ROME: Brazilian great Ronaldinho says it will be ‘truly beautiful’ to make his return to the pitch on Sunday, 11 years after retirement, when he plays for Italian third-tier side Ravenna.
The 46-year-old, who last played for Fluminense in 2015, will start for Ravenna in their local derby against Forli.
‘I want to have a great day. I’m happy to be here for the start of this wonderful story,’ Ronaldinho told Sky Sports on Friday.
‘The president dreams of something big for Ravenna, and being a part of it makes me happy.
Ravenna president Ignazio Cipriani has said his goalis to take the club to Serie A for the first time in their history. The team’s Stadio Bruno Benelli, which usually holds 5,000 fans, is sold out, with a 1,800-capacity temporary stand dubbed ‘R10’ also erected for the occasion.
Ravenna, who have not even played in Serie B since 2008, are second in their group in Serie C, six points behind leaders Spezia.
‘Returning to the pitch after so much time is truly beautiful I’m here to experience a special moment in my life,’ added Ronaldinho.
‘It’s been a few years since I stopped playing I’ve won everything I ever dreamed of.
‘Now I’m 46, and I’ve experienced everything there is to experience in football. This is a completely different kind of opportunity. I want to be part of the dream held by my friends who work for Ravenna.
The 2005 Ballon d’Or winner will be hoping to score his 300th career goal, over a decade after he netted his 299th.
The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star has even spent time in a Paraguayan prison since, after attempting to enter the country on a false passport, but did star in a prison futsal match.
The move to Ravenna is widely regarded as a marketing stunt, but one Cipriani hopes can help kickstarthisSerieAdream.
‘The long-term goal is to get Ravenna promoted to Serie A,’ insisted the club president.-AFP