Ronaldinho’s comeback with Ravenna at 46 set for next month at Forli
Ronaldinho, 46, will play for Italian third-tier Ravenna against Forli on November 15, more than a decade after his last competitive match.
Brazil great Ronaldinho will return to competitive football at the age of 46, playing for Italian third-tier side Ravenna against local rivals Forli on November 15, the Serie C club has announced.
The former Barcelona and AC Milan forward won the 2002 World Cup with Brazil and the Ballon d'Or in 2005. He last played competitively for Brazilian club Fluminense in 2015 and officially retired in 2018.
Ravenna signed Ronaldinho in June and announced his return to the pitch on Friday. He has also acquired a stake in the club, which is owned by his friend Ignazio Cipriani. Cipriani said the move was intended to bring the whole city closer to the team.
When Ronaldinho arrived in Italy in August, he stopped short of confirming that he would play, although he left open the prospect of scoring the 300th goal of his career. He currently has 299, and said at the time: "I'm here to help."
The derby against Forli will take place at Ravenna's Stadio Bruno Benelli. Ravenna sit second in Serie C Group B with 20 points from 10 games, eight behind leaders Spezia, giving the former star a competitive stage for a comeback that has captured attention far beyond Italy's third tier.
Source: Al Jazeera English — TrendWire reports stories in its own words; facts should be confirmed against the original source.