Called 9ine, a reference to the number Ronaldo carries as a player, the company starts operating next month and will have offices in London and Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The consultancy plans to take advantage of a predicted boom in Brazil’s sports market ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics by offering advice to corporations willing to invest in the country and management services for high profile athletes.
“We want to be leaders in the sports marketing industry. This is something I thought to build a post-football career,” Ronaldo told Brazilian newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo. “We’ve already been approached by major brands.”
Ronaldo, who currently plays for Sao Paulo club Corinthians, says he will be fully dedicated to the new business once he retires next year.
