'Truly beautiful' to make football return, says Ronaldinho

Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho is set to make his long-awaited return to professional football at the age of 46 for Ravenna, the Italian third-tier side. The 46-year-old, who last played for Fluminense in 2015, will take the field in his home town's local derby against Forli on Sunday. Ronaldinho expressed his excitement about the opportunity to be part of the club's dream of reaching Serie A for the first time in their history.

Ravenna president Ignazio Cipriani has lofty ambitions for the team, aiming to lift them from their current position in Serie C to the prestigious Serie A. The Stadio Bruno Benelli, which typically holds 5,000 fans, will be filled to capacity for Ronaldinho's return, with a temporary stand dubbed R10 added to accommodate the influx of supporters.

The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star is hoping to score his 300th career goal, which would surpass his previous record of 299 goals. Despite some questioning the move as a marketing ploy, Cipriani remains confident that Ronaldinho's presence will help kickstart Ravenna's journey towards promotion.