Leila Pereira, president of Palmeiras, has become the first woman to hold the position of ‘head of delegation’ in the history of the Seleçao (masculine). He has been in London since this Monday where the team of the new coach, Dorival Junior, is preparing the two friendlies of this FIFA date: against England, on Saturday at Wembley, and against Spain, next Tuesday at the Santiago Bernabéu.
For many years, the CBF established the custom of appointing, on a rotating basis, one of the leaders of Brazilian football as the person most responsible for the ‘canarinha’ commitments.
It was a matter of time before it ended up touching him to this businesswoman, 59 years old, president and main sponsor of Palmeirasone of the clubs that is going through the best sporting moment: in the last four seasons it has won, among other titles, two Copa Libertadores and the Brasileirao twice.
The CBF and the protagonist herself have taken advantage of the anniversary to raise the flag of gender equality. “Once again we are innovating, we are all equal and we have the opportunity to show that women can be here and where we want,” Pereira explained from the Brazil concentration.
The president of Palmeiras is one of the women on the entire planet with the most power within a club. In the ‘Verdao’ he is leaving his mark. He has extended one of the most victorious stages of the São Paulo club with the Portuguese Abel Ferreira as a coach and has consolidated the grassroots categories as one of the best in the country (in recent years he has revealed talents such as Luis Guilherme, Endrick who lands at Real Madrid in July, or the winger Estevao Willianwhich already handles offers from the Premier League).
In addition, it has consolidated the women’s team, which, in 2022, became champion of the Copa Libertadores for the first time.