On September 6, 2023, a post claiming that a footballer named Renaldo is Ronaldinho’s illegitimate daughter circulated online. The post suggested that Ronaldinho had visited South Africa in 2007 and had a relationship that resulted in the birth of Renaldo, who recently made her debut for the South African U21s.
However, this claim is entirely false. The footballer depicted in the post is actually Miche Minnies, a striker for the South African women’s football team Mamelodi Sundowns. Minnies, born on November 14, 2001, is 21 years old, not 16 as stated in the post. Her nickname is not Renaldo, but rather Big-name cracker, inspired by her goal-scoring abilities.
Minnies is not Ronaldinho’s daughter, and she was not raised by a single mother. Her father is David Minnies, a referee and football coach in Cape Town. Sadly, her mother passed away on July 31, 2021, and Minnies organized a fundraiser to cover the funeral expenses.
It’s important to note that there is no under-21 category for the South African women’s national team. Minnies participated in the women’s under-17 world championship in 2018 but is currently not part of any national team category.
Furthermore, in 2001, when Minnies was conceived, Ronaldinho did not play any friendly matches in South Africa with the Brazilian national team or his club team, Grêmio of Porto Alegre. During that time, Grêmio was involved in the Sul-Minas Cup and the Gaúcho Championship in Brazil. Ronaldinho later moved to Paris Saint-Germain in Europe in the summer of 2001.
In conclusion, the claim that Renaldo is Ronaldinho’s illegitimate daughter is entirely false, and the post circulating online is nothing more than fake news.
