Mattheus Montenegro: the steady hand for Fluminense’s future

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·25 November 2025

Mattheus Montenegro: the steady hand for Fluminense’s future

The presidential election of Fluminense Football Club, scheduled for the upcoming November 29, promises to define the institutional and sporting direction of the club for the 2026–2028 triennium. At the heart of this process is the direct contest between the current administration and the opposition, a clash not only of profiles but of management models and visions for the tricolor's future.

Representing the current administration, Chapa 20, titled “Club that Makes Brazil Proud,” arrives as the natural favorite for carrying the political and administrative support of the current president, Mário Bittencourt, who is concluding his second term at the helm of Fluminense. The slate is headed by Mattheus Montenegro, presidential candidate, with Ricardo Tenório as the vice-presidential candidate.

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Mattheus Montenegro (President): the bet on continuity

Currently the Vice President General of Fluminense, Mattheus Montenegro, 39, is today one of the most influential figures in Mário Bittencourt's administration and considered his natural successor. A tax lawyer, he is a partner in one of the largest law firms in the country and has a solid career in the national legal environment.

Graduated in Law from FGV, where he also completed a master's in Tax Law, Mattheus built his career working on issues of institutional impact. Between 2019 and 2022, he was a prosecutor for the OAB at the Supreme Federal Court, participating in judgments such as those discussing the tax regime of law firms, the requirement of CND in judicial recoveries, and the non-incidence of social security contributions on maternity pay. He also worked closely with Congress, contributing to the drafting of legislative proposals in the tax area.

Today, he remains influential in the legal field: he is a federal counselor of the OAB, integrates Sports and Tax Law commissions in Rio de Janeiro, and participates in the Permanent Forum on Tax Law of EMERJ. He was also part of the CNJ technical committee responsible for diagnosing national tax litigation.

In the academic field, he taught postgraduate courses at FGV and CBF Academy, in addition to coordinating works and publishing legal articles, an experience that reinforces his technical profile, often highlighted by his support base.

Within the club, he has an active role in topics such as the Centralized Execution Regime (RCE) and the General Sports Law (SAF) project. The vice-president was the face of the management in conducting the SAF process, which is stalled, as he himself said in recent interviews, due to the electoral process. If elected, Montenegro promised to advance the negotiation with short-term measures and will try to improve the proposal.

Ricardo Tenório (Vice-President):

Ricardo Tenório, a real estate businessman, is a traditional name in Fluminense's internal politics and a well-known figure among fans. He has held several positions in the club over the past decades. He was vice-president of football in two different administrations: first with Roberto Horcades in 2009, and later with Peter Siemsen in 2014.

After nine years away from the tricolor structure, Tenório returned in 2023 to assume the vice-presidency of Special Projects. In his current position, he is responsible for two fronts considered essential for the club's future: the completion of the Carlos Castilho Training Center and the revitalization of the Laranjeiras Stadium.

His presence in Fluminense's political life is also long-standing. In 2016, he was part of Mário Bittencourt's slate as a vice-presidential candidate in an election won by Pedro Abad. Three years later, in 2019, he ran as Mário's opponent but was defeated. Now, he returns to the race as Mattheus Montenegro's vice, representing the continuity of the current administrative project.

The electoral scenario

This Saturday's contest took on more tense contours after the death of Celso Barros, a historic name of the club who also emerged as one of the presidential candidates. His presence in the race was considered certain and represented a significant alternative within the opposition. With his passing on November 15, a political vacuum opened, polarizing the election between two candidates: Mattheus Montenegro (Chapa 20) and Ademar Arrais (Chapa 30).

While the opposition mobilizes around criticisms of the SAF constitution process, Chapa 20 argues that it is necessary to complete the cycle initiated by the current management, advocating for institutional stability, legal security, and sports consolidation.