Former Real Madrid Star Cicinho Breaks Silence on Battle With Alcohol, Confesses of Going to Training Drunk

• Cicinho, formerly of Real Madrid, has detailed his battle with alcoholism, which derailed his career as a professional footballer
• The Brazilian admits he regularly arrived for training with Madrid while still drunk and used to drink coffee and bathe in perfume to hide the smell of the alcohol
• He spent two years at the Bernabeu after completing a move from Brazilian side São Paulo in 2005, featuring 32 times for Real and clinching a La Liga winners' medal in 2007

Ex-Real Madrid and AS Roma full-back Cicinho has confessed about going to training drunk amid his battle with alcoholism.

Cicinho, 41, had his breakthrough at São Paulo before switching the Brazilian top-flight for mainstream Europe with varying degrees of success at Real Madrid, AS Roma and Sivasspor.

Despite his enormous potential, the Brazilian defender failed to reach the heights expected of him owing to a long-standing chronic abuse of alcohol.

Inter Milan players' wives and girlfriends in 2024 with photos

Football

"If you ask me if I've ever been to training drunk at Real: yes. And I drank coffee to remove the smell from my breath and bathed in perfume," he said on EPTV show Ressaca as quoted by GOAL.

"Speaking of my profession, as a former professional football player, it was easy, I didn't need money to get [drink]. People were happy to give you everything in restaurants."

After spending two years in Madrid, the ex-Brazil international completed a move to AS Roma but his addiction to alcohol could not be curtailed despite the change in environment.

"Started drinking after training. I did the physiotherapy work, came home around 2 p.m., 2.30 p.m. and only stopped drinking at 4 a.m.," he said.

"Every time I arrived at Roma drunk, the leaders saw it and that made me fall into disrepute."

Real Madrid players' wives and girlfriends in 2024 with pictures

Football

The ex-right-back says he started drinking in his early teenage years and did not stop as he discussed the effect the issue had on his life.

Cicinho further disclosed he tasted alcohol as a teenager and never looked back after his first encounter.

"At 13 years old, when I tasted alcohol for the first time, I never stopped," he said.

"I lived in the countryside, in Pradopolis, close to Ribeirao Preto, and on weekends we gathered friends and used to go out in the squares, to the clubs.

"There was a bar nearby because I was a minor, I tried to hide it, I asked whoever was older to buy it and I kept drinking hidden from my parents, the police."

UK government lifts ban on drinking alcohol at stadiums

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that National League and League Two fans will now be allowed to consume alcohol during matches for the first time in 36 years, Sports Bible.

Chelsea players' wives and girlfriends in 2024 with pictures

Football

Football-loving fans were banned from consuming alcohol within sight of the pitch in 1985 due to hooliganism.

However, other sports like cricket and rugby do not have such restrictions in the United Kingdom as fans can drink alcohol from their seats.