Rodrigo Caetano

{{short description|Brazilian sports director and former footballer}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Rodrigo Caetano

| fullname = Rodrigo Vilaverde Caetano

| image =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|2|18|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Santo Antônio da Patrulha, Brazil

| height = 1.70 m

| position = Midfielder

| youthyears1 = 1986–1990 | youthclubs1 = Grêmio

| years1 = 1989–1991 | clubs1 = Grêmio | caps1 = | goals1 =

| years2 = 1991 | clubs2 = → Aimoré (loan) | caps2 = | goals2 =

| years3 = 1992–1993 | clubs3 = Mogi Mirim | caps3 = | goals3 =

| years4 = 1993 | clubs4 = Brusque | caps4 = | goals4 =

| years5 = 1994–1995 | clubs5 = Brasil de Farroupilha | caps5 = | goals5 =

| years6 = 1996 | clubs6 = Juventude | caps6 = | goals6 =

| years7 = 1997 | clubs7 = Brasil de Farroupilha | caps7 = | goals7 =

| years8 = 1998 | clubs8 = Caxias | caps8 = | goals8 =

| years9 = 1999 | clubs9 = Brasil de Pelotas | caps9 = | goals9 =

| years10 = 1999 | clubs10 = Náutico | caps10 = | goals10 =

| years11 = 2000 | clubs11 = Avenida | caps11 = | goals11 =

| years12 = 2001 | clubs12 = Guarani-VA | caps12 = | goals12 =

| years13 = 2001 | clubs13 = Passo Fundo | caps13 = | goals13 =

| years14 = 2002 | clubs14 = Veranópolis | caps14 = | goals14 =

| years15 = 2003 | clubs15 = {{ill|Grêmio Esportivo São José|pt|lt=São José-CS}} | caps15 = | goals15 =

| manageryears1 = 2003–2004 | managerclubs1 = RS Futebol {{small|(staff)}}

| manageryears2 = 2005–2008 | managerclubs2 = Grêmio {{small|(youth sectors)}}

| manageryears3 = 2009–2011 | managerclubs3 = Vasco da Gama {{small|(director of football)}}

| manageryears4 = 2012–2013 | managerclubs4 = Fluminense {{small|(director of football)}}

| manageryears5 = 2014 | managerclubs5 = Vasco da Gama {{small|(director of football)}}

| manageryears6 = 2015–2018 | managerclubs6 = Flamengo {{small|(director of football)}}

| manageryears7 = 2018–2020 | managerclubs7 = Internacional {{small|(director of football)}}

| manageryears8 = 2021–2024 | managerclubs8 = Atlético Mineiro {{small|(director of football)}}

| manageryears9 = 2024– | managerclubs9 = Brazil {{small|(general coordinator)}}

| pcupdate = 5 May 2025

}}

Rodrigo Vilaverde Caetano (born 18 February 1970), simply known as Rodrigo Caetano, is a Brazilian former professional footballer and football executive.

Player career

Left midfielder, Rodrigo Caetano was discovered by the youth teams of Grêmio FBPA.{{cite web|url=https://gremiopedia.com/wiki/Rodrigo_Vilaverde_Caetano |title=Rodrigo Vilaverde Caetano |website=Grêmiopédia |access-date=5 May 2025 |language=pt}} He played for most of his career for teams in Rio Grande do Sul, but in 1992 he was part of the Mogi Mirim EC squad known as "carrosel caipira", alongside Rivaldo and Válber.{{cite web|url=https://www.ultimadivisao.com.br/o-que-foi-o-carrossel-caipira-de-vadao-e-rivaldo-no-mogi-mirim/ |title=O que foi o Carrossel Caipira, de Vadão e Rivaldo, no Mogi Mirim? |website=Última Divisão |date=4 June 2020 |access-date=5 May 2025 |language=pt}} He experienced his best individual moment in 1996 playing for EC Juventude, signing a pre-contract with SD Compostela, but it ended up not being fulfilled due to an injury.{{cite web|url=https://terceirotempo.uol.com.br/que-fim-levou/rodrigo-caetano-5776 |title=Que fim levou? Rodrigo Caetano |website=Terceiro Tempo |access-date=5 May 2025 |language=pt}}{{cite web|url=https://www.lance.com.br/todos-esportes/desconhecido-jogador-rodrigo-caetano-destaca-dirigente.html |title=Desconhecido como jogador, Rodrigo Caetano se destaca como dirigente |website=Lance! |date=27 October 2015 |access-date=5 May 2025 |language=pt}}

Executive career

Due to a serious knee injury, Caetano struggled in the final part of his career, retiring as a player after playing for São José de Cachoeira do Sul. In 2003, he was invited to work on the staff of RS Futebol, a team founded by then manager Paulo César Carpegiani. After this experience, he studied business administration at Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul and completed an MBA in Business Management at Fundação Getulio Vargas. In 2005, he began working in the youth categories of Grêmio, which lasted until 2008 when, prompted by Roberto Dinamite, then president of CR Vasco da Gama, he accepted the position of football director of the club.

