Legendary Brazilian Ronaldinho Ends 11-Year Absence at Age 46, Starts for Ravenna Seeking 300th Goal

RAVENNA, Italy — Brazilian football icon Ronaldinho is set to end an 11-year absence from competitive matches when he starts for Italian third-tier club Ravenna against local rivals Forlì on Sunday in a Serie C derby.

The 46-year-old former Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan playmaker last appeared in an official fixture for Brazilian side Fluminense in September 2015. He formally retired in 2018 after a career that included the 2002 World Cup title with Brazil and the 2005 Ballon d'Or. Ravenna announced the signing in June, with Ronaldinho also taking a stake in the club owned by his friend Ignazio Cipriani.

Ravenna manager Andrea Mandorlini confirmed Friday that Ronaldinho would start in the 4-3-3 formation. "He will start. There is no doubt about it," Mandorlini said. "We will decide together how long he plays. He is one of the greatest players in modern football." The coach indicated the Brazilian would feature for at least 30 minutes.

Ronaldinho described the return as a special chapter. "Returning to the pitch after so much time is truly beautiful — I'm here to experience a special moment in my life," he told Sky Sports. "I want to have a great day. I'm happy to be here for the start of this wonderful story. The president dreams of something big for Ravenna, and being a part of it makes me happy."

He added that the decision stemmed from personal ties and shared ambitions. "Because of the friendship that we share with Ignazio Cipriani, the president of Ravenna, and because of the goals we want to achieve in the future," Ronaldinho said. In earlier comments after the initial announcement, he noted he felt in good shape and hoped to reach 300 career goals. "If I could score my 300th goal, that would be even more beautiful," he said in August. He enters the match with 299 goals combined across club and international duty — 266 at club level and 33 for Brazil.

The Stadio Bruno Benelli has been expanded with a temporary stand of about 1,800 seats named for the player to accommodate demand. Tickets for the added section have sold at elevated prices, with some hospitality packages reaching 150 euros. Club officials have projected a strong crowd for the regional derby, and the match is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. local time. Coverage options in various markets include free streams on Sky Sports Football's YouTube channel and other platforms.

Ronaldinho arrived in Italy on Friday, trained individually and joined the squad for a session Saturday. Reports from the training ground noted flashes of technical quality that quickly circulated online. The return also marks his reappearance in Italian football after stints with AC Milan from 2008 to 2011, where he scored his first goal for the club in a derby against Inter.

Cipriani has framed the move as both sporting and promotional, aiming to elevate Ravenna's profile. The club has not competed in Serie B since 2008 and currently sits second in its Serie C group, trailing leaders Spezia. Officials have expressed longer-term ambitions of climbing the Italian pyramid, though Ronaldinho's commitment beyond Sunday remains limited to at least one competitive appearance under the agreement.

The comeback has drawn widespread attention because of the length of the layoff and the player's age. While contemporaries such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo continue at the highest levels into their late 30s and early 40s, Ronaldinho's return occurs in the third tier of Italian football. Supporters and observers have noted the contrast with his peak years, when he combined flair, vision and goal-scoring at the highest levels of the game.

Earlier in the summer, Ronaldinho was unveiled at a public event in the Ravenna area attended by thousands of fans. At that gathering he expressed satisfaction with the project and left open the question of how much he would play. "I'm very happy to be here with friends, we have a team that can do something good," he said then. "Coming back to Italy is wonderful, I'm here to help my teammates win."

Club statements have emphasized the symbolic weight of the appearance. Ravenna described the confirmation of the November 15 date as bringing "the magic" back to the pitch. Interest has extended beyond Italy, with Brazilian media and international outlets tracking the story closely since the June announcement.

Ronaldinho's post-retirement years included high-profile appearances, commercial work and a period of legal issues in Paraguay related to passport documents, during which he participated in a prison futsal match. None of those activities involved competitive professional football. The Ravenna agreement is the first formal return to the professional ranks.

Forlì, the opposing side in the Emilia-Romagna derby, has acknowledged the occasion. Local reports indicated that Ronaldinho would be the designated penalty taker if Ravenna is awarded a spot kick. The match carries league points for both clubs in the second half of the Serie C season.

Whether the appearance remains a one-off or leads to further involvement has not been detailed publicly. Mandorlini and club officials have stressed that playing time will be managed carefully given the long absence. Ronaldinho has framed the outing as an opportunity to enjoy the game again and support the club's project rather than a full return to regular competitive duty.

The fixture represents one of the more unusual comebacks in recent football history, pairing a global star with a third-division club seeking both on-field results and broader visibility. Sunday's match will provide the first competitive evidence of how the 46-year-old adapts after more than a decade away from the professional pitch.