“Samba magician returns!” Ronaldinho set for sensational return at club football with Italian club Ravenna

Ronaldinho will make his first appearance since retiring in 2015. (Image credits – CommonsWikipedia, License Details)

Football is set to witness one of its most extraordinary comebacks as Brazilian legend Ronaldinho is set to make his first competitive start in more than a decade since he retired at the age of 46.

The former FC Barcelona and AC Milan star will start for Italian Serie C side Ravenna against local rivals, Forlì on Sunday, marking his first competitive appearance since last playing for Fluminense in September 2015.

Since retiring, he had been a part of a few futsal tournaments, but this is the first time that he's set to make an appearance in competitive club football.

Ravenna head coach Andrea Mandorlini confirmed that Ronaldinho will begin the match as one of his three forwards, although his playing time will be carefully managed to not risk an injury. 

“He will play from the start, there’s no doubt,” Mandorlini said, adding that the decision over how long Ronaldinho remains on the pitch will be made during the game depending on the game’s situation and the 46-year-old’s fitness.

Earlier this year, the Brazilian bought a share in the club and joined as a player too, which generated huge attention for the third tier of the Italian division.

A temporary stand has been added to the Stadio Bruno Benelli to accommodate the massive demand from supporters hoping to witness one of football’s greatest magicians return to competitive football.

The 2002 World Cup winner and 2005 Ballon d’Or winner has had a remarkable career, winning major titles with Barcelona and AC Milan while becoming one of the most glorious players of his generation. However, he has one major personal milestone left.

Ronaldinho has scored 299 professional goals and hopes to reach the 300-goal mark during his time with Ravenna.

Whether the comeback lasts for 90 minutes or only a brief appearance remains to be seen. However, at 46, Ronaldinho is preparing to do something few footballers ever could imagine doing by returning to competitive football more than 11 years after his last official match.