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It seems soccer fans haven't seen the last of Ronaldinho's brilliance on the field.
The 46-year-old stunned the world in June when news broke that he had struck a deal to join Italian third-division club Ravenna, a team in which he also holds a stake as part of the ownership group. The club's vice president, Ariedo Braida, quickly dismissed any idea of Ronaldinho actually stepping onto the pitch, stating at the time: "Ronaldinho will do a marketing event with us but will not play for Ravenna in Serie C next season."
That narrative has now taken a dramatic turn, with the Brazilian icon setting things straight during his official club presentation at a Ravenna beach on Thursday, an event billed as "Ronaldinho Day." The 2005 Ballon d'Or recipient, who officially hung up his boots in 2015, is planning to play again with one very specific goal driving him.
"Will you see me play? I don't know, only the coach knows that. Coming back to Italy is wonderful, I'm here to help my teammates win," Ronaldinho said at Thursday's event.
"As you can see, I'm in shape, I feel good ... If I could score my 300th goal, that would be even more beautiful."
Ignazio Cipriani, who heads Ravenna's ownership group, backed up Ronaldinho's intentions. "This is not window dressing or a marketing stunt," he said on Thursday. "Ronaldinho will become a shareholder in Ravenna FC. That is the central point of the operation.
"He has also chosen to give an extraordinary gift to the city and to his new club: he will take to the pitch for Ravenna in an official professional match, with one clear and romantic aim — to try to score the final goal of his career."
How Close Is Ronaldinho to 300th-Goal Mark?
Ronaldinho conquered the sport at its highest level, both individually and collectively, to secure his legacy among the greatest players to ever grace the game. He guided Brazil to Copa América glory in 1999, before lifting the 2002 World Cup, during which he scored the crucial winner in the quarterfinal clash against England.
Ronaldinho also shone for Paris Saint-Germain (2001–03), Barcelona (2003–08) and AC Milan (2008–11) across Europe, collecting back-to-back La Liga titles (2004–05, 2005–06), back-to-back Spanish Super Cups (2005–06, 2006–07), one Champions League crown (2005–06) and one Serie A title (2010–2011), before heading back to Brazilian Serie A, where he had launched his career.
The football icon may boast an impressive trophy cabinet, but he has his eyes fixed on one final milestone: his 300th career goal. Ronaldinho's exact goal tally remains a matter of debate, with Transfermarkt recording it at 267 across club and international appearances. Several other sources, however, credit Ronaldinho with 266 goals at club level and 33 for the Brazilian national team, placing him just one short of his cherished target.
When Could Ronaldinho Make His Debut?
Cipriani confirmed that Ronaldinho would not feature in Ravenna's Serie C opener on Monday against Reggiana, having also sat out preseason training.
Ravenna, however, are back in action on August 29 against Latina, where Ronaldinho could potentially make a brief appearance.