Ronaldinho joins Italian club Ravenna FC at 46, but not as a player
The Brazilian legend's deal with the Serie C side is about ownership and marketing, not matchday minutes.
Ronaldinho, the man who made football look like a video game with cheat codes enabled, has signed with Italian Serie C club Ravenna FC. He’s 46 years old. And before you start imagining him nutmegging third-division defenders for fun, the reality is a bit more boardroom than pitch.
The Brazilian icon’s deal, announced on June 19, 2026, makes him a shareholder, strategic investor, and marketing ambassador for the club. An unveiling ceremony is scheduled for Miami on June 23, 2026. The consensus: he won’t be lacing up boots for any league matches.
What the deal actually looks like
Ronaldinho’s arrangement with Ravenna FC is structured around ownership and brand-building rather than competitive football. He’ll serve as a face of the club internationally while holding an equity stake.
The connection isn’t random. Ronaldinho has a relationship with Ariedo Braida, Ravenna FC’s honorary vice president, dating back to 2008. Braida was the executive who brought Ronaldinho to AC Milan during his playing days.
For Ravenna, the timing makes sense. The club narrowly missed promotion from Serie C last season, and bringing on a globally recognized name could help attract the kind of attention and investment needed to push past that threshold.
The Miami unveiling location signals that this partnership is aimed squarely at international audiences, particularly in the US and Latin American markets where Ronaldinho’s name still carries enormous weight.
Ronaldinho’s post-retirement portfolio
This isn’t Ronaldinho’s first foray into business ventures since hanging up his boots. His post-playing career has included ambassadorial roles and some ventures that haven’t aged particularly well.
His involvement with the STAR10 token project and the $RON token became a cautionary tale about celebrity-backed crypto projects. The Ravenna deal contains no cryptocurrency or blockchain component whatsoever.
His legal troubles have also made headlines. In 2020, he spent time in a Paraguayan prison after entering the country with fake passports.