Marcelo Paz leaves Fortaleza for Corinthians: "Eternal love" | OneFootball

New football executive of Corinthians, Marcelo Paz wrote a letter to officially bid farewell to Fortaleza. The manager, who served as CEO of Leão do Pici, recalled his 11-year journey with the northeastern club and highlighted the achievements reached over the past years.

See below, in full, the text by Marcelo Paz:

“Tricolor family,

Today I write one of the most difficult and, at the same time, most serene messages of my professional life. After much reflection and dialogue with my family, I have decided that it is time to say goodbye to the executive leadership of Fortaleza Esporte Clube.

Fortaleza was the greatest challenge of my professional life. Together, we transformed a club, raised its sporting, institutional, and financial standards, and placed our tricolor in the position of prominence that its history and its fans have always deserved. It was eleven years of almost uninterrupted dedication. I was present at nearly 800 games, in person, closely following, whether in the smallest towns, at the Bombonera, or at the Monumental de Nuñez.

Alongside a brilliant executive board, we became Ceará state champions seven times, champions of the Série B of the Brazilian Championship, and three-time champions of the Copa do Nordeste. We experienced unprecedented moments, such as the final of the Copa Sudamericana, third place in the Copa do Brasil, fourth place in the Brasileirão in 2021 and 2024, and we secured three qualifications for the Libertadores, reaching the round of 16 on two occasions.

From an administrative point of view, we cleared the club’s labor debts, reclaimed Pici for Fortaleza, built a hotel, gyms, and a modern athlete recovery center. We also transformed the youth academy and women’s football, ensuring full operation at CT Ribamar Bezerra. Fortaleza began to develop players and attract talents that once seemed very distant to us.

We also carried out a commercial revolution. We reached 60,000 members, expanded our network to more than 20 stores, both official and licensed, and celebrated the largest sponsorship contracts in Fortaleza’s history. With the help of many good people, I was elected the best CEO in Brazil and South America in multiple awards. More than personal recognition, I see these achievements as a reflection of collective, serious, and committed work.

I know that no long and intense journey like this goes unscathed by time. The club’s growth brought visibility, relevance, and achievements, but also began to require ever greater effort to deal with internal matters. A sign that the end of the cycle has come, and it is necessary to have the humility to recognize it.

I leave with pride, gratitude, and the certainty of duty fulfilled. I believe this is a good opportunity for other talents to take the lead in guiding the club’s next steps, with courage and responsibility. Fortaleza remains strong, structured, and prepared for new chapters.

I end by thanking God for having had the opportunity to lead my beloved club and for having been granted so many blessings. I also leave my heartfelt thanks to everyone who walked by my side. Thank you to every employee, athlete, advisor, director, commercial partner, fan, and volunteer. Thank you to my family, who endured absences, tensions, and sacrifices so that I could serve the club.

Wherever I am, Fortaleza will be my eternal love.

Marcelo Paz”

(Photo: Mateus Lotif/Fortaleza EC)

According to Gazeta Esportiva, Marcelo Paz had already been in talks with Corinthians even before the withdrawal of Bruno Spindel and was seen as a more affordable option. The executive arrives at CT Dr. Joaquim Grava to replace Fabinho Soldado and lead Timão’s football department.

Osmar Stabile’s board was in a hurry to close the deal and avoid further compromising the planning for next season.

Long-standing wish

Marcelo Paz was once invited to take on the role of CEO at Corinthians during Augusto Melo’s administration. However, at the time, the professional declined the offer and chose to remain at Fortaleza.

He has already been football director, vice president, president, and was CEO of the SAF (Sociedade Anônima do Futebol) of Leão do Pici.

New role?

In addition to hiring a new executive, Corinthians is considering the possibility of hiring a football manager. This professional would be responsible for managing the locker room and taking care of the day-to-day at CT Joaquim Grava, a role previously held by Fabinho Soldado.

The alvinegro board likes the idea of having a former player in this position. One of the names being considered is Paulinho, a Timão idol and currently at Mirassol.

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