Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho poses with a signed jersey next to Ravenna FC president Ignazio Cipriani (R). | Photo Credit: AFP

Brazil great Ronaldinho is preparing to lace up his boots once again at the age of 46 after signing for Italian third-tier 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 holds 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 first draped over the Ballon d’Or trophy he won in 2005.

“I’m extremely happy,” Ronaldinho told Reuters. “We’ve been friends for many years, so it was something simple, direct and easy. We both want Ravenna to do very well. We share very similar ideas and that’s why we’re doing this together.”

Beyond the excitement of returning to the pitch, Ronaldinho hopes his comeback carries a deeper message.

“I hope it has the most positive impact possible. I hope others will be motivated to continue and have the opportunity to fulfil their dreams, just as I fulfilled mine.”

Cipriani, who bought the club in 2024 with ambitions of taking Ravenna to Serie A, said signing Ronaldinho was the fulfilment 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 everybody else,” Cipriani said. “Having him with us will make Ravenna a much bigger club. It has given us a level of publicity we could never have imagined, but more importantly, I think he’ll bring joy to the town.”

Published on Jun 24, 2026