Ronaldinho ends decade-long retirement to debut for Serie C side Ravenna on 15 November

Ronaldinho will step back onto a professional football pitch for the first time in over a decade when Italian Serie C club Ravenna field the 46-year-old against Forlì on 15 November at the Stadio Bruno Benelli. The club confirmed the date on Friday, ending months of speculation following his surprise signing in June.

The former Brazil international last played professionally for Fluminense in 2015, making this comeback one of the most unexpected in recent football history. Ravenna, currently second in their geographically divided Serie C group, described the fixture as “an event set to turn the world’s gaze toward the Stadio Bruno Benelli.”

“The whole soccer world thought it too good to be true,” the club said in a statement. “Instead we can now officially confirm a grand return: the return of the magic, the smile, and a talent that has captivated generations of fans, regardless of their team loyalties or soccer allegiances.”

Ronaldinho was unveiled to supporters at a beachside event in Marina di Ravenna in August, shortly before the season kicked off, but has yet to feature in a competitive match. Club president Ignazio Cipriani — of the Cipriani restaurant brand — has publicly stated his ambition for the Brazilian to score the final goal of his career in Ravenna colours.

The appearance will mark Ronaldinho’s second chapter in Italian football. He represented AC Milan between 2008 and 2011 during a decorated career that also included spells at Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, a World Cup winners’ medal with Brazil in 2002, and the Ballon d’Or in 2005.

“There are footballers who are remembered for what they have won and others also for how they made people feel,” Ravenna said. “Ronaldinho belongs to that rare breed of champions capable of turning soccer into pure joy — through an unexpected move, a moment of creative brilliance, a smile that has bridged stadiums and generations alike.”

Ravenna sit second in their Serie C group as they prepare to host what the club is billing as a historic occasion for the sport.