NEW ERA

Rio de Janeiro, March 3rd, 2022 - President Durcesio Mello and shareholder John Textor signed on Thursday (March 3rd) an agreement on the transfer of Botafogo SAF’s control (Sociedade Anônima do Futebol).

"I am very grateful for this opportunity, honored for the trust they have placed in me and increasingly in love with Botafogo fans. I am very proud to be part of this family: eu sou mais um escolhido. I came to build a champion team and I will do my best. We will work every day to take Botafogo back to its place in history", highlighted John Textor.

President Durcesio Mello, in turn, highlighted the importance of the transformation of the institution into SAF and celebrated the signing of the contract.

"Today is another historic day. Botafogo, of traditions and glories, will now also look at the future with the certainty that it will once again be a protagonist. Our management is proud to have found a great partner like John Textor, a serious, responsible, careful investor that will be a great guardian of our football. My special thanks to the entire team that was and continues to be tireless to carry out this operation. And also highlight the role of the advisors, partners and fans who understood that this path is the best for Botafogo", highlighted President Durcesio Mello.

Hired to lead Botafogo's turnaround in March 2021, CEO Jorge Braga participated in all steps of the operation, all in just under 1 year on the job. The executive celebrated and recalled the main management movements in the period, which had an impact on the attractiveness of the project.

"Botafogo is the only big club in Brazil that followed the entire process of professionalizing its structure in the transition to SAF. General restructuring, breaking of paradigms on cost value and access from Series B to Series A in the midst of a turnaround. We created SAF with the RCE (Centralized Debt Scheme) at the same time: the only club in Brazil with both movements together", highlighted the CEO Jorge Braga.

With this signature, all that remains is the completion of merely bureaucratic procedures for the final text, which will not impact the outcome of the deal. Shareholder John Textor starts this Thursday his performance as the head of Most Traditional's football.

Press Officer
Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas