The Magician Returns at 46: Ronaldinho Chases 300th Goal

Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho is preparing to return to the pitch at the age of 46, donning the jersey of Italian club Ravenna, with an exceptional goal in mind: scoring his 300th career goal.

The former Barcelona and Milan star was officially presented on one of the beaches of Ravenna, in northeastern Italy, wearing his new club’s shirt bearing his name and famous number 10.

Ronaldinho, winner of the Ballon d’Or in 2005, expressed his happiness at returning to Italy and affirmed his readiness to assist his teammates, though he did not confirm the date of his debut, stating that the decision rests with the coach.

Ronaldinho is scheduled to participate in an open training session for fans on Friday, but he will not feature in Ravenna’s season-opening Serie C match against Reggiana.

This return comes more than a decade after Ronaldinho’s last official match, which he played for Brazilian club Fluminense in September 2015.

Ravenna owner Ignazio Cipriani confirmed that Ronaldinho’s return is not merely a promotional or marketing stunt, clarifying that the player aims to score a final goal in his career and will become part of the club’s ownership.

Ronaldinho boasts an illustrious record, having played for Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, and Milan. He won the World Cup with Brazil in 2002 and earned 97 international caps, scoring 33 goals.