Ronaldinho, 46, Comes Out of Retirement to Join Serie C Club

Brazilian football icon Ronaldinho has signed a contract with Italian Serie C club Ravenna in a stunning move that has captured global attention, more than a decade after his last professional appearance. The 46-year-old former Ballon d’Or and World Cup winner is set to be officially unveiled at a special event in Miami on June 23, with further details about his role expected to emerge then. The deal marks a return to Italy for the legendary playmaker, who previously spent two-and-a-half seasons with AC Milan between 2008 and 2011, and he will work under Ravenna coach Andrea Mandorlini as the club prepares for the 2026-27 campaign. Ronaldinho, who last played professionally for Fluminense in 2015, has largely featured in exhibition matches and legends events since his retirement. “New colours, same smile,” Ronaldinho said in a statement. “I can’t wait to get back to dancing on the ball and write a new story together with Ignazio and the entire Cipriani family. Football has always been a source of joy for me, and I want to bring that same spirit to Ravenna” .

The most pressing question surrounding the deal is whether the 46-year-old icon will actually take to the pitch for Ravenna. Club officials have sent mixed signals about his exact role, creating ongoing intrigue. Ravenna vice-president Ariedo Braida, who had previously signed Ronaldinho from Barcelona to Milan in 2008, initially suggested the Brazilian would not feature in Serie C matches. “Ronaldinho will do a marketing event with us, but he won’t play for Ravenna in Serie C next season. Also, because he’s 46, I wish he could still play,” Braida said. However, Braida later softened his stance, leaving the door open for a potential return to the pitch. Speaking to the ANSA news agency, he stated: “Ronaldinho is a timeless champion. He has signed with Ravenna and, for a club like ours, it’s an extraordinary coup. Will he play? We’ll see, but it’s not ruled out. As I already said, he is a timeless champion” .

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According to Sky Sport Italia and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Ronaldinho won’t technically be part of the squad or travel with the team for away matches in the 2026-27 campaign. However, the Brazilian will still be closely involved with the club in several key ways: he will make a brief appearance in a Serie C game during the season, he will become a minority shareholder in the club, Ravenna’s 2026-27 kit will feature his iconic R10 logo, and he will travel to Ravenna around August 20 to attend the team’s unveiling.

For Ravenna, this signing is a massive statement of ambition. The club, which plays its home matches at Stadio Bruno Benelli in the northern Italian city of Ravenna, narrowly missed out on promotion last season and is now determined to raise its profile dramatically ahead of the next campaign. Club owner Ignazio Cipriani, an Italian-American businessman and hotel chain owner, described the move as an extraordinary moment for the club. “I spent 24 years of my life in the United States, but I still consider Ravenna my home. Acquiring Ronaldinho is absolutely extraordinary for the club; he was my idol, and his impact on football goes beyond what he achieved on the pitch,” Cipriani said. Ravenna honorary vice-president Ariedo Braida emphasized the magnitude of the coup: “He’s a magical player, who will have his registration, that’s a huge coup for us” .

Ronaldinho reached the pinnacle of his career during his five-year spell at Barcelona between 2003 and 2008, winning two La Liga titles and the 2005-06 Champions League. He won the Ballon d’Or in 2005 and was named FIFA World Player of the Year twice. On the international stage, he was a key member of Brazil’s 2002 World Cup-winning squad, scoring a memorable free-kick against England in the quarter-finals. Since his last professional appearance for Fluminense in 2015, Ronaldinho has remained active through exhibition matches, charity games and legends tournaments around the world. He officially ended his career in 2017 after two stints in India’s Premier Futsal League. The 46-year-old was recently in attendance for Brazil’s World Cup match in Philadelphia, appearing alongside Ronaldo on the TV screens to huge cheers from the crowd. His global pull remains immense, making this a major coup for the ambitious Serie C side.

Ronaldinho, 46, Comes Out of Retirement to Join Serie C Club

Argentine TV Presenter Resigns After Falsely Reporting Death of Lionel Messi’s Father

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – A major media controversy has erupted in Argentina after television presenter and actress Florencia Peña resigned from streaming platform Luzu TV for falsely announcing the death of Jorge Messi, father of football superstar Lionel Messi, during a live broadcast.

The incident occurred shortly after Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Algeria in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where Messi delivered a stunning hat-trick performance.

During a live episode of El Show del Verano, Peña shocked viewers by claiming that Jorge Messi had suddenly died.

“I don’t want to bring bad news, but Messi’s father has just passed away. It was sudden. In the middle of the World Cup,” she said on air.

The statement immediately sparked confusion and concern among football fans worldwide, with the unverified report spreading rapidly across social media platforms and news forums. However, the claim was soon debunked.

In response to the growing speculation, the Messi family issued an official statement confirming that Jorge Messi is alive and currently receiving treatment for an undisclosed medical condition. According to the family, the 68-year-old remains under medical supervision and is recovering steadily. The statement criticized the circulation of false information and urged the media and public to respect the family’s privacy during a sensitive period. The clarification brought relief to millions of supporters of Lionel Messi, who had been alarmed by the reports circulating online.

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Following widespread backlash, Peña publicly accepted responsibility for the error and announced her resignation from Luzu TV. In a statement shared on social media, the veteran television personality explained that the information had been relayed to her during the live broadcast as verified news by members of the production team.

“I have to clarify that this false information was given to me live on air as if it had been checked by the show’s production team, and I trusted it,” Peña said.

Despite insisting that she acted in good faith, she acknowledged her role in spreading the misinformation.

“I apologize to the Messi family. I am deeply ashamed to have been involved in this mistake. Even so, I take responsibility for being part of it, and that is why I decided to step aside and end my participation in Luzu.”

