AFP

Rio De Janeiro, Apr 30: Ronaldo had the shock of his life last night when he discovered a prostitute he'd picked up was in fact a transvestite who then allegedly tried to bribe him out of 30,000 dollars for keeping mum about the incident.

The three time world Footballer of the Year, recovering in Brazil after knee surgery in February, was out and about in Rio to watch his beloved club Flamengo at the Maracana stadium.

At dawn, after dropping his girlfriend off at her house, the 31-year-old AC Milan striker picked up a prostitute and took her to a nearby motel.

But it then became clear to Ronaldo that the prostitute, Andreia Albertine, was in fact Andre Luiz Ribeiro Albertino, a 21-year-old transvestite.

When the 2002 World Cup winner realised his mistake he reportedly threatened to hit Andreia who accused him of asking her to buy him drugs, according to local press reports quoting the prostitute.

Andreia videoed the footballer emerging from the motel on her mobile phone's camera.

Ronaldo, according to Rio police superintendent Carlos Augusto Nogueira, "reported that Andreia had taken his car documents and demanded 30,000 dollars".

Nogueira added: "Ronaldo admits the facts. He said he just wanted to amuse himself, that's not a crime. To pay to have sexual relations isn't illegal.

"There's a strong chance that Ronaldo has been the victim of extortion."

The police superintendent added that he found Andreia's attitude in running out of the police station without giving her account of the incident "very strange".