TO BE honest, when we read in yesterday's Observerthat Ronaldinho arrived by helicopter in Rio last week for the launch of his new fashion range and was accompanied by 10 heavily armed guards and two models, and sported a t-shirt with a picture of the Virgin Mary wearing his number 10 shirt, we wondered if the reporter had consumed magic mushrooms for brekkie.

But, no, this was indeed an accurate description of the rather surreal scene, as photos in Globo Esporte proved.

We tried to imagine, say, the Republic of Ireland’s Glenn Whelan putting on a similar show, complete with the Virgin Mary t-shirt, but it was a struggle.

“I have vanity, yes. I’m vain,” said Ronaldinho, “but only within normal limits.” Of course.