MIAMI (Monday, June 17, 2024) – Inter Miami CF announced today the naming of Raúl Sanllehí and Xavier Asensi as Co-Presidents of the organization. Sanllehí will serve as President of Football Operations and Asensi will serve as President of Business Operations. The Co-Presidents will report directly to Managing Owner Jorge Mas.
“Developing a championship culture requires great talent and hard work both on the pitch and within the organization that supports our players,” said Managing Owner, Jorge Mas. “I want to welcome Raúl to our journey of building a Club our fans can be proud of and look forward to continuing to work with Xavi.”
Upon receipt of U.S. work authorization, Sanllehí will join Inter Miami CF as President of Football Operations following nearly three decades of leadership excellence at global powerhouses in the sports industry. The Spaniard was Director of Football at FC Barcelona for over a decade (2008-2019), where he played a crucial role in leading FC Barcelona’s football department, catapulting it to become what’s considered one of the best teams in the history of the sport. Additionally, during that stint, Sanllehí worked closely with current Inter Miami CF head coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino, and marquee players Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suárez and Jordi Alba while with the Blaugrana. As Head of Football at Arsenal FC (2018-2020), he led the club’s transformation by creating and leading the Football Leadership Team. Most recently, he was CEO of Spanish club Real Zaragoza (2022-2024). Prior to his roles in football organizations, he held several positions at Nike. His contributions resulted in 27 titles won and significant player and coach acquisitions.
As President of Football Operations, Sanllehí will oversee all aspects of the sporting side of the Club and execute Ownership’s strategy of high-performance player development from the Academy to the First Team.
As President of Business Operations, Asensi will continue to manage business operations for Inter Miami CF. Asensi joined Inter Miami from FC Barcelona in 2021. Since then, Asensi has executed on Ownership’s vision across all business verticals including helping the Club triple revenues. Asensi earned recognition as Major League Soccer’s Doug Hamilton Executive of the Year in 2023.
Photo/InterMiamiFC
Inter Miami FC contributed to this column
