Ronaldinho Arrives in Italy to Play for Serie C Side Ravenna

Ravenna is better known for its Adriatic beaches than for its soccer team. That's about to change, at least for a few days, because Ronaldinho has just landed in Italy to wear the shirt of this Serie C club, and the city has already dubbed it "Ronaldinho day."

The Brazilian, 46 years old, arrived on a private jet at Forlì airport, about 30 kilometers from Ravenna, around midday local time. He barely lingered with the fans waiting for him in the arrivals area: he signed a couple of balls for airport staff and got straight into a car on the tarmac. He was accompanied by Ignazio Cipriani, Ravenna's president and owner of the restaurant chain that bears his last name.

The big celebration, though, will come this Thursday night, on the beach, with the official presentation of the squad. Ronaldinho will come out last, as befits the star of the show, following a press conference beforehand. The idea is for the ceremony to carry the kind of shine that only a name like his can bring to a third-division club.

What won't happen, at least for now, is seeing him on the field. Ronaldinho will not be available for Ravenna's season opener in Serie C, set for Monday in Reggio Emilia, and it's still unclear how many minutes he might log over the course of the campaign. What is clear is the dream Cipriani has attached to this signing.

It's my dream for the Brazilian to score the last goal of his career with this club.Ignazio Cipriani

The announcement, made in June, caught the soccer world by surprise: Ronaldinho had been retired for more than a decade. His last match as a professional came with Fluminense in 2015, and now he returns to Italy for the second time in his career. The first was none other than at AC Milan, between 2008 and 2011.

A Name That Still Carries Weight

No matter how many years have passed, talking about Ronaldinho means talking about one of the most recognizable soccer players on the planet. He won the 2002 World Cup with Brazil and took home the 2005 Ballon d'Or, at the peak of a career that blended magic, dribbling and a smile that became his personal trademark.

Now, that same name is set to fill a beach in Ravenna, even if just for one night and without yet knowing whether the ball will roll again under his feet in an official match. Cipriani has already made his hopes clear. The rest, he says, will play out as the season unfolds.