Rafaela Pimenta, a 53-year-old Brazilian, has made history as the first female super agent in football. She has negotiated deals for top players like Erling Haaland and is now part of Forbes' '50 over 50' list for 2026, which recognizes women who have achieved significant status and influence.
However, Pimenta's success comes with its challenges. The transfer system is complex, and clubs hold too much power, leaving players as "hostages" in situations they want to leave. Pimenta believes that the current system needs a change, with more balance between the club's interests and those of the player.
Pimenta also talks about her own experiences in a male-dominated industry. She was often underestimated and faced sexism, but she persevered and eventually built a successful career as an agent. Despite being one of the few women in top positions, Pimenta emphasizes that there are many women who work behind the scenes doing important jobs.
The football world has come a long way since Pimenta started her career, but there is still much to be done. The recent case of Luis Rubiales, the former Spanish FA president, highlights the need for greater awareness and action against sexism and harassment in football.
Pimenta's message to young women entering the industry is clear: don't let anyone make you feel inferior or undermine your abilities. Stand up for yourself and fight for what's right. With determination and hard work, it's possible to achieve great things even in a male-dominated field.
However, Pimenta's success comes with its challenges. The transfer system is complex, and clubs hold too much power, leaving players as "hostages" in situations they want to leave. Pimenta believes that the current system needs a change, with more balance between the club's interests and those of the player.
Pimenta also talks about her own experiences in a male-dominated industry. She was often underestimated and faced sexism, but she persevered and eventually built a successful career as an agent. Despite being one of the few women in top positions, Pimenta emphasizes that there are many women who work behind the scenes doing important jobs.
The football world has come a long way since Pimenta started her career, but there is still much to be done. The recent case of Luis Rubiales, the former Spanish FA president, highlights the need for greater awareness and action against sexism and harassment in football.
Pimenta's message to young women entering the industry is clear: don't let anyone make you feel inferior or undermine your abilities. Stand up for yourself and fight for what's right. With determination and hard work, it's possible to achieve great things even in a male-dominated field.
I mean, she's been able to secure deals for top players like Erling Haaland and now she's part of the Forbes '50 over 50' list - that's insane! But what I love most about her is that she's not just talking about herself, she's using her platform to advocate for change 
. The transfer system is so messed up right now, with clubs holding all the power and players feeling like "hostages" when they want to leave. We need more balance in there, you know? 
And it's crazy how far the football world has come since Pimenta started her career, but we still have a long way to go. Like, what happened with Luis Rubiales is just unacceptable 
. Don't let anyone bring you down, stand up for yourself and fight for what's right - that's the most inspiring thing I've heard in ages! 
. all these powerful agents are making deals left and right, but what about the players who actually have to deal with the fallout of those deals? it's not just about sexism, it's about the power imbalance in general. i mean, pimenta says she's built a successful career despite everything, but that's still super impressive considering all the obstacles in her way 
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she's literally changing the game with her negotiation skills & now she's part of forbes' 50 over 50 list 
i'm so inspired by her story, especially how she didn't let sexism hold her back 
the transfer system is just so unfair & players feel like they're "hostages" 
pimenta's all about creating more balance between clubs & players, and i'm totally down for that 
she's proof that with hard work & determination, u can achieve anything even in a tough industry 
And to think that she's been through all those challenges in a male-dominated industry... it gives me goosebumps just thinking about it! 
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she totally gets it! like, have you seen those transfer deals? it's like clubs are holding players hostage 
& Pimenta is all about changing that balance between player & club interests. btw, it's so cool to see women making history in football 
