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Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho is set to return to professional football, 11 years after his last competitive match and eight years after announcing his retirement.
The 46-year-old has joined Italian third-tier club Ravenna, which officially introduced him at a beach in the Italian city on Thursday. Despite the rain, around 6,000 fans attended the event, dubbed “Ronaldinho Day”. The 2002 World Cup winner posed with Ravenna’s No. 10 shirt.
Ronaldinho’s last professional appearance came in September 2015 for Brazilian club Fluminense. He officially announced his retirement in January 2018, although he continued to feature in exhibition matches and futsal games.
Speaking at his unveiling, Ronaldinho said he was delighted to be back in Italy and hoped to help his teammates win matches. However, he stopped short of confirming whether he would actually play, saying only the coach knew.
“I don’t know if I will play. Only the coach knows,” Ronaldinho said. “I’m here to help my teammates win.”
He also expressed his ambition to score the 300th goal of his career. According to Brazilian media and Globo, Ronaldinho has scored 299 goals in 787 matches, leaving him one short of the milestone.
Ronaldinho scored 33 goals for Brazil, while also finding the net 94 times for Barcelona and 24 times for AC Milan. He also played for Paris Saint-Germain, Atlético Mineiro, Grêmio and several other clubs.
Ravenna owner Ignazio Cipriani first revealed plans to bring Ronaldinho back to the club in June during the 2026 World Cup in Miami. Cipriani, who has owned the club since 2024, has also said Ronaldinho plans to acquire a stake in Ravenna.
Cipriani described the comeback as a “romantic” project aimed at giving Ronaldinho the chance to score the final goal of his career, insisting it was not merely a marketing stunt.
Ravenna finished third in Group B of Italy’s third tier last season and hopes to return to Serie B, where it last played in 2008.
The club will open its new season against Reggiana on Monday, but Ronaldinho is not expected to feature in the match, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.