Once praised by Ronaldo, now a porn actor: ex-Chelsea player Fábio Paim charged with rape

Fábio Paim's extraordinary story has taken an extremely serious turn.

Details: Portuguese media report that the Public Prosecution Service has charged 38-year-old former footballer Fábio Paim with rape, criminal damage and violation of domicile. The case concerns an alleged incident involving a university student in Faro, with the trial scheduled to begin on November 18, 2026.

• Also read: Everton vs Newcastle: a knockout cup battle! Who will reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals?

According to the prosecution account reported in Portugal, the events date back to the early hours of April 20, 2023. Paim is alleged to have forced his way into an apartment shared by university students. A woman who was around 20 at the time reportedly confronted him after noticing that he was trying to enter one of the rooms. Prosecutors allege that she was then assaulted before the alleged rape.

Investigators later examined biological traces found on the complainant's clothing, which Portuguese reports say were compatible with Paim's DNA profile. Witness statements were also gathered during the investigation. Paim was questioned by the Portuguese Judicial Police and formally made a suspect. The allegations remain subject to court proceedings, and the charges do not establish his guilt.

Paim was once regarded as one of Sporting CP's brightest academy prospects and grew up in the same system as Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo famously spoke in glowing terms about his former academy teammate's ability, suggesting that supporters should pay close attention to Paim. Sporting's official records show that Paim was loaned to Chelsea in August 2008, although his stay in London proved brief.

His life after football also attracted major attention. In September 2024, Portuguese outlet A Bola reported that Paim had appeared in an adult film, a move he later discussed publicly. It is worth noting that despite the enormous expectations surrounding him as a youngster, Paim never made a competitive first-team appearance for Chelsea and represented only the club's reserves during his loan spell.

Reminder: Unexpected truce in the camp. Cristiano Ronaldo returns to Portugal squad