Ronaldinho is set to play competitive football again at the age of 46. Italian club Ravenna officially announced on 23 October that the former Brazil star will feature in their Serie C derby against Forlì in round 14, according to Tuổi Trẻ. The match will be played on 15 November at the Stadio Bruno Benelli at 17:30 local time, which is 23:30 in Vietnam. Tuổi Trẻ added that the club stressed this is a genuine comeback rather than an exhibition game.
If he plays, it will end an 11-year absence from official matches. His last professional appearance came for Fluminense in September 2015, and he formally announced his retirement in 2018, Tuổi Trẻ and SGGP reported.
What Ravenna have confirmed
Bongdaplus, citing the Italian news agency Ansa, reported that Ravenna president Ignazio Cipriani said the magic had never gone away, that it was time to bring Ronaldinho back onto the pitch and that his return is real. A club statement, republished by Bongda24h from a Thể thao & Văn hóa report, described the game as an event that would turn the eyes of the world towards the Bruno Benelli.
What is settled and what is not, according to the sources:
- Registration: Tuổi Trẻ says Ronaldinho has been registered to play.
- Minutes: Bongdaplus and Tuổi Trẻ both say the club has not revealed how long he will play against Forlì.
- Training: Bongdaplus reports he has not yet trained with the squad, while Tuổi Trẻ says he has not been training regularly with his teammates.
- Watching from afar: Corriere della Sera, as cited by Bongdaplus, said Ronaldinho has followed Ravenna's matches, and his brother and agent Roberto De Assis was seen at the club's stadium in late September.
From Miami to the Benelli
KBVN+ pieced together the timeline from Bongdaplus, Tuổi Trẻ, Bongda24h and SGGP:
| When | What | Source |
|---|---|---|
| September 2015 | Last professional match, for Fluminense | Tuổi Trẻ, SGGP |
| 2018 | Formally retires | Tuổi Trẻ, SGGP |
| June 2026 | Ravenna unveil the signing at an event in Miami | Bongdaplus, Tuổi Trẻ, Bongda24h, SGGP |
| August 2026 | Presented to fans at a seaside ceremony in Marina di Ravenna | Bongda24h, Tuổi Trẻ |
| 23 October 2026 | Ravenna confirm the date of his return | Tuổi Trẻ, Bongda24h |
| 15 November 2026 | Derby against Forlì, Serie C round 14 | Ravenna, via Tuổi Trẻ |
The deal is more than a playing contract. Bongdaplus says Ronaldinho has joined the club's project as an investor, shareholder and brand ambassador. Tuổi Trẻ identifies Cipriani, Ravenna's owner, as a close friend of the Brazilian, and Bongda24h notes that Cipriani, whose name is linked to the Cipriani restaurant brand, has spoken of his dream of seeing Ronaldinho score the last goal of his career for the club.
Sky Sport Italia, as cited by Tuổi Trẻ, said the arrangement is part of a commercial partnership under which Ronaldinho is expected to play at least one home game. At his presentation in August, Ronaldinho said he had come because of his friendship with Cipriani and wanted to help a team he hoped would do well, Tuổi Trẻ reported. Both Tuổi Trẻ and SGGP say he has left the door open to scoring the 300th goal of his career. SGGP sees the move as a way to bring the city closer to its club, the same model Como used with Cesc Fàbregas.
Ravenna's season and Ronaldinho's record
According to Tuổi Trẻ and SGGP, Ravenna are second in Group B of Serie C with 20 points from 10 matches, 8 points behind leaders Spezia. Bongda24h explains that Serie C is split into three regional groups. The club's aim is to return to Serie B and then reach Serie A for the first time, Tuổi Trẻ reported.
Tuổi Trẻ also recalled Ronaldinho's record: born in 1980, he won the World Cup 2002 with Brazil, two La Liga titles and the Champions League 2006 with Barcelona, the Ballon d'Or in 2005 and FIFA's world player of the year award twice. Bongda24h points out that this will be his second spell in Italy, after playing for AC Milan from 2008 to 2011 following his years at Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona.
What comes next
Ronaldinho is due to play when Ravenna host Forlì at 17:30 on 15 November Italian time, or 23:30 on 15 November in Vietnam. The open question is how long he will last, with the club yet to say and the 46-year-old still not training regularly with the squad. The fan-building model SGGP mentions can be compared with Como's story in our piece on the Como president and Cesc Fàbregas.