Robinho speaks from prison for the first time since conviction
Former footballer Robson de Souza, known internationally as Robinho, has appeared in his first recorded interview from prison since beginning a nine-year sentence in Brazil following his conviction for sexual assault in Italy, reports BritPanorama.
The 41-year-old has been incarcerated at Dr José Augusto Cesar Salgado Prison in Tremembé, São Paulo state, since March 2024. He spoke to a non-profit organisation focused on prisoner rehabilitation, giving insight into his daily life behind bars.
The footage, authorized by the institution, included limited visuals of the facility and showed the former Manchester City and Real Madrid forward appearing calm and composed. In the video, Robinho described daily routines, stating, “My meals and sleeping hours are the same as the other inmates,” and emphasized he had never received special treatment.
“When it is time to work, I do everything that everyone else does. When we want to play football, we can do so on Sundays when there is no work,” he added, noting that family visits occur on weekends.
Robinho dismissed reports suggesting he holds any leadership position within the prison or suffers from mental health issues. “I have never had that, I have never needed medication,” he said. “The goal here is to re-educate and re-socialise those who have made mistakes. The guards are in charge. I am not different because I was a footballer.”
As the interview progressed, it coincided with reports that Robinho had requested a transfer to another facility, a request reportedly declined by a judge who mandated any such petition to first be made to prison authorities. His legal team proposed three alternative prisons within São Paulo state, likely in connection to changes in Tremembé’s management, which is set to convert it into a more open system allowing inmates to work outside during the day.
This sentence stems from Robinho’s conviction for a 2013 sexual assault of a woman in Milan. Brazil’s Supreme Court ruled in early 2024 that the conviction would be recognized domestically, requiring the former player to serve his sentence in Brazil. Since entering custody, he has apparently engaged in educational and rehabilitation programs, including reading groups and basic electronics classes.
Football remains a significant part of life in prison, with matches organized among inmates once or twice a week. The assault conviction continues to cast a shadow over Robinho’s legacy, drawing engagement from various sectors of society, and serves as a serious reminder of the complex intersection of celebrity and accountability in both sports and justice.
