Ronaldinho, 46, joins Serie C side Ravenna in surprise comeback
Ronaldinho, one of the most decorated players in football history and a former Ballon d'Or winner, has been formally presented at Ravenna in Italy's third tier. At 46, the Brazilian's involvement is being framed as a 'mission of love and happiness' by those around the club, though there is genuine ambiguity over whether he will actually take the field. Ravenna, based in Emilia-Romagna, has been positioned as the stage for what would be one of the most improbable returns in modern football. The story carries strong cultural and marketing weight for both the club and Italian lower-league football more broadly.
Read the full story at theguardian.comEven in a symbolic capacity, Ronaldinho's link-up with Ravenna is a coup for a Serie C club starved of national attention. The Brazilian remains one of the most recognisable figures in the sport, and his presence — whether on the pitch, the bench, or simply in a training kit — gives Ravenna a marketing and identity boost that money cannot buy. For Italian lower-league football, the association reinforces the romantic, unpredictable character of the third tier, which has long produced stories that capture the wider football imagination.
Context added by Socc360, not by theguardian.com.
Data source: theguardian.com (via Socc360). Last updated .
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