Ronaldinho seeks 300th goal with comeback aged 46

What the report says

Brazil great Ronaldinho has announced a comeback at the age of 46 with Italian third-tier club Ravenna, and says he hopes to reach 300 career goals. According to BBC Sport Football, the former Paris St-Germain, Barcelona and AC Milan playmaker was unveiled at a fan event on a city beach, where supporters gathered despite rain for what the club called “Ronaldinho Day.” He retired from professional football in 2015.

Ronaldinho said he was happy to be back in Italy and wanted to help his new teammates win. He also said it would be especially meaningful if he could score what would be his 300th goal, though he left open the question of how much he would actually play, saying only the coach would decide. BBC Sport reported that he will become a shareholder in Ravenna, adding an off-field role to the move.

The club’s owner, Ignazio Cipriani, said Ronaldinho’s return had a personal, rather than promotional, purpose. He also said Ronaldinho would not feature in Ravenna’s Serie C opener against Reggiana. Ravenna finished third in its group last season and is aiming to return to Serie B, where it last played in 2008. In broader context, Ronaldinho is one of Brazil’s most decorated players, having won the 2002 World Cup and the 2005 Ballon d’Or.