Ronaldinho Comes Out Of Retirement Aged 46 To Feature For Serie C Club Ravenna

Brazil legend Ronaldinho made his comeback aged 46 for Ravenna in their 2-0 win over Forli in an Italian third-tier derby.

The 46-year-old came out of retirement for the Serie C club he joined as an investor in August, having last played in 2015 for Fluminense, as reported by BBC Sport.

He started Sunday’s game and showed some bright touches, and he was involved in the opening goal.

The former Barcelona superstar held off a defender before playing the pass that came before the assist for Giulio Donati’s drive from outside the box.

He had earlier set up a chance for Donati from a corner, with the defender having his header saved.

At half-time there was a media circus around Ronaldinho, with journalists surrounding him, and former Brazil and AC Milan team-mate Dida joined him on the pitch.

Ronaldinho was substituted at the break with the score at 1-0.

A temporary stand, named the R10 in reference to Ronaldinho and his familiar shirt number, was built for the sold-out fixture at the Stadio Bruno Benelli.

The game was streamed in several countries around the world.

Ronaldinho trained once with the team, on Saturday, before Sunday’s debut.

A team graphic beforehand showed him on the left side, but he mostly played centrally.

In his peak playing years, Ronaldinho was one of the best players in the world – as well as one of the most popular for his joyful demeanour and exuberant skill.

He won the 2002 World Cup with Brazil, the 2006 Champions League with Barcelona, and league titles with Barca and AC Milan – plus the Ballon d’Or and Fifa World Player of the Year awards in 2005.

Also Read: I Acted Like A Senior Brother To Ronaldinho At PSG –Okocha

He also played for Paris St-Germain as well as Gremio, Flamengo, Atletico Mineiro and Fluminense in his homeland, plus Mexican side Queretaro.

Ronaldinho scored 299 goals in his regular career and had been hoping to have a chance for number 300 for Ravenna. He would have taken a penalty had they been awarded one.

“It was lovely to be here, playing, having the build-up in the dressing room,” Ronaldinho told Sky Sport Italia.

And asked if he might play again for Ravenna, who are second in their Serie C group, he said: “If the president calls me, I’ll be back.”

James Agberebi is a sports content creator and analyst with a passion for football and other sports. He writes sports news, match reports, and analysis to keep fans informed about the latest developments in the sporting world. James has covered international matches involving both Nigeria’s men’s and women’s national teams. His experience covering Nigerian football gives him a good understanding of the game and the teams he writes about. Through his work with Complete Sports, James shares sports updates, match coverage, and analysis with readers in Nigeria and around the world.

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