US SOCCER
Ronaldinho moves into US soccer club ownership
The Brazilian star joins the ownership group of South Carolina’s Greenville Triumph and Greenville Liberty.
Ronaldinho is back in action, but this time the Brazilian is showing his skills in the boardroom and not on the pitch.
In an official statement, Greenville Triumph announced that the former Brazil international has joined the club’s ownership structure, which includes the Greenville Liberty, a women’s team who play in the USL W League. Ronaldinho and his brother Assis have joined the consortium via Wallace Cheves, a member of the GPS ownership group, who brought him on board through Cheves’ Grupo Ronaldinho ownership syndicate. It is unclear what the group paid for their stake in the club or how much money Ronaldinho has invested.
Greenville Triumph currently play in the USL League One, the country’s ‘third tier’ and Ronaldinho will also be one of the ambassadors for the forthcoming 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
“We are honored to welcome Ronaldinho into the Triumph family,” said Greenville Triumph SC Chairman Joe Erwin. “His influence in the sport is unmatched, and his presence within our ownership group speaks volumes about the direction we are heading as a club. Ronaldinho’s involvement will not only elevate our club’s profile but also inspire our players, fans, and the entire Upstate community.”
Greenville is located between Atlanta (140 miles away) and Charlotte (100 miles away) in South Carolina and the Brazilian dreams of taking the club into MLS, a tough aspiration given the closed competition model in US soccer with no relegation/promotion between the different leagues and a current expansion fee allowing access to MLS costing approximately 500 million dollars.
The former Barça, Milan and PSG star stated: “the emphasis the Greenville Triumph and Liberty place on youth play through the boys and girls youth academy teams, and the level of competitive excellence of the Triumph professional team and Liberty pre-professional team is impressive,” Ronaldinho said.
“For me and our group, this is an opportunity to support soccer’s growth at all ages and levels, and to be part of a community that values international presence and a unique blend of cultures.”