Brazil legend Romário had affair with transexual for one year

December 21, 2013 • • min read

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Brazil legend Romário had affair with transexual for one year

Brazilian model and influencer Thalita Zampirolli has alleged she was in a year-long relationship with football legend Romário, contradicting his public denial of any romantic involvement.

The claims surfaced after a photograph emerged showing the former Barcelona star leaving a concert by Brazilian singer Luan Santana alongside Zampirolli last week.

Whilst Romário took to Facebook to dismiss rumours, describing Zampirolli as "just a good friend," she has now spoken out in an interview with Brazilian newspaper Extra, offering a different version of events.

Key takeaways

Thalita Zampirolli claims a year-long affair with Romário.
Romário publicly denies any romantic relationship.
Photo of pair leaving Luan Santana concert sparked rumours.
Zampirolli says she tried contacting Romário after leak.
Story has drawn widespread media attention in Brazil.

What Thalita Zampirolli said

In her interview, Zampirolli stated that she and the 1994 World Cup winner had been romantically involved for around a year.

We did have relations, yes. We had an affair for one year but he didn't know about my sex change then.

She added that she identifies fully as a woman and does not feel obliged to justify herself publicly.

I'm a woman and Romário stayed with me knowing this, and I don't have to go around explaining myself to everyone.

Zampirolli also claimed she attempted to contact the former striker after media reports began circulating but did not receive a response.

When the news leaked, I contacted him for help, but he did not answer me or gave me a chance to explain myself. He thinks I lied to him.

Romário is a very good person and I don't want to hurt him, but I can't lie about what happened.

Romário's response

Romário, one of Brazil's most celebrated footballers, publicly denied the allegations via social media, stating that the pair are merely friends.

The 58-year-old is widely regarded as one of the greatest strikers in football history, having played for clubs including PSV Eindhoven and Barcelona, and winning the 1994 FIFA World Cup with Brazil.

As of now, he has not issued any further public comment addressing Zampirolli's detailed claims.

Media and public reaction

The story has generated widespread coverage across Brazilian media, fuelling debate on social networks and entertainment platforms.

Public interest intensified after the image of the pair leaving the Luan Santana concert was published, prompting speculation about the nature of their relationship.

Neither party has indicated whether further statements will be made.

Below is a collection of Thalita Zampirolli photos.