India, Aug. 21 -- Ronaldinho has confirmed that he will make an extraordinary return to professional football at the age of 46, more than a decade after his last competitive appearance, with the Brazilian legend promising to play in an official match for Italian third-tier club Ravenna. The former Barcelona and AC Milan superstar is already in Ravenna after arriving in Italy on Thursday and being presented to thousands of supporters at a beachside event at Marina di Ravenna. Ronaldinho has joined the Serie C club both as part of its wider ownership project and as a registered player.

For all the spectacle surrounding his arrival, one question had remained above everything else: would Ronaldinho actually play professional football again?...