Marketing stunt or ‘extraordinary’ transfer? Ravenna fans ride wave of the Ronaldinho Effect
Ronaldinho’s surprise decision to join Ravenna, a newly promoted Serie C club, has divided supporters between scepticism and excitement. Some see the 46-year-old Brazilian’s arrival as a marketing exercise, while others hope to witness a final flourish from one of football’s most celebrated players; the move has brought unusual global attention to a city better known for its Byzantine heritage than football.
Club president Ignazio Cipriani, who bought Ravenna in 2024 when it was in fourth-tier Serie D, says the signing is part of an ambitious plan to reach Serie A and eventually the Champions League. Ravenna won the Serie D Cup and promotion in Cipriani’s first season, while a limited-edition Ronaldinho “R10” shirt sold out within hours, underlining the commercial impact of the transfer.
- Ronaldinho’s Ravenna move thrills fans but prompts doubts over its purpose.
- The 46-year-old joins an ambitious newly promoted Serie C club.
- Special-edition Ronaldinho shirts sold out within hours.
New here? Start with this
Ravenna is a football club from the northern Italian city of the same name, best known internationally for its ancient mosaics and Byzantine monuments. The team has spent much of its recent history outside Italy’s top divisions and has just returned to Serie C, the third tier of the Italian league system.
Ronaldinho is a former Brazilian international widely regarded as one of the most gifted footballers of his generation. He won the World Cup with Brazil in 2002, the Ballon d’Or in 2005 and major trophies with Barcelona and AC Milan, but has not played regular top-level football for many years.
Ignazio Cipriani took over Ravenna in 2024 and has set out an ambitious long-term aim of taking the club towards Serie A, Italy’s highest division. A signing by a globally recognisable former star can raise a smaller club’s profile, attract sponsors and sell merchandise, while also prompting questions about how much it can help on the pitch.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters who welcome the move can reasonably see it as an extraordinary opportunity for a small, newly promoted club. Ronaldinho’s profile can bring revenue, sponsorship, international attention and inspiration that help fund Ravenna’s wider sporting ambitions, while giving local fans a rare chance to see a defining player of his generation. Even if his role is limited, the shirt sales and publicity suggest the transfer could strengthen the club beyond the pitch.
The case against
Sceptics can reasonably argue that signing a 46-year-old whose peak career is long past risks prioritising spectacle over competitive planning. Ravenna’s stated ambitions require sustained investment in coaching, recruitment and younger players, and global attention may prove fleeting if Ronaldinho cannot contribute meaningfully in Serie C. They may also worry that the club is creating expectations it cannot meet, using a famous name to market an aspiration rather than building a durable football project.