Ex-Chelsea striker Alexandre Pato’s marriage with actress wife broke down due to his constant partying with Ronaldinho

ALEXANDRE PATO’S first marriage broke down after just nine months because he was partying too much with Ronaldinho.

The former AC Milan and Chelsea striker was once considered the next big thing after bursting onto the world stage as a teenager.

Ronaldinho and Pato became big drinking buddies during their time together with AC Milan

Still only 30, Pato is now back playing in his native Brazil for Sao Paolo after two years in China and has not played for the national team since 2013.

His career has been blighted by injury and a drastic loss of form – as well as a perception that he lived too much of a party boy lifestyle.

It was his drinking and clubbing that ended his first marriage.

Dubbed the Posh and Becks of Brazil, Pato had been in an on-off engagement with actress and model Sthefany Brito – whom he had met at a photoshoot – for two years before they finally tied the knot.

They pair had a lavish, star-studded bash at the five-star Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro in 2009.

The ceremony costing an eye-watering £170,000 with Pato and Brito even dressed in matching white Dolce & Gabbana outfits.

But less than a year later the wedding ended in acrimonious fashion, with Brito telling the Brazilian press they split because she couldn’t handle his wild partying.

There would be further drama, with Brito also attempting to get the striker sent to prison after he stopped paying maintenance money following the divorce.

Pato once revealed that the AC Milan dressing room was split between the party animals – lead first by Ronaldo and then Roanldinho – and the religious group, lead by Kaka.

He revealed in 2016: “When I arrived in Milan I found myself surrounded by many fantastic footballers.

“In the changing room I was sat between Ronaldo and [Paolo] Maldini, and opposite Kaka. One of the first things I remember is when Ronaldo showed me a Playboy magazine.

“He asked me if I wanted to be in his group or if I would prefer to go with Kaka  – and made religious symbols at me.”

Ronaldinho arrived a year after Pato, and after Ronaldo had left, but the pair became famous drinking buddies and each enjoyed a string of high-profile girlfriends.

After splitting from Brito, Pato went on to date Barbara Berlusconi – the daughter of then-AC Milan owner and Italian Prime Minister Silvio.

Once the world’s best player, Ronaldinho has been involved in a fake passport scam and endured a month of jail time in the last year.

But now 40, the Brazil legend – who is still under house arrest at a hotel in Paraguay – wants to make a return to football with Diego Maradona’s Gimnasia.