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Douglas Ramos Left His Job as a Cleaner, Became a Partner of a FIFA Agency and Today Mentors Young Talents in Brazilian and Spanish Clubs
Douglas Ramos’ dream was born unexpectedly. It was at a gas station, months before traveling to Spain to follow his son Endrick at Real Madrid. He had left his job as a cleaner at Palmeiras three years earlier and left his home in São Paulo for coffee with businessman and friend Adriano Ribeiro.
The meeting was supposed to be just an informal conversation. It ended up turning into a partnership.
“That’s where the dream I had since I was a kid began, because I tried to be a player and never succeeded“, Douglas said in an interview with ge.
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From Cleaning to Athlete Management
At 39, having not had a career as a player, Douglas found another path. He became a businessman, career manager, and, as he likes to say, a dream maker in football.
Since 2023, he has been working with Adriano Ribeiro as a partner at DSA, which stands for Dream Soccer Agency. The company is FIFA certified and currently manages 51 athletes in dozens of Brazilian clubs, including teams in Series A.
“I like to show what happens inside my house, what happened with me and Endrick, setting an example“, he explains.
New Promises in Focus
Among the most promising young talents under DSA’s care are Dudu from Palmeiras, 15 years old, Enrico from Flamengo, 16, and Pablo from Internacional, 18.
The latter, praised by Roger Machado, made his professional debut in 2024.
Douglas’s role is clear: to attract athletes and closely follow families and players. He provides guidance on challenges, pathways, life outside Brazil, and future possibilities.
His experience alongside Endrick serves as a guide. He admits that he tries to offer young players what he wishes he had received.
“It’s being an open book for the parents. A businessman told me that I would need to know everything about my son so no opportunist could come along claiming that I was being deceived“, he explains.
Beware of Trust
Douglas often warns families and athletes about the risks of football.
“I like to tell them to be careful regarding trust, because we know that if the athlete succeeds, everyone will want a slice. When the mignon steak is on the table, everyone shows up“, he states.
This cautious outlook originates from his own experiences. He understands that a player’s journey is marked by both talent and external influences.
Between Spain and Brazil
With Endrick’s transfer to Real Madrid in 2024, Douglas moved to Spain. Even so, he makes a point of returning to Brazil frequently to support the young talents from the agency.
In March, he was in Rio de Janeiro visiting Enrico’s family from Flamengo.
At Palmeiras, attention is focused on Dudu. The kid caught attention in a viral video dribbling Santos players. Internally, he is seen as having significant potential for a major sale in the future.
“He is standing out and has similarities with my son. The family continues to work. Dudu now takes English three times a week, Spanish once, trains in the morning, and has two extra training days“, Douglas details.
From Parent to Athlete Manager
The experience has brought credibility to DSA. The number of athletes served has doubled in two years. Douglas says he is living a kind of déjà vu, repeating the trajectory he built with Endrick, but now with other responsibilities.
“Football is a dream even before my son became a player. People will not know me only as Endrick’s father, but as Douglas, a businessman and athlete manager“, he summarizes.
The information is from GE.
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