Who is 'Aunt Leila', the wealthiest and most powerful woman in Latin American soccer?

Known as 'Aunt Leila', Leila Pereira has been recognized by the International magazine Forbes as the most powerful and wealthy woman in Latin American football.

Pereira has worked for decades in different companies in Brazil. Find out in the following article why she is considered the wealthiest woman in Latin American football.

Leila Pereira, lawyer, businesswoman, banker, and journalist, has extensive experience in the finance sector. She is married to Jose Roberto Lamacchia, founder of the financial company Crefisa, considered a "financial giant" in Brazil with assets that exceed $5 billion, which she has led since 2008.

In 2017, she invested over $100 million in Palmeiras football club. She is currently its president, and the only thing left to complete her successful campaign is to win the only trophy that the sports institution is missing, the Club World Cup.

This club, being the champion of the last two Copa Libertadores and a candidate for the tricampeonato, increases Pereira's power in Latin American football. It is also the sports team leading the current Paulista Tournament, with 30 accumulated points.

In terms of economics, Palmeiras stands out among other sports teams with a value of over $180 million, according to Transfermarkt, a website specialized in football player transfers.

Known as 'Aunt Leila' since Vasco de Gama, in addition to being the first woman to hold the aforementioned position in the sports club, she is also the first woman in history to win an international title as the president of a South American football team. According to Forbes Brasil, Leila Pereira has a personal fortune of $400 million.

In Brazil, she is the fifth richest woman, only after Vicky Safra with R$37.5 billion, Maria Helena Moraes Scripilliti with R$20.6 billion, Ana Lúcia de Mattos Barreto Vilela with R$8.1 billion, and Dulce Pugliese de Godoy Bueno with R$7.6 billion.