Who's Rafaela Pimenta? Football's First Female Super-Agent

As the game of football grows progressively commercial, the role of football agents has become increasingly important. Names like Mino Raiola (deceased), Jorge Mendes, Pini Zahavi are already popular. Whenever transfer negotiations take place, the names of super-agents surface along with the star footballers they are managing.

But the market of big football deals is now not limited to men only. Rafaela Pimenta's growing stature in the football market as a super-agent has made the female agents enter the picture as well.

Every January, Forbes publishes the 50 women who have reached a position of status and influence that makes them beacons for others to follow. Pimenta is the only football entry in the '50 over 50' list for 2026.

This shows how Pimenta's influence has grown in the recent past. Her clients include Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, Liverpool manager Arne Slot and 17-year-old Mexican wonderkid Gilberto Mora.

Pimenta was recently interviewed by BBC and she spoke about her concerns about the present transfer system. She cited that the clubs are getting too powerful and that the system needs a change.

Who is Rafaela Pimenta

Pimenta is a former lawyer who turned later into a football super-agent. She is a Brazilian by origin and initially worked under Mino Raiola. After Raiola's death, she inherited all of his clients. She now operates a boutique, high-end agency from Monaco.

Pimenta was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 1972. She studied jurisprudence at the University of Sao Paulo, earning a degree in law with a focus on international law. After completing academic career, she worked in the antitrust division of the Brazilian government.

She pursued PhD in international law. During that time, Pimenta handled legal matters for football-related initiatives. She also worked for a club established by former Brazilian players Rivaldo and Cesar Sampaio. While working there, she got hands on training on intricacies of player transfers and international regulations.

Pimenta shifted her career to football agency when she met Raiola in 2000. After initial interactions, Raiola contacted her in Brasilia and convinced her to relocate to Europe by emphasizing the need for her analytical and psychological skills in negotiations. In 2004, she joined Raiola's agency as a partner, handling legal structuring and client advisory roles.

Pimenta was involved in the 2016 transfer of Paul Pogba from Juventus to Manchester United. Pimenta's contributions extended to other agency clients, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Mario Balotelli as well. Following Mino Raiola's death on April 30, 2022, Rafaela Pimenta assumed full leadership of PSC Italia, the agency he had founded.

Her notable deals include Haaland's contract extension to 2034 at Manchester City, Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui's move to Manchester United in 2025.