Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho has made a stunning return to professional football at the age of 46, joining Italian third-tier side Ravenna FC more than a decade after his last competitive appearance.

The former Barcelona, AC Milan and Brazil star was officially registered as a Ravenna player in June, with the club confirming that he will wear its colours in the 2026/27 season.

Ronaldinho arrived in Italy on Thursday for his official presentation and was greeted by supporters and media ahead of the club’s campaign. He was also handed the iconic No. 10 shirt. Blueprint reports

The extraordinary comeback had initially been met with scepticism, but Ravenna and the player have now confirmed the move.

Ronaldinho wants one final goal

At the centre of Ronaldinho’s comeback is a remarkably simple ambition: to score one final professional goal.

The Brazilian has made it clear that he wants to add another goal to his illustrious career before finally calling time on his playing days.

Ravenna confirmed when announcing his signing that Ronaldinho had set his sights on scoring his final professional goal in the club’s colours.

The target would also take him closer to the 300-goal mark in his career.

However, there is still some uncertainty over exactly how much Ronaldinho will play.

After arriving in Italy, he said he had not yet decided how extensively he would feature, leaving the final decision partly to the club and coach.

Ravenna president Ignazio Cipriani also confirmed that Ronaldinho will not play in the club’s opening match against Reggiana, meaning supporters will have to wait before potentially seeing the 2005 Ballon d’Or winner in competitive action.

Last professional game came in 2015

Ronaldinho has been away from competitive professional football for 11 years.

His last official professional appearance came in 2015, when he played for Brazilian club Fluminense.

He subsequently retired from professional football, although he has remained heavily involved in exhibition matches, promotional events and football-related activities.

His return to competitive football at 46 therefore represents one of the most remarkable comebacks in the modern game.

The Brazilian’s extraordinary career included spells at Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, AC Milan, Flamengo, Atlético Mineiro and Fluminense.

He won the 2002 FIFA World Cup with Brazil, the UEFA Champions League with Barcelona and the Ballon d’Or in 2005, among numerous other honours.

More than a football signing

Ronaldinho’s arrival in Ravenna is not simply a conventional player transfer.

The Brazilian has also become a partner and shareholder in the club, deepening his connection with the ambitious Serie C outfit.

Ravenna is owned by Italian businessman Ignazio Cipriani, who acquired the club in 2024 alongside investment partner Black Duck.

Cipriani has ambitious plans for the club and has brought in respected Italian football administrator Ariedo Braida as part of the project. Braida, a former AC Milan executive, played an important role in arranging Ronaldinho’s arrival.

Cipriani has described Ronaldinho’s involvement as part of a broader project aimed at raising Ravenna’s profile and reconnecting the club with supporters.

The club is seeking to establish itself as a serious force in Italian football after returning to Serie C.

‘Not just a marketing stunt’

The scale of Ronaldinho’s return has inevitably prompted questions about whether the move is primarily a publicity exercise.

Cipriani, however, has rejected that suggestion.

The club insists that Ronaldinho’s involvement is part of a genuine football project, while the player himself has expressed a desire to contribute beyond simply making a ceremonial appearance.

The former Brazil international said his return was motivated by friendship and passion and that he wanted to bring joy to the club and its supporters.

His arrival has already generated enormous attention for Ravenna, with more than 2,700 season tickets reportedly sold as excitement around the club has grown.

A new chapter in Italy

Ronaldinho’s return also represents another chapter in his long association with Italian football.

He spent three seasons at AC Milan between 2008 and 2011, winning the Serie A title with the Rossoneri during the 2010/11 campaign.

Now, more than 15 years after leaving Milan, he is back in Italy, although this time with a much smaller club competing in Serie C.

Ravenna currently plays in Italy’s third tier and is attempting to build a project capable of taking the club back towards the higher levels of Italian football.

The club’s leadership believes Ronaldinho’s global reputation can help attract new supporters and introduce younger generations to Ravenna.

Fans wait for the magic

Ronaldinho’s first competitive appearance remains uncertain, but his return has already generated huge excitement around Ravenna.

The club’s opening league fixture against Reggiana will come without the Brazilian, but his presence around the team has already transformed the attention surrounding the club.

For a player whose career was defined by spectacular goals, audacious dribbles and an infectious smile, the prospect of one final competitive goal offers a fitting ending.

At 46, Ronaldinho is not returning to football to rebuild the career that made him one of the greatest players of his generation.

Instead, he appears to be chasing one last moment of magic.

And if he gets his wish, the final goal of Ronaldinho’s professional career could come wearing the colours of Ravenna, in Italy’s Serie C, 11 years after he last found the net on the professional stage.