The shattered life of a former top scorer: drugs leave him sleeping in a tent on São Paulo streets

Régis Pitbull once wore the shirts of Corinthians, Vasco and Ponte Preta. Now, at 49, the former Brazilian striker sleeps under tarpaulins, blankets and cardboard in a market in Pirituba, northern São Paulo, while battling a severe crack addiction.

He has lived there for about two months after losing his home and much of the support of people close to him. Residents help him get by, and a nearby restaurant gives him food every day. He also uses the restaurant to go to the bathroom and charge his phone.

His drug use began while he was still a professional footballer. He was suspended twice after testing positive for marijuana, returned to the field each time, and saw his problems worsen after ending his career in 2012. In 2022, he entered a rehabilitation center, but relapsed less than a month after leaving. People close to him continue trying to persuade him to accept treatment, but he says he first needs a job to rebuild his life.

Régis still owns an apartment, although he no longer lives there. Unpaid maintenance charges and taxes have led to legal action, putting his last property at risk. He was arrested in 2025 after assaulting the building’s administrator and later wore an electronic monitoring bracelet for several months.

He has two children, and his father and brothers are still alive. His mother died several years ago without seeing him overcome the addiction that transformed his life. When journalists met him, he was struggling to repair a puncture on his bicycle. “I don’t want anyone to know that I exist. If people think I’m dead, that’s better. I’m not someone to feel sorry for. I used to drive a BMW, and I also had a Dakota pickup truck. Once I went to a restaurant to eat a top-quality rib, and they wouldn’t even let me pay,” he said.

“

I don’t want anyone to know that I exist. If people think I’m dead, that’s better. I’m not someone to feel sorry for. I used to drive a BMW, and I also had a Dakota pickup truck. Once I went to a restaurant to eat a top-quality rib, and they wouldn’t even let me pay.