Brazilian great Ronaldinho is preparing to lace up his boots again at the age of 46 after signing for Italian third division club Ravenna FC, hoping his return will inspire a new generation to chase their dreams.
The former Ballon d’Or winner, who last played club football for Fluminense in 2015, has come out of retirement to join Serie C side Ravenna, in a move that has reignited football nostalgia around the world.
While Ravenna, based in the Emilia-Romagna region, has traditionally flown under the radar with a stadium that can hold just over 12,000 spectators, Ronaldinho’s arrival has catapulted the club into the global spotlight.
Dressed in white, the Brazilian unveiled his new Ravenna shirt alongside club owner Ignazio Cipriani, with the jersey covering the Ballon d’Or trophy he won in 2005 for the first time.
«I am extremely happy,» Ronaldinho told Reuters. «We’ve been friends for years, so it was something simple, direct and easy. We both want Ravenna to do really well. We share very similar ideas and that’s why we’re doing this together.»
Besides the excitement of returning to the pitch, Ronaldinho hopes his comeback carries a deeper message.
“I hope it has the most positive impact. I hope others will be motivated to keep going and have the opportunity to fulfill their dreams, just as I fulfilled mine.”
Cipriani, who bought the club in 2024 with the ambition of taking Ravenna to Serie A, said signing Ronaldinho was the fulfillment of a childhood dream.
“He inspired my whole generation to fall in love with football because of the things he did that were so different from others,” Cipriani said. “Having him with us will make Ravenna a much bigger club. It has given us a level of exposure we could never have imagined, but more importantly I think he will bring joy to the city.”
Published on June 24, 2026
