Former Brazilian football legend, Ronaldinho has signed for Italian side, Ravenna.
The legendary forward, who hung up his boots in 2015, announced on Thursday that he is returning to the sport after 11 years.
He joined Italian third-division club, Ravenna, aiming to achieve his “300th goal.”
At 46, Ronaldinho, who lifted the World Cup in 2002 and received the Ballon d’Or in 2005, ended his illustrious career after playing his final official match in September 2015 for Brazilian side, Fluminense.
“I’m very pleased to be here with friends; we have a team capable of achieving something significant,” he told reporters during his presentation in Ravenna.
He went on: “Will you see me play? I cannot say; only the coach has that knowledge. Returning to Italy is fantastic; I’m here to assist my teammates in securing victories.
“As you can see, I’m in good shape, I feel well… If I could net my 300th goal, that would be even more remarkable.”
Ronaldinho’s return was first revealed in June during the World Cup in Miami by Ignazio Cipriani, an Italian-American entrepreneur and the club’s owner since 2024.
“His goal is sentimental, to attempt to score his final goal.
“His participation is not merely a symbolic act or a marketing ploy to generate buzz about us,” Cipriani said on Thursday.
Cipriani also mentioned that Ronaldinho, who netted 33 goals in 97 appearances for Brazil, will become a shareholder in the club and will not participate in the the Serie C season opener against Reggiana on Monday.
Ravenna finished third in Group B of the previous season’s third-division championship and is striving for a return to Serie B, a league in which they have not competed since 2008.