Rafaela Pimenta: Football’s Most Influential Woman

Rafaela Pimenta has never raced across a green pitch, scored a match-winning goal, or shouted tactical instructions from the sidelines. Yet, at 53, she is the only football personality featured in Forbes’ 2026 Fifty Over Fifty list. Each January, Forbes highlights 50 women whose extraordinary influence and achievement make them exemplary figures across sectors, from arts to religion, business to sport.

Alongside Oscar-winning actress Penélope Cruz and Canterbury’s first female archbishop, Dame Sarah Mullally, Pimenta stands out as football’s first female “super-agent.” Under her guidance are some of the sport’s biggest names, including Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, Liverpool manager Arne Sloth, and 17-year-old Mexican prodigy Gilberto Moro.

In a candid interview with BBC Sport, Pimenta discussed the modern football transfer market, the challenges female professionals face, and the evolving power dynamics between clubs and players. She described the transfer system as increasingly tilted in favour of clubs, leaving players vulnerable:

“Clubs now hold disproportionate power. Every transfer window ends with someone in tears. A player may want to move, need to move, but the club demands another £1 million. Transfers are necessary, but balance is essential.”

Pimenta contrasted today’s commercialised football environment with the more personal, human approach of previous eras. “In the past, club directors and owners had personal relationships with players. Today, players are treated as assets, devoid of voice or emotion. The challenge is to balance commercial interests with human needs.”

Her work demands constant vigilance. She recalled an intense transfer negotiation where she and her team sat for 18 hours behind closed doors until the deal was finalised. Today, such agreements require months of preparation to comply with labour, tax, and local laws. “Players now operate like small corporations. Off-field opportunities have expanded dramatically,” she explained.

Haaland’s agent, Pimenta, also highlighted the pressures players face in the digital age, noting Haaland’s YouTube channel alone has over 1.28 million subscribers. “Players used to give a monthly magazine interview; now media, sponsorship, and investment obligations leave little room for rest. One misstep can erase years of credibility.”

Her career began under the guidance of the renowned, sometimes controversial, agent Mino Raiola. While many expected her partnership with Raiola to collapse quickly, it endured for 35 years. Yet, Pimenta’s journey was not without obstacles, particularly as a woman in a male-dominated field. She observed:

“Even today, some men attempt to use gender to undermine you. Previously, female decision-makers in clubs were rare and often unrecognised, despite their responsibilities.”

She also spoke out against abuse in football, citing former Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales’ 2023 misconduct case involving World Cup-winning captain Jenni Hermoso. “Would the same tolerance apply if it had been Messi? The delay in accountability is alarming,” she remarked.

Closing her interview, Pimenta addressed aspiring female football professionals:

“Never accept abuse. I fight not only for myself but for the next generation. I teach UEFA agent courses and advise young women—stand firm, demand respect, and never compromise.”