The football agent Mino Raiola had died at the age of 54, his family have confirmed.
Raiola was regarded as one of the sport’s “super agents” due to his representation of a number of high-profile players around Europe, including AC Milan’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba and Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland.
A statement from his family on Saturday read: “In infinite sorrow, we share the passing of the most caring and amazing football agent that ever was.
“Mino fought until the end with the same strength he put on negotiation tables to defend our players. As usual, Mino made us proud and never realised it.
“Mino touched so many lives through his work and wrote a new chapter in the history of modern football. His presence will forever be missed.
“Mino’s mission of making football a better place for players will continue with the same passion.”
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The agent’s official Twitter account posted: “Current health status for the ones wondering: pissed off second time in 4 months they kill me. Seem also able to ressuscitate.”
Raiola was born in Naples on 4 November 1967 but was raised in the Dutch city of Haarlem. While there, he began working in his father’s restaurant when he was only 11 or 12, which he told the Financial Times, meant that he developed a gift for talking to people – a trait that served him well during his career.
He became a millionaire at the age of 19 after selling a McDonalds branch to a property developer and used the money to carve out a career for himself in his main passion: football. Raiola became a technical director at his local club, FC Haarlem, before turning his hand to negotiating transfers.
In 1992, his company Intermezzo, was involved in the transfer that saw Dutch international winger Bryan Roy move from Ajax to Foggia.
Arguably the deal that catapulted him into the wider consciousness of the football world, was the one which saw the iconic Czech Republic playmaker Pavel Nedved move from Sparta Prague to Lazio in 1996. In 2003, Nedved, then of Juventus, was named the best player in the world after winning the Ballon d’Or.
Ibrahimovic was the next superstar to benefit from Raiola’s expertise. During a relationship which spanned more than two decades, Ibrahimovic moved from Ajax to Juventus to Inter Milan to AC Milan to PSG to Manchester United to LA Galaxy and back to AC Milan.
The outspoken Swede wasn’t the only colourful character in Raiola’s stable as he also represented one-time Manchester City and Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli for over a decade.
More recently, Raiola has partnered with some of the world’s best up-and-coming talents, including Juventus defender Matthijs De Ligt and in-demand Borussia Dortmund striker Haaland, who has been tipped to join Manchester City this summer.
PSG, whose players Gianluigi Donnarumma, Marco Verratti and Xavi Simons were represented by Raiola, tweeted: “Mino Raiola, charismatic sports agent, passed away today following an illness. The club, through its President, sends its condolences to his family and loved ones.”
Ibrahimovic’s club AC Milan wrote: “Our deepest condolences to the Raiola family and all the friends of Mino for their tragic loss.”
Real Madrid tweeted: “Real Madrid C.F., its president and its Board of Directors deeply lament the passing of Mino Raiola and wish to express their condolences and affection to his family and loved ones.”
Raiola’s top clients
According to Transfermarkt.com, Raiola had over 70 clients, ranging from world superstars like Pogba, to journeymen like one-time United forward Federico Macheda and ex-pro’s like Maxwell.
Raiola counted Pogba, Ibrahimovic, Verratti, Donnarumma, Matthijs De Ligt and former United midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan, among his clients.
- Erling Haaland – Borussia Dortmund
- Matthijs De Ligt – Juventus
- Gianluigi Donnarumma – PSG
- Paul Pogba – Manchester United
- Jesse Lingard – Manchester United
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic – AC Milan
- Marco Verratti – PSG
- Lorenzo Insigne – Napoli
- Alessio Romagnoli – AC Milan
- Kostas Manolas – Olimpiakos
- Moise Kean – Juventus
- Stefan De Vrij – Inter
- Ryan Gravenberch – Ajax
- Marcus Thuram – Borussia Monchengladbach
- Henrikh Mkhitaryan – AS Roma
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