Roberto Carlos and Ronaldo set to buy Brazilian club Inter de Limeira as part of sweeping shift in national soccer

Brazilian legends Roberto Carlos and Ronaldo Nazário are stepping back into the heart of Brazilian soccer — this time as owners. Roberto Carlos revealed that he and Ronaldo, along with several partners, are in the process of purchasing Inter de Limeira, a historic club currently competing in Brazil’s third division.

A return to their roots

In an interview on Debate em Jogo on Wamo, Roberto Carlos explained that he and Ronaldo are teaming up with partners Enrico, an African investor, and an Arab investor to take over the São Paulo‑based club.

Their goal, he said, is twofold: revitalize soccer in Brazil’s interior regions and develop future stars for the national team. Roberto Carlos emphasized that they want to “get involved little by little” and help reorganize smaller clubs that have long been overshadowed by Brazil’s giants.

He also mentioned interest in União São João, the club where he played as a teenager and where his nephew currently plays. He hopes to learn more about these regional teams to help them secure sponsors and restore the vibrant local soccer culture he remembers from his youth.

Inter de Limeira: a club with history

Founded on October 5, 1913, Inter de Limeira has deep roots in the state of São Paulo. The club emerged from a local team known as Barroquinha and adopted the name “Internacional” as a tribute to the Japanese, Italian, German, and Portuguese immigrants who settled in the region.

The club’s golden era came in the 1980s, when it won the Campeonato Paulista in 1986 and the Brazilian second division in 1988. Today, Inter de Limeira sits atop Serie C, leading with 25 points after 14 matches — one point ahead of Brusque and Santa Cruz.

Part of a larger transformation in Brazilian soccer

The purchase aligns with a major shift underway in Brazil: more clubs are adopting the corporate ownership model, transforming themselves into private companies to attract investment and modernize operations.

Ronaldo is no stranger to this world. He bought Cruzeiro in 2021 — the club where he launched his career — before selling it in 2024 to a local businessman. He also acquired Real Valladolid in Spain in 2018, later selling his stake in 2023 during a turbulent period for the club.

Now, alongside Roberto Carlos, he’s turning his attention back home, aiming to breathe new life into one of Brazil’s traditional interior clubs and help reshape the future of the sport in the country.

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