Ronaldinho’s comeback with Ravenna at 46 set for next month at Forli

What the report says

Brazilian football great Ronaldinho is set to make a competitive comeback next month for Italian third-tier club Ravenna, according to Al Jazeera’s report based on a Reuters dispatch. The club announced that the 46-year-old former Barcelona and AC Milan forward will be available for a derby match against Forli on November 15 at Ravenna’s Stadio Bruno Benelli.

Ronaldinho, who won the 2002 World Cup with Brazil and the 2005 Ballon d’Or, last played competitively for Fluminense in 2015 and officially retired in 2018. Ravenna signed him in June, and the club later said he had also taken a stake in the team. The article notes that Ravenna is owned by his friend Ignazio Cipriani.

Cipriani said the arrangement was meant to help connect the city more closely with the club. Ronaldinho had previously left open the possibility of returning to action when he arrived in Italy in August, though he did not then confirm he would play. He also said he was in Italy “to help,” according to the report.

The return comes as Ravenna sit second in Serie C Group B with 20 points from 10 matches, eight points behind leaders Spezia. The development is notable because it would place one of football’s most recognizable former stars back in a competitive match after more than a decade away from the professional game.