Ronaldinho returns to professional football at age 46 with Italian club Ravenna
Football history is set to be written on Sunday afternoon at the Stadio Comunale Bruno Benelli as Brazilian legend Ronaldinho prepares to make a sensational return to professional football at the age of 46. The 2005 Ballon d'Or winner is slated to start in Ravenna's line-up for their Italian Serie C Group B fixture against Forlì. Wearing the iconic number 10 shirt, the playmaker is poised to step onto the pitch for his first competitive appearance in over 11 years, having last played professionally for Brazilian club Fluminense in September 2015. The remarkable comeback follows his summer involvement with Ravenna, where he joined the third-division club not only as part of their ambitious institutional project as a shareholder and ambassador, but with the clear competitive intention of lacing up his boots once more.
Chasing a Landmark 300th Career Goal
Beyond the sheer spectacle of seeing the World Cup winner back in competitive action, Sunday's fixture carries a significant statistical milestone. Ronaldinho enters the match sitting on 299 career goals since his retirement a decade prior. Taking his place in a projected attacking unit under manager Andrea Mandorlini, the veteran icon stands just one strike away from reaching the coveted 300-goal landmark for his illustrious career. Teammate Simone Rabbi also confirmed in a pre-match remark that the Brazilian icon has been designated on penalty duties for Ravenna, maximising his chances of etching another historic milestone into his legendary CV as the team fights near the top of the Serie C table.
Captivating the Global Football Community
The fixture has drawn staggering global attention to Italy's third tier, transforming a standard league match into a worldwide event. According to OneFootball and Sky Sport Italia, official broadcast arrangements span multiple continents, with live coverage provided by Sky Sport in Italy, CBS Sports Golazo Network and Paramount+ in the United States, and free-to-air streaming platforms like OneFootball and YouTube. Ravenna president Ignazio Cipriani previously emphasised to sports media that the comeback was born out of a genuine romantic objective rather than a simple marketing gimmick, giving supporters a rare opportunity to witness a true maestro grace the turf once again.