Rubens Minelli, historic Brazilian football coach, dies – 11/23/2023 – Sport

Rubens Minelli, historic Brazilian football coach, has died in São Paulo at the age of 94. The death, whose cause was not disclosed, was mourned by several clubs led by the commander, who had notable spells especially at Internacional, São Paulo and Palmeiras.

After a relatively discreet career as a player, built mainly on teams in the interior of São Paulo, the São Paulo native established a robust career on the sidelines from the 1960s onwards.

Minelli became the first coach to win the Brazilian Championship in three consecutive editions. Champion at Internacional in 1975 and 1976, he repeated the triumph in 1977, managing São Paulo.

Before, in 1969, he had led Palmeiras to the title of the Roberto Gomes Pedrosa Tournament, which would later be considered by the CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation), in the 21st century, also a Brazilian Championship.

These triumphs – and many other state glories – were obtained with a game considered modern, especially from the 70s onwards. Praised for its tactical concepts, it focused on occupying spaces and is seen as important in the blossoming of the star player Falcão at Inter.

All the success at club level, however, never gave Minelli an opportunity in the Brazilian national team. He believed that the chance would appear at some point, in the 70s and 80s, something that did not materialize.

“I won a lot of polls. I was in the spotlight to be chosen as coach of the national team, sometimes with a lot of favoritism, but I wasn’t remembered”, he said, in 2017, in an interview with SporTV, without understanding the reason. “That’s a question I can’t answer.”