Dani Alves Found Not Guilty of Rape, Yet Left With Broken Career and Family
Former Barcelona and Brazil football legend Dani Alves has been found not guilty of rape after spending more than a year behind bars. The High Court of Justice of Catalonia overturned his February 2024 conviction, ruling that the evidence against him was inconsistent and unreliable.
The 41-year-old defender, once worth over $60 million, was accused of raping a woman in a Barcelona nightclub bathroom in December 2022. Convicted under Spain’s strict consent laws, Alves was sentenced to four and a half years in prison and ordered to pay €150,000 in damages. He served 839 days in Brians 2 prison before his appeal was heard.
Why the Court Overturned the Conviction
On March 28, 2025, judges unanimously acquitted Alves, pointing to:
Contradictions in the accuser’s testimony
Flaws and inaccuracies in the prosecution’s evidence
Lack of corroborating proof to sustain a guilty verdict
The ruling declared that the conviction could not stand on such grounds, and Alves walked free immediately.
Career and Personal Fallout
Despite his acquittal, Alves’s life has been permanently altered:
Sponsors cut ties – Puma and others ended partnerships, costing him millions.
Legal battles – Mexican club Pumas UNAM filed a $2.2 million lawsuit against him.
Broken marriage – His wife, Joana Sanz, filed for divorce in 2024.
Lost Legacy – Once the most decorated footballer in history, his reputation has been severely tarnished.
The Bigger Picture
The case has reignited debate over Spain’s sexual consent laws and the presumption of innocence. While Dani Alves has finally been cleared, the accuser—whose identity remains protected—faces no charges for making an unproven claim.
For Alves, the acquittal marks both vindication and tragedy. His freedom has been restored, but the cost was immense: lost fortune, lost family, and a legacy overshadowed by years of controversy.
