Cicinho on Roma years: alcohol battle, Bruno Conti's support, and hopes for his son
Club News·16 May 2026·8h ago

Cicinho on Roma years: alcohol battle, Bruno Conti's support, and hopes for his son

Source: Forza Roma

Cicinho, the Brazilian defender who played for AS Roma from 2007 to 2010, has opened up about his struggle with alcohol addiction during and after his time at the club. In an interview, he revealed that his drinking problem escalated significantly when he moved to Botafogo in 2001, consuming up to 20 beers and 10 caipirinhas daily. He managed to hide the issue for years, arriving at training hungover and using coffee and cigarettes to mask the smell. Despite the severity of his condition, even coach Capello did not suspect anything.

Cicinho credits his transfer to Roma in 2007 to Doni, who arranged a video call with Francesco Totti that convinced him to join. Initially, he regulated his behaviour under coach Spalletti, but after suffering a knee injury in 2009, his drinking worsened alongside depression. Bruno Conti, the Roma legend, played a crucial role in trying to help him, regularly speaking to him with affection about reducing partying and increasing focus on training. Cicinho expressed deep attachment to Roma, saying he hopes his five-year-old son Emanuel will one day play for the club.

Today, at 33 years old and sober for 14 years, Cicinho works as an evangelical pastor and television pundit. He has reflected on a moment during his Roma days when Rosella Sensi entered the dressing room angry after a defeat and accused the team of lacking character, leading to tension with Gabriel Heinze over captaincy dynamics.

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Testo Originale / Source Text

Machine-scraped Italian — paste into Google Translate for a full read.

Le parole del brasiliano: "A Roma sono legatissimo. Spero che mio figlio possa giocarci un giorno. Oggi sono un pastore" Redazione 16 maggio - 10:33 Di Bruno non ce n'è più neanche uno Cicinho si è raccontato in una lunga intervista a La Gazzetta dello Sport, in cui ha ripercorso i passi della sua carriera e i problemi legati all'abuso di alcol. Oggi il brasiliano ha iniziato un percorso come pastore evangelico e fa l'opinionista in Tv dopo essere uscito dalla dipendenza da 14 anni. Ecco le sue parole. "Iniziai a bere a 13 anni a una festa, me ne sono innamorato. Vivevo il calcio così: guadagnare soldi per divertirmi. Ho 33 tatuaggi, ma soltanto otto li ho fatti da sobrio" Come si è avvicinato alla religione? “Grazie a mia moglie Marry. A Roma mi portò per la prima volta in chiesa. Oggi faccio i culti, parlo della storia di Gesù e l’anno prossimo celebrerò anche il matrimonio di due amici brasiliani in Italia. Credo molto in Dio: ti aiuta a purificarti dal male”. Quand’è che ha perso il controllo? "Quando andai al Botafogo, nel 2001. Lì bevevo venti birre e dieci caipirinha al giorno. A 17 anni iniziai anche a fumare sigarette. Ma io il calcio lo vivevo così: volevo arrivare in alto, guadagnare tanti soldi e divertirmi. Quando sono arrivato al San Paolo e poi in nazionale pensavo di aver già ottenuto tutto”. Nessuno si accorse di questa sua dipendenza? “Stavo sempre a casa. Andavo a letto alle quattro del mattino e alle otto ero all’allenamento ubriaco. Prima di uscire bevevo tre o quattro caffè e mangiavo un pacchetto di cicche per coprire l’odore dell’alcol. E in campo andavo pure forte. Nemmeno Capello sospettava qualcosa”. Come nasce invece il trasferimento alla Roma nel 2007? “Grazie a Doni. Fece una videochiamata Skype con Totti che mi disse: “Guarda che i Galacticos siamo noi”. Mi convinse subito. E poi Roma aveva già avuto tanti brasiliani importanti come Cafu, Aldair e Zago”. Nella Capitale si è dato una regolata? “All’inizio sì. Con Spalletti mi trovavo benissimo e giocavo tanto. Poi nel 2009 mi ruppi di nuovo il ginocchio e ricominciai a esagerare. Lì ho capito che soffrivo di depressione, anche se all’epoca non volevo ammetterllo" Però qualcuno cercò di darle una mano. “Bruno Conti soprattutto. Mi parlava sempre con affetto: 'Cicinho, meno feste e più allenamento'. Anche Pradè mi stava addosso. A Roma sono legatissimo. Spero che un giorno mio figlio Emanuel ci possa giocare. Ha 5 anni e vuole diventare professionista”. Un segreto da rivelare negli anni di Roma? “Una volta Rosella Sensi entrò furiosa nello spogliatoio dopo una sconfitta e disse che non avevamo carattere. Heinze voleva che Totti reagisse, ma Francesco gli disse: 'Aò, stai sereno, lo stipendio arriva lo stesso'. Heinze rispose: 'Tu non puoi fare il capitano'. Da quel momento l’argentino non vide più il campo”. © RIPRODUZIONE RISERVATA Commenta Continua la lettura Commenti Invia Commento Tutti Leggi altri commenti

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