Paulo Autuori de Mello (born 25 August 1956), known as Paulo Autuori, is a Brazilian football executive and manager. He is the current technical director of Cruzeiro.

Paulo Autuori
Autuori in 2011
Personal information
Full name Paulo Autuori de Mello
Date of birth (1956-08-25) 25 August 1956 (age 67)
Place of birth Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Team information
Current team
Cruzeiro (technical director)
Managerial career
Years Team
1975–1979 Portuguesa-RJ
1979–1981 America-RJ (asst.)
1982–1984 São Bento
1985 Marília
1985 Bonsucesso
1986 Botafogo
1986–1987 Vitória Guimarães
1987–1989 Nacional
1989–1991 Vitória Guimarães
1991–1995 Marítimo
1995 Botafogo
1996–1997 Benfica
1997 Cruzeiro
1997–1998 Flamengo
1998 Botafogo
1999 Internacional
1999 Santos
1999–2000 Cruzeiro
2000 Vitória Guimarães
2001 Alianza Lima
2001 Botafogo
2002 Sporting Cristal
2003–2005 Peru
2005 São Paulo
2006 Kashima Antlers
2007 Cruzeiro
2007–2009 Al-Rayyan
2009 Grêmio
2009–2011 Al-Rayyan
2011–2012 Qatar Olympic
2012–2013 Qatar
2013 Vasco da Gama
2013 São Paulo
2014 Atlético Mineiro
2015 Cerezo Osaka
2016–2017 Atlético Paranaense
2018 Ludogorets Razgrad
2019 Atlético Nacional
2020 Botafogo
2020–2021 Athletico Paranaense
2021 Athletico Paranaense (interim)
2022–2023 Atlético Nacional
2023 Cruzeiro (interim)

Early life edit

A football fan since early childhood and a futsal player, Paulo Autuori had to give up his dream of becoming a professional footballer after contracting poliomyelitis in his teens. The disease left him with an atrophied leg and a permanent limp on his walk, which prevented him from playing. However, he did not give up his dream of being part of the footballing world, and decided to learn other aspects of the game, specifically becoming a manager. Autuori's first jobs were working as a physical coach for clubs such as Portuguesa (RJ), and Nacional in Portugal. At Nacional, Paulo Autuori was promoted to manager of the main team, and has enjoyed a successful coaching career ever since.[1]

Autuori graduated in Physical Education at Universidade Castelo Branco; and attended a Sport Admninstration course at PUC-RJ and a Soccer Coach Course at UERJ.

Managing career edit

Autuori's first major title was winning the 1995 Campeonato Brasileiro with Botafogo.[2]

In 1997, he won the Copa Libertadores with Cruzeiro. In 1998, he joined Flamengo, where he guided them to an 11th-placed finished in the Campeonato Brasileiro, and a group stage exit in the 1998 Copa Mercosur. The following year, he joined Sport Club Internacional, and then Santos, and shortly after that rejoined Cruzeiro for the 1999–2000 season. In 2000, he joined Vitoria Guimaraes.

In 2003, he joined the Peru national team as manager to lead them through 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification and the 2004 Copa América. His first official match was on the first matchday of the World Cup Qualifiers, which finished in a 4–1 win against Paraguay. Peru finished ninth in the table, with 18 points. In April 2005, shortly after the 2–2 draw with Ecuador, he quit Peru, with the reasoning being that he declined to declare in front of a Congress, due to the Peru national team scandals.[3]

Shortly after quitting Peru, he was hired by São Paulo to replace Émerson Leão, who had just gone to Japan. In that year, he won the 2005 Copa Libertadores and the 2005 FIFA Club World Championship.[4]

Ten days after winning the Club World Championship, on 29 December 2005, he left São Paulo to sign with Japanese club Kashima Antlers, with the financial opportunity being the main reason for the decision.[5] At the end of 2006 he announced his new club as Cruzeiro, this was his third time at the club.

From 2007 to 2009, Autuori managed Qatari club Al-Rayyan.

In May 2009, Gremio announced Autuori as their new manager with a contract until 2009. However, on 12 November 2009, Autuori decided to leave Grêmio and return to Al-Rayyan.[6]

On 21 November 2009, Qatar League side Al Rayyan replaced Brazilian coach Marcus Paqueta with his compatriot Paulo Autuori. The latter only left the club six months ago to join Gremio in his homeland, but made a swift return after signing a three-year contract.[7]

Autuori became the coach of the Qatar Olympic team on 27 August 2011.[8][9] He replaced Frenchman Bernard Simondi. His first assignment was to lead the team during the 2012 London Olympics Qualification stage. Qatar failed to qualify for the Olympics, after finishing third in their group.

