Mino Raiola was an Italian-Dutch player agent, born in 1967 and died in 2022, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern global football. He represented stars such as Zlatan Ibrahimović, Paul Pogba and Erling Haaland, and reshaped the transfer market through a strategic, media-driven approach.
Last updated: 30/04/2026
Mino Raiola, whose real name was Carmine Raiola, was very likely the most famous sports agent in the history of football. He introduced a new vision of the player-agent profession and transformed every transfer into a strategic negotiation.
Mino Raiola established himself as a public figure in the football world. He did not hesitate to speak out in the media, firmly defend his players and criticise clubs or governing bodies when he deemed it necessary.
Let us now explore Mino Raiola’s career in football, the players he represented throughout his career, and the impact he had on the transfer market.
Mino Raiola was born on 4 November 1967 in Italy. During his childhood, he emigrated with his family to Haarlem in the Netherlands. It was in this environment that he developed a direct and business-oriented personality, which would define his entire career as a player agent.
He began playing football in the youth teams of HFC Haarlem before quickly stepping away to take on administrative roles within the club. His talent for negotiation then led him to represent Dutch players internationally, long before the agent profession was formally structured.
Fluent in several languages (Italian, Dutch, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese), Mino Raiola quickly stood out for his unconventional profile in the football world.
He embodied a new generation of agents, more visible, more influential and fully committed to defending the interests of their players.
In March 2022, a serious lung disease (fibrosis) affecting Mino Raiola was publicly announced. The Italian agent battled the illness for several weeks before passing away on 30 April 2022, at the age of 54.
His death sparked strong emotion across the global football community. Many of the players he represented, among the biggest stars in football, paid tribute to him, describing him as far more than just an agent.
“This Scudetto is for Mino Raiola. It is the first title I have won without Mino by my side.” - Zlatan Ibrahimović, May 2022
Mino Raiola’s path was unconventional. He did not come from a traditional sporting background but from an Italian family settled in the Netherlands, where his parents ran a pizzeria.
He quickly developed a strong business sense. At the age of 20, he co-founded the company “Intermezzo” with Massimo Videmonti, which specialised in connecting Dutch players with foreign clubs.
In 1993, Raiola made a name for himself with the transfer of Dennis Bergkamp from Ajax Amsterdam to Inter Milan. This deal marked a turning point in his career and opened the doors to Europe’s top clubs.
Following this first success in the transfer market, Mino Raiola gave up his other activities and founded Maguire Tax & Legal in the early 2000s. The agency opened offices in Monaco, the Netherlands, Brazil and the Czech Republic, where scouts, legal experts and tax advisors were recruited. At that point, he transformed sports representation into a full-service business.
| Period | Key event | Impact on Mino Raiola’s career |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Dennis Bergkamp (from Ajax to Inter Milan) | First major deal, breakthrough on the European stage |
| Late 1990s | Pavel Nedvěd (from Lazio to Juventus) | Confirmation of his influence on the Italian market |
| 2001–2012 | Management of Zlatan Ibrahimović, Maxwell, Balotelli | Rise to prominence with elite and high-profile players |
| 2012 | Zlatan Ibrahimović (from AC Milan to PSG) | Played a key role in a landmark transfer for PSG |
| 2012 | Paul Pogba (from Manchester United to Juventus, free transfer) | Major strategic move, symbol of his long-term vision |
| 2016 | Paul Pogba (from Juventus to Manchester United, £90M) | World-record transfer, international recognition |
| 2018–2022 | De Ligt, Haaland, Donnarumma, Lukaku | Managed the new generation of European stars |
Mino Raiola did not have a very large client portfolio. His strategy focused on a limited number of star players in order to maximise his influence on each deal.
Zlatan Ibrahimović is one of the players most closely associated with Mino Raiola. The Italian agent guided him through his many transfers across Europe (Ajax, Juventus, Inter, FC Barcelona, PSG, Milan), each time maximising his sporting and contractual value.
The case of Paul Pogba symbolises Mino Raiola’s influence on the transfer market. After a free move to Juventus in 2012, Pogba returned to Manchester United in 2016 for a record fee of over £86M.
Erling Haaland quickly became one of the most sought-after players in Europe. Raiola structured his progression through strategic club choices (Salzburg, then Dortmund), while negotiating favourable long-term clauses.
The transfer of Dennis Bergkamp from Ajax Amsterdam to Inter Milan in 1993 marked Mino Raiola’s first major move. This deal allowed him to make a name for himself in the industry and demonstrate his ability to handle international transfers.
The transfer of the Czech midfielder from Lazio to Juventus in the late 1990s strengthened Raiola’s credibility with major clubs. Pavel Nedvěd, a future Ballon d’Or winner, became one of the symbols of the Italian agent’s ability to guide players to the very highest level.
The transfer of Paul Pogba from Juventus to Manchester United in 2016 is one of the most analysed deals in football history. The transfer fee was around £90M, a world record at the time.
However, it was above all the commission received by Mino Raiola that sparked significant debate. According to several estimates, his fees for this transfer may have reached around £42M, a total amount that notably includes sums received from the player (Paul Pogba), the selling club (Juventus) and the buying club (Manchester United), beyond the £24 million officially reported by Juventus.
This amount can be explained by his role in multiple representation, which allowed him to receive commissions from all parties involved.
The FFAR (FIFA Football Agent Regulations), which came into force in January 2023, now limit situations of dual or multiple representation and cap agent commissions. This regulatory development is directly part of the FIFA agent exam.
Where agents were historically simple intermediaries, Mino Raiola established himself as a key figure in negotiations. By consistently placing his players’ interests at the forefront, he helped strengthen their leverage against clubs.
Mino Raiola’s impact can also be seen in the transformation of the transfer market:
Through his approach, the creation of Maguire Tax & Legal and his record-breaking transfers, he helped turn the transfer window into a major economic and media driver.
Mino Raiola’s influence also accelerated the introduction of new regulations. Certain practices, such as high commissions or multiple representation, created tensions with football authorities.
These developments led to the introduction of the FIFA Football Agent Regulations (FFAR) in 2022, which now govern:
These rules are now at the heart of the agent profession and constitute a key element of the FIFA agent exam.
Mino Raiola’s personal fortune was estimated at around £43M in 2022. However, this amount does not reflect all the income generated throughout his career. The Italian agent is believed to have generated more than $800 millions in cumulative commissions.
This difference is explained by the economic model of the agent profession, where financial flows are significant without directly corresponding to the agent’s personal wealth. This total illustrates Raiola’s major influence on the transfer market.
After Mino Raiola’s death, Rafaela Pimenta, his long-time collaborator, took over the agency and its client portfolio.
A trained lawyer, she was already part of the organisation and notably involved in the legal aspects of negotiations. She now ensures the continuity of the agency by managing players and ongoing deals.
Mino Raiola redefined the role of the sports agent by introducing a strategic approach centred on players’ interests. Through major transfers and the management of international stars, he left a lasting mark on the football market.
His influence can now be seen in the professionalisation of the profession, the evolution of negotiations and the strengthening of the regulatory framework. Understanding his career helps better understand the current challenges of the FIFA agent profession and the skills required to succeed.
