REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
It's not often players come out of retirement in their forties, but one of football's all-time greats is doing just that with one particular goal in mind.
The sport looks to soon be bidding farewell to Cristiano Ronaldo, 41, who recently said that he'd likely be calling time on his career next year. His longtime Ballon d'Or rival Lionel Messi, 39, is in the twilight years of his career, and after missing out on a second World Cup with Argentina, there is talk of him retiring in the near future.
Fans dread the day their footballing heroes decide to hang up their boots, although some have gone against their decision in the past. Take, for example, Paul Scholes, who retired in 2011 but made a comeback a year later to win the Premier League in Sir Alex Ferguson's final season as Manchester United boss.
Ronaldinho Makes Shock Return With Italian Outfit
REUTERS/Ciro De Luca
Scholes was only 37 when he came out of retirement and had only spent a year away from the pitch. It's been 11 years since Ronaldinho decided to call it quits, but the Brazilian is set to make a shock return.
Ronaldinho has flown to Italy after signing for third-tier outfit Ravenna and will be presented in front of six thousand fans at a beach festival on the Adriatic coast. Having made history in European football with Barcelona, he's now ready to lace up his boots once again at the grand old age of 46.
There is a good reason the 2005 Ballon d'Or winner is returning to the pitch and joining a club playing in Serie C. He is the minority owner of the Italian minnows and part of the ownership group led by Ignazio Cipriani, the grandson of Giuseppe Cipriani, who owns Harry's Bar in Venice.
To dispel suggestions that this was all just a publicity stunt, Cipriani explained why the 2002 World Cup winner is coming out of retirement (via The Athletic):
Ronaldinho
The last time Ronaldinho was in action was way back in 2015 at Fluminense, where he seemed to be ending his career. He's no stranger to Italian football, having spent two and a half seasons at AC Milan after leaving Barca, where he wrote his name in European football history.
Ronaldinho also spent his career playing for Paris Saint-Germain, Flamengo, Atlético Mineiro, and Querétaro, and as a member of the Brazil squad that wowed fans throughout the late nineties and 2000s. He could make his debut for Ravenna in their season opener against Reggiana on Monday (August 24th).
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Ronaldinho Isn't The Oldest Footballer To Return
Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho has now become the fifth player in history over the age of 40 to come out of retirement. Another Brazilian took the top spot as Romario made a surprise comeback after retiring in 2009, signing for America RJ at 58 to play alongside his son, Romarinho.
Romario similarly served as the Brazilian club's president, and evidently, legends are enticed to return when remaining in the sport in a business capacity. Others who have made shock U-turns include Jens Lehmann, who called time on his career in 2010 at Stuttgart but re-signed with Arsenal a year later, aged 41, due to a goalkeeping crisis.
Romario, the former soccer player and senator, during training with America FC
One of Ronaldinho's former teammates, Rivaldo, made a comeback just 15 months after retiring at age 43. The Barcelona icon registered for Mogi Mirim while serving as club president and even scored in the same match as his son Rivaldinho.
Steven Gerrard, Ronaldinho and Wayne Rooney.
Steven Gerrard, Ronaldinho and Wayne Rooney.
At the age of 42, Juan Sebastian Veron, kept his promise to Estudiantes fans that he would come out of retirement if 65% of boxes were bought at their new stadium. The former Manchester United midfielder played in the 2017 Copa Libertadores.