RONALDINHO JOINS RAVENNA AT 46 AS SHAREHOLDER

Ronaldinho announced a return to football at the age of 46, joining Italian third-tier club Ravenna as a shareholder. The former Brazil international, who retired from professional football in September 2015 after his final match for Fluminense, made the announcement at an event at a city beach on Thursday. Thousands of supporters attended "Ronaldinho Day" despite heavy rain. Ronaldinho said he hoped to help his teammates win and expressed a desire to score his 300th career goal, though he acknowledged that only the coach would decide whether he plays.

Ravenna owner Ignazio Cipriani, who has owned the club since 2024, first announced Ronaldinho's comeback in June while attending the World Cup in Miami. Cipriani described Ronaldinho's objective as "romantic, to try to score his last goal" and stated his involvement was not "a token gesture or a marketing stunt". Cipriani confirmed that Ronaldinho would not feature in Ravenna's Serie C season opener against Reggiana on Monday. Ronaldinho's career included winning the 2002 World Cup, where he scored the winning goal in the quarter-final against England, and the Ballon d'Or in 2005. He played for Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and AC Milan during his professional career.

Ravenna finished third in Group B of Italy's third tier last season and are seeking promotion to Serie B, where they have not competed since 2008. The club's attempt to secure Ronaldinho's involvement represents a significant investment in the side's prospects for the coming campaign. His exact playing schedule remains uncertain, with Ronaldinho deferring to the coaching staff on selection decisions.