Ronaldinho Returns at 46 with Italy's Ravenna; What's His Goal?
Brazilian soccer legend Ronaldinho has come out of retirement at age 46 to join Italian Serie C club Ravenna.
Former football superstar Ronaldinho has made a surprising comeback at the age of 46 by signing with Italian third-tier club Ravenna. The Brazilian legend arrived in Italy via private jet on Thursday and underwent medical examinations before being introduced as the team's new number 10 alongside the rest of the squad.
Ronaldinho's return to the sport was announced in Marina di Ravenna, where approximately 6,000 fans gathered despite the inclement weather to celebrate what has been dubbed "Ronaldinho Day". The club's president, Ignazio Cipriani, emphasized that this move is more than just a publicity stunt, stating, "His involvement is not a token gesture or a marketing stunt to get people talking about us."
Cipriani revealed to BBC that his dream is for Ronaldinho to score his final career goal in Ravenna's yellow-and-red jersey. The former World Cup and Ballon d'Or winner expressed his excitement about the opportunity, saying, "I'm very happy to be here with friends, we have a team that can do something good" and added, "I'm in shape, I feel good... If I could score my 300th goal, that would be even more beautiful."
However, Ronaldinho will not be starting in Ravenna's Serie C season opener against Reggiana on Monday, as his playing time will be dependent on the team's leadership. The final decision will be made by the club's president and coach.
Written by urgent.news from Tempo.co English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
