Ronaldinho Gaúcho is set to return to professional football.

At the age of 46, the Brazilian will take to the pitch this Sunday, 15 November, 11 years after his last appearance.

From the announcement to the anticipation surrounding his return

The last time fans saw the “Wizard” in a professional match was in 2015, when, aged 35, he was still playing for Fluminense.

Ronaldinho announced his retirement in 2018 and, since then, has only played in commemorative matches.

Everything changed in June this year, when the Brazilian surprised the football world by announcing his move to Ravenna, an Italian Serie C club. As well as joining the sporting project, he acquired a stake in the club and became involved in an institutional and commercial restructuring project to boost its profile.

Since then, fans have been eagerly awaiting a date to see the Brazilian back on the pitch.

Ronaldinho on the pitch this Sunday

The wait is finally drawing to a close.

Ravenna have officially announced that Ronaldinho will feature in the regional derby against Forlì this Sunday, in the 14th round of Group B of the Italian Serie C.

The match will be played at the Bruno Benelli Stadium, which will be at full capacity to welcome fans eager to see the star’s return.

In an official statement, the club also announced that Ronaldinho will take part in a pre-match training session with the team on Saturday the 14th, ahead of the fixture.

On his way to 300 goals?

It is not yet clear exactly what Ronaldinho hopes to achieve with Ravenna, but there is a special milestone within his reach.

With 299 goals in his professional career, Ronaldinho is just one away from reaching a historic milestone.

Who knows – perhaps his 300th goal will come in his very first match for Ravenna?

After 11 years away from professional football, Ronaldinho is about to write another chapter in his story. And, if it’s up to the fans – who have never stopped celebrating his magic – the show is only just beginning.