Roberto Carlos, the new investor in Inter de Limeira, began his soccer journey precisely at Brazil’s first club-company, União São João, based in Araras.
The career of Roberto Carlos, one of the greatest fullbacks in world soccer history, is entering a new chapter off the field. The five-time world champion confirmed that he will be part of the investment group taking over Inter de Limeira’sSAF (Sociedade Anônima do Futebol). This move brings to light an interesting historical connection: while investing in Inter’s new management model, the former player is also turning his attention to União São João, the club that launched his career and holds the pioneering distinction as Brazil’s first club-company.
From beginnings in Araras to SAF management
Before shining at Palmeiras, Real Madrid, and with the Brazil national team, Roberto Carlos took his first professional steps in 1988 at União São João in Araras, São Paulo state. The club gained national prominence in 1994 by becoming the first in the country to adopt the club-company format with the creation of União São João S/A. This structure quickly bore fruit, including winning the Brazilian Championship Serie B title in 1996 and participating four times in the national top tier.
Connection to interior São Paulo soccer
After a period of severe financial crisis and years of inactivity, União São João resumed its professional activities in 2022. Currently competing in the Campeonato Paulista Serie A3 and the Copa Paulista, the club remains close to the former fullback’s heart. Although investment projects he announced in 2015 did not materialize, the emotional connection remains intact: the five-time world champion’s relatives reside in Araras, and his nephew plays in the club’s youth categories.
The project at Inter de Limeira
Now, alongside former striker Ronaldo Fenômeno, Roberto Carlos aims to apply his experience at Inter de Limeira. The project is led by Enrico Ambrogini, an executive who has held key SAF management roles at Cruzeiro and Valladolid.
“Ronaldo and I are buying Inter de Limeira now, along with Enrico and two of our partners, one African and one Arab. We will gradually re-enter interior soccer so that, in addition to having great players going to the national team, we can reorganize these clubs,”Roberto Carlos declared to the Debate em Jogo program.
Impact and Future Prospects
Currently, Inter de Limeira is experiencing a promising phase, leading Brazilian Serie C. The investment group’s objective is to consolidate the team’s reconstruction and promote the strengthening of interior São Paulo soccer. With a strategic vision, Roberto Carlos intends to use his influence to attract sponsors and restore the historical competitiveness of regional clubs, reinforcing his commitment to the development of the sport that projected him onto the world stage.
