You can watch Ronaldinho’s first professional game in over 10 years for free this week!
Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho is set to play his first professional game in 10 years this weekend, aiming to make history in a special way.
Ronaldinho last played professionally for Fluminense in Brazil back in 2015. After retiring three years later, he took part in charity matches worldwide and had a short stint in Gerard Pique’s ‘Kings League.’
In June, Serie C team Ravenna welcomed Ronaldinho as a new shareholder. The club’s owner, Ignazio Cipriani, initially said signing Ronaldinho was an amazing marketing move but that he wouldn’t play for the team. Later, Cipriani surprised everyone by confirming Ronaldinho will actually play for Ravenna, hoping to score the final goal of his career in an official match.
Ronaldinho will wear his famous No.10 shirt when Ravenna faces Forli FC on Sunday. At 46, he’s not playing for money but to finish his career on a high note—he wants to score his 300th career goal after being stuck on 299 since retiring.
When his signing was announced, Ronaldinho said, “New colors, same smile. I can’t wait to dance with the ball and start a beautiful new story with Ignazio Cipriani and the Cipriani family. Football has always been joyful for me, and I’m excited to bring that spirit to Ravenna. Let the magic begin!”
Ronaldinho’s debut is expected to draw lots of attention and the game will be shown live on Sky Sports’ Football YouTube channel. Kick-off is at 4:30 pm, making it a great chance to see if he still has the magic during the international break.
Since retiring, Ronaldinho’s life has been quite a journey. He tried a music career with Brazilian rap and funk, played beach soccer and futsal, but also faced challenges—like being jailed in Paraguay in 2020. Ronaldinho and his brother Roberto spent 32 days in a maximum security prison after using fake Paraguayan passports. They said the documents were given to them by people linked to a charity event.
While in prison, Ronaldinho was treated like a star—signing autographs, celebrating his 40th birthday, and even shining in a five-a-side football tournament, scoring five goals and assisting six, helping his team win a pig as a prize.
They were released after paying $1.6 million in bail but had to stay under house arrest in a hotel in Asuncion. Eventually, they were allowed to return home after the court ruled they didn’t need to serve more prison time, receiving suspended sentences.