As a Brazilian from Belo Horizonte, I’ve always been a die-hard Atlético Mineiro supporter. This passion sparked my desire to work in the football industry. After I moved to Seattle 13 years ago, working for Atlético Mineiro seemed like a distant dream. However, my hopes were reignited when I joined the FBA and learned that one of the program’s modules included an internship. With determination and support from The FBA staff, I landed a three-month internship with my dream club.
I joined the Marketing and Business team but had the chance to experience all departments, from matchday operations to women’s football, the academy, and training facilities. During my time with the marketing and business team, I worked on several campaigns, like leading the “Doe Gols” (donate goals) campaign, thanks to my manager, Daniel Cintra. I also helped with the launching of the club’s new away jersey with Adidas and handled numerous partnership activations from planning to execution. These experiences gave me a clear understanding of the work behind a successful football club, its challenges, and opportunities, and helped me identify what I want to focus on in my career.
One of the highlights of my internship was the chance to work hands-on on many projects and activities. I’m deeply grateful to my amazing manager and fantastic co-workers, who have become lifelong friends. Another highlight was the privilege of meeting players like Hulk, Guilherme Arana, and Gustavo Scarpa, as well as club legends like Victor, Rever, and Reinaldo! It was not only an emotional fan experience to see the behind-the-scenes of the club I love and meet my idols but also an invaluable professional experience as I learned from the best in Brazilian football. My manager and co-workers surprised me with many gifts to wrap up this incredible internship, including a special jersey featuring an exclusive patch.
I never thought I could love Clube Atlético Mineiro more, but these last few months proved me wrong. Knowing that such fantastic people are working hard to help the club reach its potential has deepened my admiration, and having them as friends makes the club even dearer to me.
Thank you to The FBA for making this internship possible and to everyone at Atlético Mineiro for
this unforgettable experience. I’m excited to share my learnings and passion with other clubs
and football organizations worldwide.
Alinne is a 13th Edition Candidate of our Professional Master in Football Business.
If you’d like to learn more about our program, please go to: https://bit.ly/3SNEIaF
