Financeirização e investimento no futebol: um estudo sobre a penetração de capital nos clubes de primeira divisão do Brasil e da Inglaterra

Abstract

The objective of this study is to analyze the process of capital penetration and its effects on the first division soccer clubs in England and Brazil. The first part contextualizes soccer as an economic activity, presenting data and historical milestones that influence capital penetration in both countries. Next, it maps the companies that invested in first division clubs between 2003 and 2024, analyzing their origins. Finally, it compares the professionalization processes of these clubs, considering the origin of capital, the functioning of club-companies, the acquisition of clubs through multi-club ownership, and the formats of revenue generation. The research investigates the financialization of soccer, highlighting economic factors resulting from the internationalization of the sport since the 1970s. With the advancement of global capitalism, soccer has evolved from an amateur practice to a key element of the entertainment industry. Through commercial contracts with large corporations and the adoption of business models, soccer has come to be viewed as a financial asset, impacting the global economic landscape. This study focuses on capital penetration in Brazil and England, which, despite being leaders in world soccer, present distinct trajectories in capital valuation. The disparities between the clubs reflect not only issues of management and financing but also the historical and socioeconomic contexts of the countries. By adopting an interdisciplinary approach, the study proposes an understanding of the uneven development of soccer in Brazil and England, highlighting the neoliberal and financialized logic of modern capitalism.