“The final say is mine”, says Samantha Longo taking over Vasco SAF

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Papo na Colina

·25 June 2026

“The final say is mine”, says Samantha Longo taking over Vasco SAF

The administrative direction of Vasco da Gama took on a new official shape after lawyer Samantha Mendes Longo was appointed judicial trustee of Vasco SAF for a period of 60 days. In an exclusive interview with ge, the professional, who has more than two decades of experience in corporate law and previously served as legal director of the CBF, explained that she has taken full control of management. She replaces the committee led by Pedrinho, which was removed along with other board members by a decision from the 4th Business Court of Rio de Janeiro.

The manager made a point of highlighting her behind-the-scenes working style and ruled out any imposing attitude in the football department:

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“I am the trustee, I am the manager of the SAF, so I hold the pen to say ‘sign this one, fire that one.’ Ultimately, the final word is mine. But that’s not my profile. I don’t even have a team, I don’t support any. I have a conciliatory profile, which is why the judge chose me. I’m not someone who kicks the door in, I’m not going to say: ‘I’m the one who has to choose the coach, I’m the one who has to sign players, I’m going to change everyone.’ That’s not my intention, I don’t want to cause turmoil. I want to help Vasco get out of this situation. But legally, that power is mine.”

+ Who is Samantha Longo? Meet the trustee of Vasco SAF

Governance flow and internal audit at Vasco SAF

Pedrinho and executives Christiano Stockler Campos and Felipe Elias left their seats on the company’s Board of Directors so the new person in charge can begin a full bureaucratic restructuring process. The lawyer will start submitting detailed biweekly reports to the courts and has begun a round of strategic meetings to map out the organizational chart and each professional’s role at the institution’s headquarters.

The search for institutional transparency and the end of contractual gaps will guide the diagnostic plan for the club from São Januário:

“My idea is to keep the sporting side in the hands of those who understand the subject so we have as little damage as possible for the club in that area. I want the club to keep getting better and better. I don’t want to create conflicts, I want to remove them. It’s about trying to understand the key players, understand those interested in buying. See if there are more interested parties, maximize the interest. Does the recovery plan have any rule about the sale of shares? There is arbitration underway… I will try to bring harmony and see what is wrong in the SAF. The SAF came to remove amateurism and make things professional. Bring transparency, efficiency, and clean up corrupt acts. How does internal control work? Who holds what position? As for the team itself, I will understand how things are functioning. What are the emergency measures and address that to the courts.”

Financial analysis and search for reinforcements

Pedrinho had left negotiations underway with Real Betis for the signing of Colombian midfielder Nelson Deossa before the judicial block, but the manager warned that any market move will go through a strict filter. The goal of the new administration is to match Vasco’s squad needs with the financial obligations of the club’s judicial recovery process, assessing the football department’s real spending ceiling.

The professional indicated that deadlines and fiscal responsibility toward creditors will be top priorities before approving new signings:

“It would be very premature for me to comment on that. So far, no one has brought that to me. I know about the lack of a coach, the transfer window… no one has spoken to me about this specific point. I’ll know better starting tomorrow. The club is under judicial recovery. It is complying with a recovery plan. Signings are fundamental for football. We know what the team has done recently. From the information I have, 100 million was spent on signings this year. Any other signing will certainly go through a careful analysis. Whether the club has money, whether it will be able to keep paying creditors. I will do that financial analysis with my team. It’s not just a decision of whether to sign or not, but whether it fits within what Vasco has.”

Corporate mediation and contact with the opposition

Pedrinho recently carried out dismissals within the club’s political association structure, and the trustee plans to meet with the former player and representatives of the American group 777 Partners to establish clear channels of communication. Judge Caroline Fonseca accepted the foreign company’s request after Fiscal Council reports pointed to governance failures, motivated by concern over the transfer of shares to Marcos Lamacchia’s group without the consent of the majority holders.

The manager concluded by asking Vasco supporters to remain calm and reaffirmed her total independence from the club’s political factions:

“I will not make a hasty decision. Not even on the sporting side without a lot of reflection. Obviously I’m not going to wait a long time and just keep waiting. I am a litigation lawyer by training, deadlines are very important to me. I always meet deadlines ahead of time. The judge gave me 15 days to submit it, but I hope to submit it even earlier. Even so the fans can understand. All of this is very legal in nature for them. They’re not very interested in that, in management. They want to know who will take the field, whether the team will win, whether it will play… That distinction is important. I have no intention of making changes to Vasco’s staff. I want to do everything cautiously so we can do what is best for Vasco. I think it’s important to calm tempers. The supporters can rest assured that I mean well, I was not appointed by any group. They don’t need to worry whether I have an interest in selling or an interest in not selling. I have no interest. I want to do what is best for Vasco, within the conditions of a club under judicial recovery that has a SAF. I have no political interest, I was not appointed by anyone. What reassures me the most is that I have always worked with seriousness, honesty, and dedication. Supporters can rest assured that someone with those characteristics has appeared.”