Milton da Cruz (born 1 August 1957) is a Brazilian professional football coach and former player who played as a forward. He is the current assistant manager of São Paulo.

Milton Cruz
Milton Cruz with São Paulo in 2010
Personal information
Full name Milton da Cruz
Date of birth (1957-08-01) 1 August 1957 (age 66)
Place of birth Cubatão, Brazil
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
São Paulo (assistant)
Youth career
1975–1977 São Paulo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1977–1979 São Paulo
1980–1982 Estudiantes Tecos 31 (3)
1982–1983 Nacional
1983–1985 Internacional 6 (2)
1985–1986 Sport Recife 15 (2)
1987 Catuense
1987 Náutico
1988 Yomiuri 13 (4)
1989 Nissan Motors
1989–1990 Botafogo 12 (4)
1990–1992 Kashima Antlers 48 (35)
1993 Oklahoma City Slickers 16 (14)
International career
1984 Brazil Olympic 3 (0)
Managerial career
1996–2002 São Paulo (assistant)
1999 São Paulo (interim)
2002 Ittihad (assistant)
2003–2016 São Paulo (assistant)
2005 São Paulo (interim)
2009 São Paulo (interim)
2010 São Paulo (interim)
2011 São Paulo (interim)
2011 São Paulo (interim)
2012 São Paulo (interim)
2013 São Paulo (interim)
2015 São Paulo (interim)
2015 São Paulo (interim)
2017 Náutico
2017–2018 Figueirense
2019 Sport Recife
2021– São Paulo (assistant)
Medal record
Men's Football
Silver medal – second place 1984 Los Angeles Team Competition
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

His career is widely related to São Paulo, club he represented as a player and served as an interim manager on a number of occasions before leaving in 2016.

Club career edit

Known as Milton in his playing days, he joined São Paulo's youth setup in 1975, being promoted to the first team in 1977.[1] He subsequently represented Estudiantes Tecos, Nacional Montevideo, Internacional, Sport Recife, Catuense, Náutico, Yomiuri FC, Nissan Motors FC, Botafogo and Kashima Antlers.

In May 1993, Cruz joined Oklahoma City Slickers of the USISL.[2] He was the club's topscorer, as his side finished third, and subsequently retired at the age of 36.

International career edit

Cruz appeared with Brazil under-23s at the 1984 Summer Olympics in United States, appearing in three matches only as a substitute.[3]

Coaching career edit

In 1997 Cruz returned to his first club São Paulo, as an assistant manager. In 1999, after Paulo César Carpegiani's dismissal, he was named interim.

In 2002, Cruz left Tricolor to join Oscar's staff at Ittihad, but returned to the club in the following year. Until his dismissal from the club in March 2016, he worked as an assistant coach, being an interim on nine further occasions.[4]

On 19 February 2017, Cruz had his first experience as a head coach, being named in charge of Náutico.[5] He was sacked on 7 May, despite having only three defeats in 12 matches.[6]

On 8 August 2017, Cruz was appointed head coach of Figueirense in the Série B,[7] but left on 10 September of the following year.[8] On 18 December 2018, he was named at the helm of Sport Recife for the upcoming season.[9]

On 18 February 2019, after just seven matches, Cruz resigned from Sport.[10] He returned to São Paulo on 9 March 2021, as a technical consultant,[11] being later named Rogério Ceni's assistant on 19 October.[12]

Club statistics edit

Club performance League Cup League Cup Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Japan League Emperor's Cup J.League Cup Total
1987/88 Yomiuri JSL Division 1 8 4 0 0 0 0 8 4
1988/89 5 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
1990/91 Sumitomo Metal JSL Division 2 24 22 - 2 1 26 23
1991/92 24 13 - 1 0 25 13
1992 Kashima Antlers J1 League - 0 0 9 2 9 2
Country Japan 61 39 0 0 12 3 73 42
Total 61 39 0 0 12 3 73 42

Honours edit

Figueirense

References edit

  1. ^ "Milton Cruz: atacante reserva, técnico interino" [Milton Cruz: reserve forward, interim manager] (in Portuguese). Úlitma Divisão. 16 April 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  2. ^ "OSU Hires a Second Sutton". NewsOK. 22 May 1993. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  3. ^ "Mílton Cruz Biography and Statistics". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
  4. ^ "Milton Cruz é demitido do São Paulo" [Milton Cruz is sacked from São Paulo] (in Brazilian Portuguese). GloboEsporte.com. 24 March 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Sob nova chefia: Milton Cruz é o novo treinador do Náutico para a temporada" [Under new management: Milton Cruz is the new head coach of Náutico for the season] (in Brazilian Portuguese). GloboEsporte.com. 19 February 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  6. ^ "Após 12 jogos, Milton Cruz é demitido no Náutico e dispara: 'O clube vive um drama financeiro'" [After 12 matches, Milton Cruz is sacked at Náutico: 'The club lives a financial drama'] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ESPN Brasil. 7 May 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  7. ^ "Milton Cruz é anunciado como novo técnico do Figueirense na Série B" [Milton Cruz is announced as new head coach of Figueirense in the Série B] (in Brazilian Portuguese). R7.com. 8 August 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  8. ^ "Após reunião, Figueirense anuncia que Milton Cruz não é mais técnico do clube" [After meeting, Figueirense announce that Milton Cruz is no longer head coach of the club] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 10 September 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  9. ^ "Milton Cruz é confirmado como novo técnico do Sport para 2019" [Milton Cruz is confirmed as new head coach of Sport for 2019] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 18 December 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  10. ^ "Depois de sete jogos, Milton Cruz pede demissão e deixa Sport" [After seven matches, Milton Cruz resigns and leaves Sport] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 18 February 2019. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  11. ^ "Milton Cruz retorna ao São Paulo como assessor técnico" [Milton Cruz returns to São Paulo as a technical consultant] (in Brazilian Portuguese). São Paulo FC. 9 March 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
  12. ^ "Milton Cruz deixa Cotia para ser auxiliar de Rogério Ceni no São Paulo" [Milton Cruz leaves Cotia to become an assistant of Rogério Ceni at São Paulo] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 19 October 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2023.

External links edit