Danilo Caixeiro, EVP Strategy at Eagle Football Holdings, Partner at Matix Capital, Multi-Club Ownership

Multi-club ownership has become one of the most transformative forces reshaping global football. But behind every acquisition, every turnaround, and every strategy is a story of persistence, timing, and execution.

In a recent episode of The One Soccer Nation (OSN) Podcast, I sat down with Danilo Caixeiro, CFA, EVP of Strategy at Eagle Football Holdings Ltd., Partner at Matix Capital, and one of the key architects behind some of the most influential football transactions in recent years.

Our conversation explored how he broke into an industry famously known for being closed, political, and relationship-driven - and how he went from an MBA classroom to helping reshape football in Brazil, France, and Belgium.

Danilo didn't break into the football industry by following a traditional path. After completing his MBA at Yale, he and his partner launched Matix Capital, an advisory firm helping investors acquire football clubs. But the early days were far from glamorous: no industry connections, no track record, no warm introductions, and a completely closed ecosystem.

What they did have was a thesis - the belief that clubs with massive cultural value were being mismanaged because of poor governance, and that the right ownership structure could unlock enormous upside.

Instead of waiting for permission, they built credibility through doing the work: hosting a football conference at Yale, cold-emailing investors and owners, producing deep-dive investment memos, analyzing clubs pre-emptively, and delivering value before asking for anything.

It worked. Slowly, doors opened. More meetings came. Serious investors noticed. And when the right moment arrived, they were already positioned.

For years, Danilo believed Brazil's system of member-owned clubs was holding back the sport. Clubs with 200+ million fans, historic brand equity, commercial potential, and massive talent pipelines were financially suffocating under political governance structures, heavy debt, and no access to investment capital.

When Brazil passed the SAF Law - allowing the creation of private club companies - everything changed. Matix Capital was already advising senators on the financial implications, analyzing governance models, educating foreign investors, and building relationships with major clubs.

The timing could not have been better. Within months, they helped lead one of the first major SAF acquisitions: Botafogo FR, purchased by John Textor.

Once Eagle Football acquired the club, Danilo transitioned into management - and the transformation of SAF Botafogo began.

Before: $20M in revenue, $200M in debt, no accounting system, no commercial structure, underpriced sponsorships, and outdated operations.

After: Revenues grew from ~$20M to over $130M (6-7× increase), 2024 revenue projected to exceed $200M, sponsorship jumped from $1.5M to $10M+, stadium modernization increased match day revenue, debt restructured and cut by 50% with 15-year terms, and a membership model rebuilt from scratch.

And on the pitch? Brazilian League Champions. Libertadores Champions. Competed internationally at the highest level.

This is one of the most successful turnarounds in modern football - proof of what governance, capital, and professional management can produce.

Danilo shared something rarely spoken about in football leadership: "Every decision is public. Every mistake is amplified. When things go wrong, you're not criticized privately - it's national news."

His day-to-day at Eagle Football reflects the complexity of multi-club operations: overseeing financial planning across clubs, working with CFOs and CEOs from Brazil, France, and Belgium, coordinating football strategy with ownership, evaluating transfers, squad budgets, and deal structures, and supporting Eagle's path to a future IPO.

Add value first, always. Build before you ask. Do the work before you have the title. Know your lane and become the expert in your niche - Danilo mastered finance and governance, his winning edges. Timing matters, but preparation matters more. Matix Capital survived long enough to be ready when Brazil's law changed.

Investors care deeply about efficiency and clarity. Reduce friction, save their time, deliver insights fast. Football is a public business - be ready for visibility, criticism, and high expectation. Professionalizing a club requires cultural transformation: modern systems, accountability, incentives, and structure are non-negotiable.

Danilo's journey is a masterclass in resilience and strategy. What started as two entrepreneurs hustling after an MBA became one of the most influential multi-club ownership stories of the decade.

His insight is invaluable for anyone working in football club ownership, soccer entrepreneurship, multi-club strategy, investment and private equity, club operations and governance, or USL expansion and new-club development.