​Ronaldinho arrives in Italy: All you need to know about his Ravenna jobRonaldinho has landed on Italian soil ahead of Sunday’s Serie C debut for Ravenna, his return to football at the age of 46, with his coach assuring he’ll ‘play around half an hour.’His private jet arrived this afternoon, accompanied by Ravenna President Ignazio Cipriani, and director Lorenzo Tonetti.View this post on Instagram
 
A post shared by Sky Sport (Italia) (@skysport)The Brazilian had hung up his boots 11 years ago following an experience at Fluminense, deciding to call it a day in September 2015.Following his time at Gremio, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Milan, Flamengo, Atletico Mineiro, Queretaro and Fluminense, as well as winning the World Cup with Brazil and the Ballon D’Or, his playing career seemed to be over.Ronaldinho arrives for RavennaRonaldinho joins RavennaHowever, Ravenna talked the legend into a comeback in Serie C, the third tier of Italian football, signing the contract on June 23, 2026 in Miami.Yet the first training session will only be held on Saturday morning, with the supporters in the stands of the Stadio Benelli for the occasion.Ronaldinho will then take to the field on Sunday in the local derby between Ravenna and Forlì, kicking off at 16.00 GMT (17.00 CET).“He will play around half an hour,” confessed coach Andrea Mandorlini in his press conference today.“In what position will Ronaldinho play? Champions know how to find the spaces.”PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JUNE 19: Ronaldinho attends the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group C match between Brazil and Haiti at Philadelphia Stadium on June 19, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)It will be livestreamed by several different global sports channels, including Sky Sport Italia and Sky Sports UK, with advertisements on the giant screens of Times Square in New York City.The rush for tickets has been so great that Ravenna are working to expand the capacity of the Stadio Benelli with a new, temporary stand that will be called the R10 in his honour.It is created for 1,800 seats, and tickets have more than doubled from the usual price of entry for a Ravenna match.PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JUNE 19: Ronaldinho attends the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group C match between Brazil and Haiti at Philadelphia Stadium on June 19, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)Ravenna are currently second in their Serie C Girone B table after nine wins, two draws and two defeats so far this season.Naturally, the club store is packed with specific Ronaldinho merchandise, though it is by no means clear how many times he will play for the team.As for Ronaldinho, he has not been entirely putting his feet up, as since the last competitive match in 2015 he has played in a series of testimonial, charity and display matches, including the Kings League in 2023.He also spent 60 days in prison in Paraguay in 2020, where he was ar