Ronaldo’s early departure from Cruzeiro reflects expectations about SAF

These questions require a more complex answer than yes or no. To begin to understand the picture, it is necessary to remember how the initial agreement to purchase Cruzeiro was made.

Ronaldo agreed to acquire 90% of the club’s SAF in exchange for: 1) a contribution of R$50 million 2) an obligation to generate incremental revenues of R$350 million 3) Assuming the club’s tax and court debts.

Compared to the SAFs of Botafogo and Vasco, it is fair to say that the investment envisaged by Ronaldo was quite modest. The two Rio clubs have already spent more than R$200 million each on squads during 2022 and 2023.

Ronaldo’s plan has always been to rebuild Cruzeiro little by little with little money and only invest when this is sustainable. The management carried out by the former player’s team, led by Gabriel Lima, did a very efficient job in resolving the club’s main problems. The debt was resolved and is being paid off little by little, there were infrastructure improvements, the club now has an organization.

Yes, this organization took place at a lower sporting level than Cruzeiro’s previous one, with a more modest squad. But that level was so artificial that it broke the club. And the comparison with Atlético-MG, a rival, is also unfair because there was investment there far beyond the club’s possibilities.

So, there is a point in the middle where one can criticize Cruzeiro’s low SAF investment and praise the sustainable model sought by Ronaldo’s management.