Ronaldinho Returns at 46 with Italy's Ravenna; What's His Goal?

5 hours ago 2

August 21, 2026 | 10:50 am

Indonesian designer Liv Bolung poses with Ronaldinho wearing the Brazil national team's away jersey for the 2026 World Cup. Doc. Istimewa.

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Brazilian football icon Ronaldinho has officially arrived in Italy to join third-tier club Ravenna, marking a surprise return to the sport at 46 years old, more than a decade after retiring.

According to ESPN, the former World Cup and Ballon d'Or winner arrived on Thursday via private jet at Forlì Airport before undergoing medical tests. Later that day, approximately 6,000 fans gathered in the rain at Marina di Ravenna for "Ronaldinho Day" to witness the former Barcelona and AC Milan playmaker introduced as the club's new number 10 alongside the rest of the squad.

In addition, Ronaldinho is also becoming a shareholder in the Serie C side, as reported by The Guardian. Ravenna President Ignazio Cipriani, who signed the Brazilian through their personal connection, emphasized that the move goes beyond promotion.

"His involvement is not a token gesture or a marketing stunt to get people talking about us," Cipriani told BBC, adding that his dream is to see Ronaldinho score his final career goal in Ravenna's yellow-and-red jersey.

Ronaldinho told the press that his decision was driven by personal relationships and a shared passion for the game. "I'm very happy to be here with friends, we have a team that can do something good," he said, as quoted by BBC. He added, "I'm in shape, I feel good... If I could score my 300th goal, that would be even more beautiful."

However, Ronaldinho will not feature in Ravenna's Serie C season opener against Reggiana on Monday as his playing time will depend on the team's leadership. "Whether I will actually play will be decided by the president and the coach," Ronaldinho told The Guardian.

Ravenna, which finished third in Group B last season, aims to secure promotion to Serie B for the first time since 2008.

Read: Messi Retirement Hint Highlights Football Era Nearing an End

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News

Ronaldinho Arrives in Jakarta

24 Juni 2022