Two Brazilian football legends and a Saudi prince investing in a small club near São Paulo sounds like the beginning of a funny story. In reality, it involves two of the game’s most recognisable figures and one of the wealthiest royal families in the world. As reported by CNN Brasil, Ronaldo Nazário and Roberto Carlos have acquired stakes in the Sociedade Anônima do Futebol (SAF) that controls Inter de Limeira. Their involvement will focus on investment and commercial opportunities, with the aim of giving the project an international reach. Speaking to EPTV, Enrico Ambrogini, an executive at the São Paulo state club, explained that the former players would primarily act as global ambassadors, while the day-to-day running of the team would be entrusted to professionals appointed by the investment group. Their task will be to turn the attention brought by the new shareholders into better facilities and progress on the pitch. “They won’t be involved in the day-to-day running of Inter de Limeira. Roberto Carlos won’t be the coach and Ronaldo won’t be the sporting director. They’re joining the project as investors and, above all, as global ambassadors,” Ambrogini said.
Beyond the money they bring to the club, Ambrogini sees the pair’s greatest value in their standing within world football and their ability to open doors to potential partners. The plan is to draw on their international experience to attract sponsors and companies from other markets, particularly Europe and the United States. “Their greatest value to us, beyond the financial contribution, is their credibility and their ability to open doors,” he said. Both players were part of Brazil’s World Cup-winning side in 2002 and could take part in strategic meetings and commercial negotiations, where their presence may help bring potential investors and sponsors to the table. Neither, however, is expected to spend much time in Limeira. Their involvement will be occasional, depending on their other commitments and the needs of the project.
The club’s administrative and sporting operations will be overseen by a professional management team led by Ambrogini, who previously worked with Ronaldo during the former striker’s uneven spells as owner of Cruzeiro and Valladolid, and has also held a position at Inter de Limeira. “Football operations will be handled professionally, with executives appointed by the investment fund to run the club here in Limeira on a daily basis,” he said. The distinction between ownership and management is central to the project: the investors will help set its direction, while decisions on recruitment, squad building and sporting strategy will rest with the professionals running the club. Ambrogini has urged supporters to be patient, making clear that the immediate priority is not to spend heavily on players but to put the foundations in place. “The fans need to understand that this is a long-term project. We won’t start signing players on one million reais a month tomorrow. The initial priority is infrastructure: renovating the Limeirão, building a training centre and putting the club in a position to grow sustainably,” he said.
The investment plan envisages up to 454 million Brazilian reais, around €80 million, over ten years. This is the projected investment across that period, rather than a sum paid in full when the agreement was signed. For the first two years, the group plans to invest up to 20 million reais, with the money going towards the first team, the youth academy and improvements to the club’s facilities. The investors also include Saudi prince Abdullah bin Saad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and other entrepreneurs. Together, they will hold 80 per cent of the SAF, with the remaining 20 per cent retained by the sporting association.
The agreement has been signed, but the transition remains subject to the submission of documents and the completion of registration procedures. The ambition is to take Inter de Limeira, currently in Brazil’s second division, back to the Brasileirão within eight seasons. The club will need to strengthen its organisational structure to sustain that progress over the long term, with the next phase beginning in 2027. Having secured promotion this season, Inter de Limeira will return to Série B after 35 years away. In the first half of the year, the club will also look to regain its place in the top flight of the Campeonato Paulista.