His smile and his joie de vivre have forever left their mark on the world of football! His talent, his technical skills, his magical dribbling, his spectacular virtuosity, his zest for life on the field and off. What a fabulous player! A living legend in the history of Brazilian football and one of the most successful players ever in global football.
For years he has been courted, and always he said no to the watchmaking industry. Not a single project appealed to him, not one captured his imagination. It would take the story of two men to change that.
It was his meeting with Calim Bouhadra that proved decisive. That and the creation of the “Father & Son” project. A watch for the father. A watch for the son. Two timepieces, imagined in close concert with Ronaldinho, in a dialogue with each other.
Ronaldinho x Calim Bouhadra. The two men get on wonderfully, sharing the same tastes, for joie de vivre, sports, achievements, team spirit and family values. All of these aspects are reflected in the ethos of Rebellion Timepieces, which occupies a unique position in the watchmaking industry. Founded in 2007 by Alexandre Pesci, Rebellion Timepieces is unlike any other brand. Closely linked to the Rebellion Racing team, both were born on the racetrack, driven by a passion for motorsport, a drive for mechanical perfection, innovation, independence, performance, design, and a ‘no compromises’ attitude that continues to guide their development day after day.
A story of men, a story of friendship and family. The joy of living, the happiness of being together.
This weekend, at the invitation of the entire Rebellion Timepieces team, Ronaldinho came to Switzerland to imagine and collaborate on the designs and functions of a future watch for himself as well as on one for his son Joao Mendes, who is following in his father’s footsteps and has just signed with FC Barcelona, a club dear to Ronaldinho’s heart, also a family affair.
Ronaldinho said: “I had a wonderful time with my friend Calim and his team who gave me a warm welcome in Switzerland this weekend. I was particularly touched by the great care the team at Rebellion has put into creating these two watches, my son’s and mine, which we will be presenting together soon. It is a joy to be part of the Rebellion Timepieces team and I am already looking forward to my role as an ambassador for the brand worldwide.”
Calim Bouhadra, CEO of Rebellion Timepieces, added: “It’s truly a dream, the story of a growing friendship between us. He’s the coolest and even with his full schedule, he still has that magical smile, is always available for his friends, and that desire to get involved and share beautiful moments of bonding that do us proud.”
Ronaldinho titles and trophies aplenty
Jersey #10. World Champion in 2002 with the Brazilian team, elected FIFA World Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005, FIFA Ballon d’Or (Golden Ball) in 2005, FIFPRO Best Player in 2005 and 2006, Bola de Oura (Brazilian Golden Ball) in 2012, Player of the Decade in 2009… the list of titles is impressive! Adulated by the Socios of FC Barcelona, a club with which he has won several titles, including the trifecta in 2006 by winning the Spanish Championship, the Spanish SuperCup and the Champions League. After five seasons with Barcelona, Ronaldinho joined AC Milan where he was crowned Italian champion in 2011. In 2013, he won the Copa Libertadores with Atletico Mineiro, making him a unique record- holder in the world. Ronaldinho officially retired from professional football on 16 January 2018.
