Phew! John Textor says he'd never buy Flamengo: “They drove me mad”

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Coluna do Fla

·21 August 2026

Phew! John Textor says he'd never buy Flamengo: “They drove me mad”

Textor is away from Botafogo’s SAF command after a management crisis

Businessman John Textor has been using his time away from Botafogo’s SAF leadership to give interviews. In that context, the shareholder reassured Flamengo fans by saying he would never try to buy Flamengo, because the club annoyed him.

— Flamengo, Palmeiras, Fluminense… Those were the only clubs that truly got under my skin. I have love and respect for every team in Brazil, but the rivalries affected me because I adopted Botafogo as the club of my heart — said Textor, who added:

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— So the hatred Botafogo fans feel for those teams, I’d say I feel it in my heart too. Vasco is also an interesting case, right? We don’t like them, but they’re kind of like our brothers… It’s a bit of a weird relationship, but I have a great relationship with many Vasco fans — he told ESPN.

That’s good, but how did Flamengo annoy Textor?

Textor’s company, Eagle Football, took control of Botafogo starting in 2022. Since then, the Most Beloved has beaten its rival ten times, lost four, and drawn once. Among those wins, Fla claimed the 2025 Supercopa Rei over the businessman’s team.

Moreover, Botafogo’s last win over Rubro-Negro came two years ago. Since then, the American’s team has only lost in derbies against Fla. Curiously, 2024 was the only successful year of the SAF project.

Why is John Textor away from Botafogo?

The move came at Eagle’s own request. That is because management disagreements, corporate maneuvering, and, above all, the judicial recovery filing submitted by Textor angered shareholders and fans.

The decision came after a string of sporting disappointments for the club and sanctions imposed by FIFA. That is because Botafogo failed to pay Atlanta United (USA) for the signing of Thiago Almada, which resulted in a transfer ban.

What is the author’s opinion on Textor’s statement?

But do you really promise to stay away from Flamengo, Textor? And I thought it wasn’t possible for our rival’s moment to get any better,” said João Vítor Reis of Coluna do Fla, who added: “The team he says he loves was just eliminated from the Copa Sudamericana after losing 6-1. Yet the executive gives interviews with a smile on his face. I hope things get even worse for the neighborhood club,” he said.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.