Her resignation came less than 24 hours after the controversy erupted.

Luzu TV also issued a formal apology and announced disciplinary measures against those responsible for allowing the false report to be broadcast. The platform’s founder and producer, Nicolás Occhiato, described the incident as unacceptable and reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to professional journalism.

“For our channel, the broadcast of sensitive information without proper prior verification is unacceptable,” Occhiato said.

The company confirmed that employees directly involved in the editorial failure had been dismissed, while emphasizing the importance of responsible reporting, especially when dealing with personal and health-related matters.

The controversy drew reactions from across Argentina, including from President Javier Milei, who strongly condemned the false report. Writing on social media platform X, Milei described the comments as “outrageous” and “unscrupulous,” arguing that public figures and media personalities have a responsibility to verify information before presenting it as fact. He also criticized what he described as a culture of impunity in parts of the media, where unverified reports can quickly gain traction simply because they are delivered through influential platforms.

The false report gained additional momentum because Lionel Messi appeared visibly emotional during Argentina’s opening World Cup match against Algeria. After the game, the Argentine captain admitted he had experienced “difficult days” personally but declined to provide further details. Those comments fueled online speculation regarding his family circumstances, although neither Messi nor his representatives disclosed any specific information at the time. Subsequent reports confirmed that concerns about Jorge Messi’s health had contributed to the public curiosity, but there was never any indication that his condition was life-threatening.

The incident has reignited debate in Argentina about journalistic standards in the digital age, where unverified information can spread globally within minutes. Media analysts say the controversy serves as a cautionary tale about the risks of broadcasting sensitive information without adequate fact-checking, particularly when it involves the health or personal lives of public figures.

As the fallout continues, attention is expected to shift back to the football pitch, where Argentina will face Austria in their next 2026 FIFA World Cup group-stage match, with supporters hoping the focus returns to football rather than off-field controversies.

Argentine TV Presenter Resigns After Falsely Reporting Death of Lionel Messi’s Father

Morocco Captain Achraf Hakimi to Face Rape Trial During 2026 World Cup

The Versailles Court of Appeal has confirmed that Paris Saint-Germain and Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi will face a criminal trial over rape allegations, dismissing an appeal from the footballer’s legal team. The ruling, delivered on June 19, 2026, paves the way for the 27-year-old right-back to appear before a criminal court in the Hauts-de-Seine department following a judicial investigation spanning more than three years. The decision comes just hours before Morocco’s second World Cup group match against Scotland, with Hakimi set to captain his side in the United States.

The case originates from a complaint filed in February 2023 by a then-24-year-old woman who told police in the Val-de-Marne region that Hakimi had raped her at his home in Boulogne-Billancourt, a Paris suburb. According to a police source, the woman said she connected with the player on Instagram in January 2023 and was taken to his residence in a taxi arranged by the footballer. She alleged that Hakimi kissed, touched, and raped her without consent, and that she managed to push him away before contacting a friend who came to pick her up. An investigation was opened in March 2023, and Hakimi was placed under judicial supervision. An investigating judge ordered a trial in February 2026 following recommendations from public prosecutors that Hakimi should face charges. The player’s legal team appealed that decision, but the Versailles Court of Appeal rejected the challenge on June 19, ruling that sufficient evidence exists against the player to proceed to a full criminal hearing.

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The footballer, who has consistently denied all allegations since they emerged, responded to the court’s decision with a statement on social media platform X. “Justice looked me in the eye and told me: ‘If you were not famous, there would never have been a case,'” Hakimi wrote. “I chose to remain silent for years. I believed that staying dignified, being patient, and trusting the justice system would allow the right decisions to be made.” He added: “I have been waiting for this trial since the first day. And I am now waiting for it impatiently. Finally, I will be able to speak.” Hakimi’s lawyer, Fanny Colin, criticised the appeal court’s decision, arguing that the investigation had uncovered substantial evidence supporting the player’s innocence. “The multitude of exculpatory elements uncovered during the investigation and judicial inquiry would, in any other case, have led to the dismissal of the proceedings,” Colin told the Associated Press. “Achraf Hakimi’s defense regrets that no consequences were drawn from the contradictions and false statements made by the complainant, her concealment of information from the judicial authorities, her obstruction of the search for the truth, and the psychological assessments noting both her ambivalence and her lack of clarity regarding the events she reported.”

Rachel-Flore Pardo, the lawyer representing the plaintiff, welcomed the court’s decision, stating it brought her client “relief and hope” after more than three years of legal proceedings. “Relief that she has been heard by the justice system and will have her case heard at trial,” Pardo said in a statement to the AP. “Hope that this trial will help other women and further weaken the fortress of denial and impunity surrounding sexual violence, including within the world of men’s football.” The woman, who recently spoke publicly for the first time under the pseudonym “Jeanne” in an interview with Mediapart, expressed her desire for the trial “to defend myself, to be heard,” adding, “I want people to believe me.”

No date has yet been set for the start of the trial, and the footballer now has ten days to appeal the Versailles court’s decision to the Court of Cassation if he chooses to do so. Despite the legal setback, Hakimi remains available for both Paris Saint-Germain and the Moroccan national team pending the outcome of the trial. He is currently captaining Morocco at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with his second group match against Scotland scheduled for Friday. Morocco drew 1-1 with Brazil in their opening Group C fixture. The case has drawn attention to the broader issue of sexual violence within professional football, with the plaintiff’s lawyer noting that “the road is still long” in the fight against sexual violence in the world of men’s football.

Morocco Captain Achraf Hakimi to Face Rape Trial During 2026 World Cup