A new chapter for Botafogo’s latest academy prospect
Brazilian giants Botafogo have added another name to their growing list of academy prospects turning professional: 16-year-old left-back Gustavo Dalessandro Xisto.
His agency, P&P Sport Management (known on social media as ppsportmanagement), celebrated the news on Instagram with a simple line that sums up years of work: “Hard work pays off. The future starts now.”
For Gustavo, it is not just a contract – it is the formal beginning of a career he has been building inside Botafogo’s youth system since his early teens.
Who is Gustavo Dalessandro Xisto?
From Red Bull Bragantino to Botafogo academy and first pro deal
Gustavo Dalessandro Xisto – often referred to simply as Gustavo Xisto – is a left-back in Botafogo’s academy who has already made a strong impression at youth level. Botafogo signed him from Red Bull Bragantino, where he was a captain.
Botafogo announced that they had agreed first professional contracts with four 16-year-old prospects, including full-back Gustavo Xisto, tying them to the club until 2028. The club highlighted this group as key figures in the team that won the Campeonato Carioca Sub-17 title, underlining their importance in the club’s long-term sporting project.
Gustavo has been involved primarily with Botafogo’s under-17 side and has already appeared in squads for older age categories, an early sign of how highly he is rated inside the club’s academy structure.
Position and style
Gustavo is listed as a left-back, a role that carries major responsibility in Brazilian football, where full-backs are expected to contribute in both phases of the game. Botafogo’s academy staff view this new professional group – including Xisto on the left flank – as part of the spine of their recent under-17 title-winning side, which hints at his importance both defensively and in build-up play.
“Today I sign my first professional contract” – inside Gustavo’s own message
On his personal Instagram, Gustavo shared an emotional statement to mark the day he signed his first pro deal at just 16.
He began by underlining the spiritual and family dimension of the moment, thanking God “for everything He’s been doing” in his life and expressing gratitude to his family for always supporting him and helping him reach this point.
He went on to thank everyone who had encouraged him to keep chasing his dream, and paid special tribute to his “entrepreneurs” – his agents – for believing in and trusting his potential.
He closed with a line that will resonate with Botafogo fans: calling it “an honor to be Botafogo” and wishing for a victorious trajectory with many achievements at the club.
Taken together with the agency’s caption – “Hard work pays off. The future starts now.” – the messages capture both sides of a modern first contract: the emotion of a teenager fulfilling a childhood dream and the professional reality of a long-term career starting today.
Who are P&P Sport Management (ppsportmanagement)?
A Monaco-based agency with global reach
The agency behind Gustavo’s deal, P&P Sport Management S.A.M., operates internationally out of Monte Carlo, Monaco, and is better known day to day by its social handle ppsportmanagement.
P&P was founded by Italian agent Federico Pastorello, one of Europe’s most prominent intermediaries. Pastorello has built a reputation over more than two decades in the business, working on major Serie A and Premier League moves and representing high-profile players, including multiple headline transfers involving Romelu Lukaku between Italy and England.
Over the years, P&P Sport Management has expanded beyond its Italian roots into a genuinely international network, placing players in:
- Italy’s top two divisions
- The Premier League and other major European leagues
- Emerging markets where European clubs increasingly scout talent
The agency’s model focuses on long-term career planning, using its relationships in Italy, France, England and beyond to build step-by-step pathways rather than chasing every short-term offer.
Why P&P’s involvement matters for Gustavo Xisto
For a 16-year-old full-back at Botafogo, teaming up with an agency like P&P Sport Management has several implications:
- European connections – Pastorello and his team have deep links with clubs in Serie A and the Premier League, which could be crucial if Gustavo eventually follows the well-trodden path from Brazilian academy to European football.
- Structured career planning – P&P are known for managing players across multiple stages of their career, not just one big move. That can help ensure Gustavo’s next steps (for example, promotion to Botafogo’s first team, a domestic loan, or a later European move) are mapped logically rather than rushed.
- Support off the pitch – Top agencies increasingly support their clients with media, commercial and life-after-football planning. Even if those topics feel far away at 16, early guidance often prevents the classic pitfalls that derail promising talents.