On 20 February 2012 The 55-year-old Brazilian became the fourth manager of the Qatar national team in the previous year.[10] He was fired by the QFA on 15 January 2013 after his team failed to qualify for the knockout round of the 2013 Gulf Cup.[11] Shortly after, he was hired by Vasco da Gama.[12] However, he left the club on 10 July 2013, due to poor results and internal conflicts. The following day, Autuori signed with São Paulo, returning to the club after eight years. This time, however, Autuori arrived in São Paulo to solve a crisis, with the club having lost its five last games.[13]

On the following day, Autuori was introduced as the new coach despite the preference of many fans, who wanted Muricy Ramalho's return. The new coach of São Paulo said that, if the choice were his he would have signed Ramalho who Autuori considered a "winner". Autuori affirmed that he felt "a lot of satisfaction to return to this glorious institution, with big aims." The former vascaíno coach said that "I have not come to be loved; I have come to be champion."[14]

Even in a middle of a crisis, Autuori has improved the ambient in São Paulo, a bad one in comparison to period that Ney Franco was the coach. Lúcio's removal from staff, according some people of club, was essential for this.[15]

On 9 September 2013, Autuori was fired after a 2–0 loss against Coritiba, a result that kept the club in relegation zone of Brazilian League. In a report from the official site of club, there is a praising about his work. His substitute was Muricy Ramalho, who also replaced him in 2006 in club from Morumbi Stadium.[16]

On 5 June 2018 Autuori was announced as the new Director of football in the Bulgarian champion Ludogorets Razgrad, but on the next day he was presented as the new manager of the team, since Dimitar Dimitrov wanted to leave the club.[17] He stepped down from his position in October 2018, citing personal reasons.[18]

Managerial statistics edit

As of 6 December 2023[19]
Team From To Record
G W D L Win %
CD Nacional 1987 1989 80 39 17 24 048.75
Vitória de Guimarães 1989 1991 83 35 22 26 042.17
Maritimo 1991 1993 104 42 22 40 040.38
Maritimo 1993 1994 23 9 9 5 039.13
Botafogo 1995 1995 31 16 10 5 051.61
S.L. Benfica 1996 1997 23 14 4 5 060.87
Cruzeiro 1997 1997 64 26 16 22 040.63
CR Flamengo 1997 1998 45 19 14 12 042.22
Alianza Lima 2001 2001 23 14 7 2 060.87
Botafogo 2001 2001 27 8 5 14 029.63
Sporting Cristal 2002 2002 50 24 12 14 048.00
Peru 2003 2005 38 12 11 15 031.58
São Paulo FC 2005 2005 55 26 11 18 047.27
Kashima Antlers 2006 2006 34 18 4 12 052.94
Cruzeiro 2007 2007 25 14 6 5 056.00
Al-Rayyan 2007 2009 67 33 14 20 049.25
Gremio 2009 2009 42 16 13 13 038.10
Al-Rayyan 2009 2011 67 36 12 19 053.73
Qatar 2013 2013 39 10 16 13 025.64
Vasco da Gama 2013 2013 6 2 1 3 033.33
São Paulo FC 2013 2013 14 2 4 8 014.29
Atlético Mineiro 2014 2014 8 3 4 1 037.50
Cerezo Osaka 2015 2015 41 17 13 11 041.46
Atlético Paranaense 2016 2017 92 38 25 29 041.30
Ludogorets Razgrad 2018 2018 22 14 4 4 063.64
Atlético Nacional 2019 2019 28 9 10 9 032.14
Botafogo 2020 2020 23 7 12 4 030.43
Atlético Paranaense 2020 2020 26 11 5 10 042.31
Atlético Paranaense 2021 2021 2 0 0 2 000.00
Atlético Nacional 2022 2023 38 17 16 5 044.74
Cruzeiro 2023 Present 6 2 4 0 033.33
Total 1,199 507 323 369 042.29

Honours edit

Botafogo
Cruzeiro
Alianza Lima
Sporting Cristal
São Paulo
Al Rayyan
Atlético Paranaense
Ludogorets Razgrad
Atlético Nacional

References edit

  1. ^ "Paulo Autuori - Que fim levou?".
  2. ^ "Paulo Autuori". www.zerozero.pt.
  3. ^ "Prensa peruana contenta con la partida de Autuori". ESPN.com.mx (in Spanish). 2005-04-26. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  4. ^ Profile on sambafoot.com.br Archived 2009-05-25 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "Autuori aceita oferta milionária do Japão e deixa o São Paulo". UOL Esporte. 29 December 2005. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  6. ^ "Grêmio confirma saída de Autuori e técnico volta para o mundo árabe". UOL. 11 November 2009. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
  7. ^ "Globoesporte.com > Futebol Internacional - NOTÍCIAS - Paulo Autuori pede demissão no intervalo de jogo e deixa clube no Qatar". globo.com.
  8. ^ "Paulo Autuori muda de ideia e aceita assumir seleção olímpica do Qatar". globoesporte.com. 26 August 2011. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
  9. ^ "Autuori is new coach of Qatar Olympic team - Doha Stadium Plus". dohastadiumplusqatar.com. Archived from the original on 2011-10-31. Retrieved 2011-08-27.
  10. ^ "Paulo Autuori é confirmado como novo técnico da seleção do Qatar". globoesporte.com. 19 February 2012.
  11. ^ "Paulo Autuori chega a acordo e deixa o comando da seleção do Catar". globoesporte.com. 14 January 2013. Retrieved 2022-10-23.
  12. ^ "Vasco appoint Paulo Autuori as new manager". Sambafoot. 2013-03-23. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  13. ^ "Interino do São Paulo confirma Paulo Autuori". Goal.com.
  14. ^ ""Não vim para ser amado", diz Autuori, que votaria em Muricy". Gazetaesportiva.Net.
  15. ^ "Mesmo em crise, Autuori cria clima bom no SP e agrada elenco". uol.com.br.
  16. ^ "São Paulo Futebol Clube". saopaulofc.net.
  17. ^ Официално: Херо напусна Лудогорец, "орлите" обявиха неговия заместник (видео)
  18. ^ "Пауло Аутуори приключи с Лудогорец!". topsport.bg. 9 October 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  19. ^ J.League Data Site(in Japanese)

External links edit