Ricardo Prasel’s incredible journey from Chelsea goalkeeper to MMA fighter

Ricardo Prasel probably isn’t a name that most football fans are familiar with.

However, a host of Chelsea legends including Didier Drogba and Michael Ballack will certainly remember the former Brazilian goalkeeper.

Prasel began his promising career with Athletico Paranaense before moving to Clube Atlético Juventus. Then, when he was 18 years old, he was signed by Chelsea.

Although Prasel never managed to make a first-team appearance for the Blues, he still got to experience what it was like training alongside elite-level players including Petr Cech, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole.

”Even if not for a long time, stepping a foot on the Chelsea field and seeing so many stars was a dream come true,” he told MMA Fighting in 2018.

Drogba and Ballack would often call on the South American when they wanted to practice their free-kicks after training had finished.

El que está a la derecha de Michael Ballack es Ricardo Prasel.Tercer portero del Chelsea en 2009.La segunda foto es él ahora: va a competir en una liga de MMA. pic.twitter.com/1oVCr5AKNq

“Drogba was f***ing unbealivable, man,” Prasel aded. “I didn’t go to the games with the professionals because I was the third goalkeeper — Cech and [Henrique] Hilario went to the games.

“But I played with them every day, because after training they wanted to practice shootout free kicks, and I had to be there to try to defend it.

“Thirty minutes every day, Drogba and Ballack shooting free kicks. My God, they didn’t miss one [laughs]. It was incredible.”

Chelsea, lesão e MMA: Ricardo Prasel mira UFC numa história de reinvenção https://t.co/vnrofhnB5U pic.twitter.com/xKtYF1Q87U

The two-metre-tall shot-stopper was loaned to Belgian side RFC Liege but a hip injury sadly forced him to hang up