Ronaldinho set for first competitive start since 2015

Brazilian football great Ronaldinho is set to make his first competitive start in more than a decade when Ravenna host local rivals Forli in Italy’s third division on Sunday.

Ravenna manager Andrea Mandorlini said Ronaldinho would start as one of the team’s three forwards. “He will play from the start, there’s no doubt,” he told reporters, adding that they would decide together how long the 46-year-old played.

Ronaldinho, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2005, joined the Serie C club as an investor in August and is now in line to make his first appearance for them. His last competitive outing was for Brazilian side Fluminense in September 2015.

The former Barcelona and AC Milan playmaker arrived in Italy on Friday and will have had just one training session with his team-mates before the match. Ravenna are second in the table after 13 games. Forward Simone Rabbi said Ronaldinho would take any penalties awarded to the team.

Ronaldinho has said he hopes to score one final goal and bring his career tally to 300. Ravenna owner Ignazio Cipriani described that aim as “romantic” and said the Brazilian’s involvement was not a token gesture or a marketing stunt.

A temporary stand has been installed at Ravenna’s Stadio Bruno Benelli to accommodate the expected crowd. Fans may be seeing the World Cup winner in action for the final time.