Nelson Ribeiro Fonseca Junior, a 34-year-old Brazilian man, has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for stealing a football autographed by Neymar from Brazil’s Congress during the January 2023 riots led by supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro.
The Supreme Court handed down the sentence on Monday, finding Ribeiro guilty of multiple charges including armed criminal association, violent abolition of democratic rule of law, and attempted coup.
The riots, which occurred a week after President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s inauguration, saw thousands storm the country’s key democratic institutions—Congress, the Supreme Court, and the presidential palace—demanding the military remove Lula from power.
The stolen football, a gift to the Chamber of Deputies in 2012 from Neymar’s former club Santos, was on public display when Ribeiro took it. Although he later turned it in to police 20 days after the incident, he admitted to taking it. His defense argued that he picked up the ball off the floor in an effort to “protect” it.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes, presiding over the case, dismissed the defense’s claim, emphasizing that Ribeiro had actively participated in the invasion and destruction of government property. Moraes described the football as a “public good belonging to the public heritage” of Brazil.
Ribeiro is one of over 500 individuals convicted for their involvement in the January 8 insurrection. The event has been widely condemned as an attempt to overturn Brazil’s democratic process.
While Bolsonaro was in the United States during the attack, he faces ongoing trial in Brazil for allegedly plotting to overturn the election results if defeated. Prosecutors claim his plan failed due to a lack of support from the military. Bolsonaro has denied any wrongdoing.
What You Should Know
- Nelson Ribeiro Fonseca Junior was sentenced to 17 years on June 30, 2025, for stealing a Neymar-autographed football and coup-related charges during the 2023 Brasília riots.
- The ball, a 2012 gift from Santos to Congress, was deemed a public heritage item by Justice Alexandre de Moraes.
- Over 500 people have been convicted for the January 8, 2023, riots by Bolsonaro supporters protesting Lula’s election victory.
- Bolsonaro, accused of orchestrating a coup plot, is on trial but denies involvement, with prosecutors noting the plot’s failure due to lack of military backing.
- The riots targeted Brazil’s Congress, Supreme Court, and presidential palace, aiming to disrupt Lula’s presidency.
