Ronaldinho to play again at 46 for Italian third-tier club Ravenna
- Ronaldinho will return to competitive football aged 40-something next month for Ravenna in Italy's third tier.
- The World Cup and Ballon d'Or winner retired in 2015 and is now a shareholder in the club.
- He is chasing his 300th career goal and will play in the derby against Forli on November 15.
Brazil legend Ronaldinho is set to pull on a shirt again at 46, with Italian third-tier club Ravenna saying he will play in next month's derby against Forli.
Ravenna announced on Saturday that the match will be played on Sunday, November 15, at the Bruno Benelli Stadium. The club said the occasion would "turn the eyes of the world" toward the ground.
The 2002 World Cup winner and former Ballon d'Or holder retired in 2015. His move to Ravenna was first announced in June, and he has since become a shareholder in the club, which sits between Venice and San Marino.
Why it matters
For Nigerian fans who grew up on Ronaldinho's tricks at Barcelona and AC Milan, this is a rare chance to see him play competitively again. He is also chasing his 300th career goal, a milestone that would add another line to a career that already includes a World Cup and the Ballon d'Or, which he won in 2005.
Ravenna are second in Group B of the Italian third tier, six points behind leaders Spezia. The club is pushing for a return to Serie B for the first time since 2008, and the attention around Ronaldinho's return could give that campaign a boost.
The former Paris Saint-Germain playmaker will not be the first big name to drop down the divisions late in a career, but few have drawn this kind of spotlight to a third-tier fixture.
What happens next
All eyes will be on November 15, when Ravenna host Forli. Whether Ronaldinho starts or comes off the bench has not been announced. Either way, the club expects a crowd and a global audience for a match that would normally pass quietly.
