 41-year-old admits to having suffered from massive alcohol addiction for a long time.
“Sometimes I even came to Real Madrid training drunk,” reveals the former right-back in an interview with the Brazilian television channel EPTV.
“I drank about ten beers a day. I started drinking when I was thirteen when I went to Botafogo. They said beer was good, so I drank. It all started with the first sip. I didn’t stop until I was 30. I’ve been drinking for almost 20 years.”
He also smoked cigarettes. “I smoked for eleven years. From 1999 to 2010. I only smoked when I was drinking. But look when I’ve been drinking: all day.”
In order to keep his addiction a secret, Cicinho reports that he always covered the smell of alcohol and cigarettes with fresh coffee and plenty of perfume.
The ex-Real player has now overcome his alcohol addiction, and he did so with the help of his wife. Today, he speaks openly about his past problems so that other people don’t make the same mistakes that once plagued him.
Short, compact, clear