As director of Vasco, Caetano was part of the club's restructuring after relegation to Série B in 2008 season, which later culminated in the 2011 Copa do Brasil title and runner-up in the 2011 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A. In 2012, he was hired by Fluminense FC where he remained until 2014, being part of the group that won the state and Brazilian championship in 2012.{{cite web|url=https://ge.globo.com/futebol/times/fluminense/noticia/2012/01/rodrigo-caetano-assina-com-o-flu-e-apresentacao-sera-na-segunda-feira.html |title=Rodrigo Caetano assina com o Flu, e apresentação será na segunda-feira |website=GloboEsporte |date=5 January 2012 |access-date=5 May 2025 |language=pt}} He returned to Vasco da Gama in 2014, who had again been relegated to Série B.{{cite web|url=https://ge.globo.com/futebol/times/vasco/noticia/2013/12/dirigente-confirma-volta-de-caetano-e-segundo-reforco-estrangeiro-no-vasco.html |title=Dirigente confirma volta de Caetano e segundo reforço estrangeiro no Vasco |website=GloboEsporte |date=25 December 2013 |access-date=5 May 2025 |language=pt}}

In 2015, he was chosen by CR Flamengo as one of the responsibles for the club's financial restructuring, a process led by the management of president {{ill|Eduardo Bandeira de Mello|pt}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.flamengo.com.br/fotos/futebol/flamengo-acerta-com-rodrigo-caetano |title=Flamengo acerta com Rodrigo Caetano |website=CR Flamengo |access-date=5 May 2025 |language=pt}} Caetano was also responsible for the sale of Vinícius Júnior to Real Madrid for 45 million euros.{{cite web|url=https://ge.globo.com/futebol/times/flamengo/noticia/real-madrid-anuncia-a-contratacao-de-vinicius-junior-do-flamengo.ghtml |title=Real Madrid e Flamengo anunciam acordo de venda de Vinicius Junior |website=GloboEsporte |date=23 May 2017 |access-date=5 May 2025 |language=pt}} In March 2018 he was fired from Flamengo, signing in May with SC Internacional.{{cite web|url=https://ge.globo.com/futebol/times/flamengo/noticia/apos-eliminacao-no-carioca-rodrigo-caetano-deixa-o-flamengo.ghtml |title=Rodrigo Caetano e Paulo César Carpegiani são demitidos do Flamengo |website=GloboEsporte |date=29 March 2018 |access-date=5 May 2025 |language=pt}}{{cite web|url=https://ge.globo.com/rs/futebol/times/internacional/noticia/inter-anuncia-contratacao-de-rodrigo-caetano-como-executivo-ate-2019.ghtml |title=Inter anuncia contratação de Rodrigo Caetano como executivo até 2019 |website=GloboEsporte |date=22 May 2018 |access-date=5 May 2025 |language=pt}} He remained at the club until the end of 2020, when he was speculated to join São Paulo FC, which later hired Rui Costa for the position.

{{cite web|url=https://www.goal.com/br/not%C3%ADcias/com-futuro-incerto-no-internacional-rodrigo-caetano-aparece-como-/15jh7xemsrav2119lmk1vhshgq |title=Com futuro incerto no Internacional, Rodrigo Caetano aparece como opção no São Paulo |website=Goal.com |date=1 December 2020 |access-date=5 May 2025 |language=pt}} In 2021, he arrived at Atlético Mineiro, having great success again in his work with the club's titles in the 2021 Campeonato Brasileiro and 2021 Copa do Brasil.{{cite web|url=https://www.mg.superesportes.com.br/app/fotos/futebol/atletico-mg/2021/01/07/galeria_atletico_mg,12075/relembre-30-contratacoes-de-rodrigo-caetano-por-flamengo-e-internacional.shtml |title=Relembre 30 contratações de Rodrigo Caetano por Flamengo e Internacional |website=mg.superesportes.com.br |date=7 January 2021 |access-date=5 May 2025 |language=pt}}{{cite web|url=https://www.goal.com/br/not%C3%ADcias/em-quais-clubes-rodrigo-caetano-ja-trabalhou-quais-foram-seus-maiores-titulos/d1tvz0p7ctza16x08nqsw8njv |title=Em quais clubes Rodrigo Caetano já trabalhou? Quais foram seus maiores títulos? |website=Goal.com |date=8 January 2021 |access-date=5 May 2025 |language=pt}}{{cite web|url=https://www.uol.com.br/esporte/futebol/ultimas-noticias/2022/02/20/rodrigo-caetano-conseguiu-no-atletico-mg-o-sucesso-que-tentou-no-flamengo.htm |title=Rodrigo Caetano conseguiu no Atlético-MG o sucesso que tentou no Flamengo |website=UOL Esporte |date=20 February 2022 |access-date=5 May 2025 |language=pt}} Caetano remained in the position until 17 February 2024, when he was appointed general coordinator of the CBF, being responsible for the Brazil national team until 2026.{{cite web|url=https://ge.globo.com/futebol/selecao-brasileira/noticia/2024/02/16/agora-e-oficial-rodrigo-caetano-e-o-novo-diretor-de-selecoes-da-cbf.ghtml |title=Agora é oficial! Rodrigo Caetano é o novo diretor de seleções da CBF |website=GloboEsporte |date=16 February 2024 |access-date=4 June 2024 |language=pt}}