REUTERS/Pedro Nunes
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most famous footballers in history, meaning anyone in his orbit will naturally draw attention just by being around the Manchester United and Real Madrid icon.
That's exactly what happened when pictures of Ronaldo with Badr Hari went viral in 2015. Hari, a Moroccan kickboxer and Mixed Martial Artist, posted images alongside the footballer near a swimming pool on his Instagram.
It was reported at the time that Ronaldo would frequently travel to Morocco to visit his acquaintance. But what has happened to Hari in the 10+ years since?
Badr Hari's Kickboxing Career Ended in 2026
Badr Hari on Instagram
Hari, who is now 41 (the same age as Ronaldo), originally fought under the flag of his birth country. He was born in the Netherlands but switched allegiances to Morocco early in his kickboxing career.
He is a big name in the kickboxing world, having won 106 out of his 126 fights, winning several major championships along the way. While he was highly successful in his field, 'The Golden Boy' was accused of 'unsportsmanlike conduct', leading to two disqualifications.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
The 6'6" athlete admitted he can be explosive and aggressive, saying in 2016 (per The Mirror): "I am able to explode at any moment.
"When my brakes are off. It's just one big clump of explosion, chaos and noise, and I become blind to it all... A storm, a hurricane, a disaster.
"There just is a certain aggression inside of me, of which I don't know what to do with, nor where it comes from."
His intimidating physique and size allowed Hari to act as a bodyguard for Ronaldo whenever they were flocked by fans in Morocco.
In 2026, Hari essentially confirmed the end of his kickboxing career. His last bout came in 2023 when he lost to Uku Jurjendal by technical knockout.
Legal Troubles Have Followed Him
REUTERS/Piroschka Van De Wouw
Hari has been in legal trouble more than once. In 2025, he was arrested in connection with an alleged assault on Daphne Romani, his former partner.
According to LowKickMMA, the arrest was in relation to two separate incidents, and Hari was given 24 hours of community service and banned from contacting the alleged victim for one year.
greatest players-1
greatest players-1
That wasn't his first time in trouble with the law. He was sentenced to a two-year prison sentence, with 10 months suspended, in 2015 after an assault on businessman Koen Everink.
Amid other brushes with the law, some that stretch back to 2006, Hari was arrested again in September 2026 at Van Leijenberghlaan in Amsterdam, according to De Telegraaf. Dutch police kept details vague, but confirmed a man had been taken into custody over threatening behaviour and insult.