💣 What if Ronaldinho came back to play in Italy's third tier?

Ronaldinho will return to active football at the age of 44 to play for Ravenna FC, a club in Italy’s Serie C. The official presentation will take place on June 23 in Miami, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"New colors, same smile," the player said in comments reported by La Gazzetta. "I can’t wait to dance on the ball again and write a new story together with Ignazio and the entire Cipriani family. Football has always been a source of joy for me, and I want to bring that same spirit to Ravenna," he added.

The Brazilian has not competed since September 26, 2015, when he played his last match for Fluminense—almost eleven years away from the pitch. In his 647 matches as a professional, the Brazilian scored 235 goals and provided 181 assists.

Advertising stunt or real comeback?

The plan outlined by La Gazzetta is for the legend to be available from the start of preseason in July, with the official squad presentation scheduled for August. But is it just a marketing stunt?

Ronaldinho will be unveiled in Miami at an event that will also reveal Ravenna’s new kits. It is not yet known whether it will end there, whether Ronaldinho will join Ravenna as a shareholder, or even end up playing in the third division.

However, the club’s vice president, Ariedo Braida, has confirmed the signing to ANSA, although he left open the question everyone is asking: "He is an ageless champion, one of a kind. We will sign him, and for a club like ours it is an extraordinary coup." On whether he will actually play, Braida did not shut the door: "We’ll see, but it is not ruled out."

The signing reflects the ambition of Ignazio Cipriani, the club’s owner and heir to the family that founded Venice’s Harry’s Bar, who has spent months building a relationship with the Brazilian star. Cipriani bought Ravenna two seasons ago with the aim of winning promotion to Serie B, a goal that slipped away in the campaign just concluded.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.