Two Brazilian soccer legends are joining forces once again, this time away from the field. Ronaldo Nazario and Roberto Carlos are part of an investment group that received approval to take control of Inter de Limeira's SAF, with the club currently competing in Serie C, the third tier of Brazilian soccer.
Ronaldo Nazario and Roberto Carlos Buy Brazilian Third-Division Club
Ronaldo Nazario and Roberto Carlos are part of the investment group that will take control of Inter de Limeira, a historic Brazilian club aiming to return to the country's top flight.
The deal received almost unanimous support during the club's Extraordinary General Assembly. The bylaws required approval from at least two-thirds of those participating, and the proposal received 53 votes in favor and only one against.
The decision marks the beginning of a new chapter for a club with 112 years of history that is now looking to climb back up the Brazilian soccer pyramid.
Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos Join the Project
The agreement will see the investment group acquire 80% of Inter de Limeira's SAF shares. The SAF model allows Brazilian clubs to operate under a corporate structure and receive private investment to support their sporting and financial development.
The investment group is led by Enrico Ambrogini and includes Ronaldo Nazario, Roberto Carlos and Saudi Prince Abdullah bin Saad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
The proposal includes investments that could reach €75.4 million over the next 10 years, with the funds intended to develop a project capable of returning the club to the biggest stages in Brazilian soccer.
The Goal Is to Reach Serie A
The main challenge for the new investors will be taking Inter de Limeira from the third division to the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A. The project has established a maximum timeframe of eight seasons to earn promotion to the country's top flight.
The club has an important history in Brazilian soccer. In 1986, it became the first team from outside the São Paulo metropolitan area to win the Campeonato Paulista, and two years later, it captured the Brazilian Série B title.
