Roberto Carlos and Ronaldo Fenômeno come together to buy SAF from Inter de Limeira

Five-time champion Roberto Carlos confirmed, on Tuesday, July 22, 2026, his entry into the project to acquire Sociedade Anônima do Futebol (SAF) from Inter de Limeira, joining Ronaldo Nazário. The initiative marks the participation of yet another big name in Brazilian football in the management of clubs in the interior, with the ambition of revitalizing the regional scene.

“Ronaldo and I are buying Inter de Limeira now together with Enrico and two of our partners, one African and one Arab”, declared Roberto Carlos on the Debate em Jogo program, on the Wamo channel. He highlighted the objective of “little by little reentering football in the interior so that, in addition to having great players going to the national team, they can reorganize these clubs”, reinforcing the intention of strengthening regional teams.

The project is led by Enrico Ambrogini, an executive with extensive experience in the SAF market. Ambrogini served as Cruzeiro’s operations director during Ronaldo’s administration and collaborated with the former striker at Valladolid, Spain, in addition to having been CEO of Internacional de Limeira between 2019 and 2021, bringing a consolidated track record in club management with the SAF model.

In April this year, the proposal to transform the club into SAF, presented by Ambrogini, was approved by the Deliberative Council of Inter de Limeira. The ambitious plan foresees a total investment of R$454 million over a decade, with the goal of reaching Series A of the Brazilian Championship in up to eight seasons.

In the initial years, between 2026 and 2027, the estimated financial contribution is up to R$20 million. These resources will be directed towards the improvement of professional football, the development of youth categories, the modernization of administrative and technological management, and significant improvements to the training center and the Major Levy Sobrinho stadium.

Inter de Limeira, which currently leads Series C of the Brazilian Championship, is in a period of restructuring. The club also aims to return to the elite of state football next season, after failing to gain access to Series A2 this year.

Founded in 1913, Inter de Limeira had its historic peak in the 1980s. In 1986, it made history by becoming the first club from the interior to win the Campeonato Paulista, beating Palmeiras in the final. Two years later, it added another important title to its achievements with the victory of Série B of the Brazilian Championship, demonstrating the rich tradition that the new management seeks to rescue.

Roberto Carlos also signaled that the collaboration with Ronaldo goes beyond Inter de Limeira, seeking to contribute to the general strengthening of football in the interior of São Paulo.

“I have the utmost affection for União São João, the utmost respect. Now, on the weekend, I’m going to be at Hermínio Ometto to watch União’s game, because my nephew plays there”, he revealed. He also expressed his intention to “study these interior clubs a little so that I can help both with sponsors and make interior football return to being the football of our time”, emphasizing the importance of regaining the strength of regional football.