A legend’s bold rescue plan for Corinthians turmoil | OneFootball

Ronaldo has made it clear that he views a transition to a Sociedade Anônima do Futebol (SAF) as the only viable path to financial stability for Corinthians. Speaking on the “Denilson Show” podcast, the former striker—who starred for the club between 2009 and 2011—didn’t mince words regarding the scale of the crisis gripping his old team.

“Unfortunately, I have no hope with the current model. It’s a mess, too much debt. The only way out I see is becoming an SAF,” Ronaldo said, referencing the mounting financial pressures and the ongoing turmoil in the boardroom, with president Augusto Melo suspended and under police investigation.

The context is bleak: Corinthians’ debts keep rising, administrative turmoil shows little sign of easing, and the once-stable corridors of power are now beset by infighting. In this environment, Ronaldo’s proposal for SAF—Brazilian football’s increasingly popular privatization model—lands as both a warning and a potential offer of rescue.

Notably, Ronaldo revealed he would be ready to invest if the club made the switch. “If Corinthians decide to become an SAF, I’ll get the money together and get involved. It won’t be a surprise, because I have so much belief in the club, its fanbase, and its potential. If organized properly, Corinthians is a machine,” he insisted.

Ronaldo is no stranger to SAF projects, having previously guided Cruzeiro through its own transformation and holding an ownership stake at Real Valladolid in Spain. His credibility as both an investor and football operator adds weight to his remarks.

Still, the prospect of an SAF is highly contentious within the club. Many Corinthians councillors and registered members remain resistant, wary of ceding control or changing the organization’s 114-year member-driven tradition. Yet, Ronaldo argued that some form of hybrid SAF structure—possibly offering alternating power between investors and the original sporting association—could be a solution, especially in the critical early years. “For the first years, the investor needs to be in control. And that depends on how much money is being injected, because Corinthians’ debt is only increasing,” he noted.

These comments arrive as financial and governance scandals continue to cloud the club’s future. Whatever the outcome of the SAF debate, Ronaldo’s intervention underscores how urgent and difficult the choices ahead are for a club at a crossroads—and suggests that significant external investment could be waiting in the wings if Corinthians opts for structural reform.

Source: Globo, UOL

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