Football intermediaries: an analysis between Brazil and Portugal

Abstract

In the last 30 years, the football intermediary profession has undergone a great expansion and contributed to the sporting and commercial development of this sport. Such a revolution took place after the Bosman Affair, in 1995, since then football intermediaries have been transformed from mere negotiators to career managers. Over the years, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association [FIFA] changed the nomenclature of the profession, the way of working, controlled the influence of these professionals within football clubs, removed from the intermediary the economic right over the athlete's pass, among others. All these actions were instituted through specific regulations and codes of good practice. FIFA also delegated powers to the Confederations and Federations, so that they could create their own regulations based on the laws of each country. The article aims to highlight the details of the role of the football intermediary, the changes and evolutions that have occurred and the main rules imposed by the highest football body for this profession. In the light of existing laws and regulations, an analysis of the profession in Brazil and Portugal is also proposed.