American businessman John Textor enjoys samba with Botafogo fans before decisive match against Vasco in Copa do Brasil

The classic match against Vasco brings a certain tension to Botafogo, as it is an elimination game valid for the quarterfinals of the Copa do Brasil, but this doesn’t dampen John Textor’s good mood. About two hours before kick-off at Nilton Santos on Thursday, the owner of Botafogo’s SAF attended a samba event organized by a group of fans outside the stadium. Many Botafogo fans took the opportunity to idolize the businessman.
After the samba party, Textor waited for the team bus to arrive at the Nilton Santos gate. The fan frenzy continued, and he took the opportunity to give his traditional cap to a young Botafogo fan. Once inside the stadium gates, he was surrounded by the Under-20 girls’ team, who had won the Brazilian championship in their category the previous Monday. Everyone wanted to take selfies with the ‘boss’.
The affection shown to Textor at the party contrasts a bit with what is happening on social media. In recent weeks, the entrepreneur has faced criticism from a portion of the fanbase due to the dispute with Eagle Holding and the company’s shareholders, who are in a legal battle to remove him from Botafogo’s leadership.
However, in recent days, Botafogo’s SAF signaled that the dispute in Brazilian courts may be coming to an end. A commitment letter signed by the club’s lawyers ensured that Textor would no longer attempt to repurchase the club for his company based in the Cayman Islands.