By walking on the football pitch he enchanted millions of spectators, both as a footballer and as an evangelical preacher. It’s the new life of Dani Alves, former Barcelona and Juventus full-backas well as the Brazilian national team, which after a troubled period has rediscovered its faith. After a glittering and successful career in Europe, in July 2022 he signed what will be his last contract as a professional footballer with Pumas UNAMa team from the Mexican top division. After only six months, however, the club decided to fire him. The motive behind this choice is linked to the Brazilian’s problems with the law, which in January 2023 he is arrested by the Catalan police on charges of sexual assault.
The facts date back to the night between 30 and 31 December 2022. In a nightclub in Barcelona, Dani Alves allegedly put his hands in a girl’s underwear without her consent. If at first the former Juventus footballer denied even knowing her, “I have never seen this woman in my life”, he declared, he subsequently modified his version, claiming that the girl was consenting.
The prosecutor’s office asked for 9 years for Dani Alves, but at the trial he was sentenced to serve 4 years and six months in prison. During his detention in Brians 2 prison, the former footballer finds a new light, that of faith. After 14 months, the bail of one million euros is paid which allows his release. In March 2025 the definitive turning point in the case arrived: the court accepted the appeal of Alves’ lawyers – and rejected the one presented by the Prosecutor’s Office – and acquitted himsince the testimony of the girl alone was not considered sufficient to undermine the assumption of innocence.
Since coming out of Brians 2, the former champion’s life changed thanks to the rediscovery of faith. In his cell he embraced the evangelical religion, becoming a preacher. After sharing the message of his beliefs in the Elim church in Girona, he was invited to participate in the event “The Change Madrid 2026” on May 2. During the day he spoke in front of 35 thousand people gathered at the Wanda Metropolitano, Atletico Madrid’s stadium.
During his speech he spoke openly about his fall and subsequent rebirth, explaining how sporting success is now a faded memory compared to the rediscovered spiritual fullness. «I know football stadiums well, the crowd no longer impresses me. What impresses me today is the power of the Lord that is felt here”, he declared emphatically, addressing a silent and involved audience.
Alves then addressed the topic of his identity, deeply marked by the months spent behind bars: «What I’m doing is not allowing Daniel to go back to being just Dani Alves. Dani Alves was lost, but Daniel was always found by Christ.” A passage that highlighted the desire to leave behind the image of the star to embrace that of the common man. Finally, he touched on the most delicate point of his recent past, namely the loss of status and wealth: «Your fame is not important, your money is not important. I lost everything, but in losing everything I found Christ Jesus, my only Savior.”
