Cicinho on alcoholism: "I have to drink until I fall over"
The former Real Madrid and Brazil full back spoke to ESPN about his battle against addiction and the current state of the Canarinha.
Former Real Madrid and Roma player Cicinho has spoken about his battle with alcoholism in an interview with ESPN Brasil. The 36-year-old full back, currently at Turkish side Sivasspor, said during the television interview, which will be broadcast in full on Tuesday July 19: “I’m the type of person who can’t just have one or two drinks, I have to drink until I fall over.” Cicinho added that the more negative turns his career took over the years, “the more I drank.”
"Meeting with Jesus"
“They told me: ‘If you carry on living like this, you’re going to die.’ I smoked two packets of cigarettes a day… how was I going to run around for 90 minutes?” The former Real player also revealed he had a divine encounter after a particularly heavy session. “I had a meeting with Jesus after drinking 18 caipirinhas and 14 beers.”
Cicinho said he had told psychologists at Sao Paulo about his addiction in 2010.
"They're worried about their hair"
The former Brazil international also reserved some stinging words of rebuke for the current Canarinha side during the interview. “These days they only care about taking selfies, bloody hell! They’re worried about their hair and that sort of thing. It’s style, it’s fine but Brazil need more attitude. Players today ask to be left out of the Copa América, that can’t be right!”