Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho will return to competitive football next month with playing for Italian third-tier side Ravenna against local rivals Forli, the Serie C club announced on Friday.
The 46-year-old former Barcelona and AC Milan forward won the 2002 FIFA World Cup with Brazil and the Ballon d'Or in 2005, last played competitively for Brazilian club Fluminense in 2015 before officially retiring in 2018.
Ravenna signed Ronaldinho in June after which the former superstar also acquired an ownership stake in the club which is owned by his friend Ignazio Cipriani. Cipriani stated that bringing the legend on board aims to connect the local community with the team.
When Ronaldinho arrived in Italy in August, he hinted at the possibility of reaching a major milestone, noting he is just one goal away from scoring the 300th goal of his professional career. "I'm here to help" he said during his arrival.
The derby match against Forli will take place at Ravenna's Stadio Bruno Benelli. Ravenna currently sits second in Serie C Group B with 20 points from 10 games, trailing league leaders Spezia.
