Football icon Ronaldinho has marked a winning return to Italian professional football, playing for Ravenna in the country’s third division. Under the watch of Ignazio Cipriani, the Italian-American businessman who has owned the club since 2024, Ronaldinho perfectly played his role as the centerpiece of a clever marketing strategy. In his first competitive match since 2015, when he played for Fluminense, the 46-year-old Brazilian delivered a calm performance, while Ravenna, in contention for promotion to Serie B, beat local rivals Forli 2-0 at a packed “Bruno Benelli” stadium on Italy’s Adriatic coast.
Known for his dynamic dribbling and often extraordinary ball control at the peak of his career, Ronaldinho mostly walked on the pitch and passed simple balls to his teammates, who once would not have been anywhere near his level as players. Ronaldinho’s arrival has given Ravenna a profile previously unimaginable, and Cipriani would undoubtedly have been pleased to see the crowd of reporters and photographers who descended on Benelli.
The 2005 Ballon d’Or winner played only in the first half, but was involved in the move that ended with Giulio Donati’s goal in the 36th minute, giving Ravenna the lead. Ronaldinho entered the pitch to huge cheers, while the 5,000-capacity “Benelli” stadium had a temporary 1,800-seat stand – called “R10” – added for the occasion. Fireworks and smoke bombs were set off in the stands, while Andrea Bocelli’s “Con Te Partiro” played over the stadium loudspeakers.
He left after the first half, but not before shaking hands with his teammates and match officials. Only he knows whether he will play for Ravenna again, although he had taken part in just a single training session with his teammates before this one-off appearance. He arrived in Italy only a few days before Sunday’s match, suggesting he is not committed for the long term. Ravenna, which has not played in Serie B since 2008, is second in its regional Serie C group and entered the weekend’s matches six points behind leaders Spezia. One team from each of the three groups will be promoted directly to Serie B, while the final place in the second tier will be decided by a play-off.
Taken from France 24 Live News