Ronaldinho Signs With Italian Serie C Club Ravenna at 46, Ending 11-Year Absence From Professional Football

Ronaldinho, the 2005 Ballon d’Or winner and 2002 FIFA World Cup champion, is set to return to professional football at the age of 46 after signing with Italian third-tier club Ravenna. The agreement ends an 11-year absence from the professional game for the Brazilian, who last featured for Fluminense in 2015.

Ravenna, who compete in Serie C — Italy’s third division — have confirmed the signing, with a formal presentation event scheduled for June 23 in Miami. The nature of his involvement with the club, however, remains unclear. According to reports, uncertainty persists over whether Ronaldinho will take part in competitive matches during the upcoming season or fulfil a wider ambassadorial function within the organisation.

In a statement following the announcement, Ronaldinho spoke about his motivation for the return. “New colours, same smile. I can’t wait to be able to dance on the ball again and write a new story together with Ignazio and the whole Cipriani family,” he said. “Football has always been a source of joy for me, and I want to bring that same spirit to Ravenna.”

Since retiring from professional football, Ronaldinho has remained a prominent figure in the sport through exhibition matches, charity fixtures, brand ambassadorial roles and promotional appearances. His decision to affiliate with a competitive club structure, even at the third tier of Italian football, represents a notable development.

Ronaldinho’s professional career spanned clubs including Paris Saint-Germain, FC Barcelona, AC Milan, Fluminense and others. His peak years at Barcelona between 2003 and 2008 are widely considered among the most technically brilliant individual stretches in the sport’s modern era. During that period, he won the UEFA Champions League, two FIFA World Player of the Year awards, and the 2005 Ballon d’Or. At international level, he was a key figure in Brazil’s 2002 FIFA World Cup triumph in Japan and South Korea.

Ravenna’s Serie C standing means the club operates well outside European competition, but the commercial and visibility implications of the signing are significant for a club of that size. Serie C, the third tier of Italian football, is divided into three groups and serves as a stepping stone for clubs with ambitions of promotion to Serie B.

At 46, Ronaldinho would be among the oldest players in professional Italian football if he does feature competitively. For context, former Italy goalkeeper Marco Amelia was 46 when he signed with non-league side Aosta 511 in 2022, while ex-Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio retired at 33. Returns of this nature at elite or semi-professional level remain relatively rare and tend to attract global attention regardless of the division involved.

The June 23 presentation event in Miami is expected to provide further clarity on the terms and scope of Ronaldinho’s involvement with Ravenna ahead of the new season.