Abel Braga

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Abel Carlos da Silva Braga, also known as Abel Braga or just Abel during his playing days (born September 1, 1952 in Rio de Janeiro), is a football (soccer) manager and a former football player.

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[edit] Biography

He started his career as a player in Fluminense in 1968, staying at the club until 1976, when he moved to Vasco da Gama.

He also played for Paris Saint-Germain, of France, from 1979 to 1981, for Botafogo, from 1982 to 1984, and Goytacaz, in 1984 and 1985, where ended his career.

He earned just one cap for the Brazilian national football team, but he took part in the team that represented Brazil in the FIFA World Cup 1978 in Argentina.

After his retirement as a player, he became a manager, and worked at clubs such as Vasco da Gama, Internacional, Olympique de Marseille, Atlético Paranaense, Coritiba, Atlético Mineiro and Ponte Preta.

In 1988, at Internacional, he was runner-up of the Campeonato Brasileiro after losing to Esporte Clube Bahia in the final match. In 1989, he came close to winning the Libertadores Cup, but the club ended up losing to Paraguay's Olimpia on penalties after conceding three goals in the return match at home. The two defeats left a stain on his career and would haunt him for many years to come.

In 2004, Abel Braga became Flamengo manager, winning Taça Guanabara and Campeonato Carioca. He became most remembered, however, because Flamengo lost the Copa do Brasil to underdogs Esporte Clube Santo André, even though the final match was held in Rio de Janeiro, home of Flamengo.

In 2005, as Fluminense manager, he won the Campeonato Carioca of that year. Abel finished the year, however, carrying the burden of two successive last-minute failures. Against all odds, Fluminense lost to underdogs Paulista of Jundiaí in the Copa do Brasil final match, under circunstances similar to the ones he faced the year before with Flamengo. Paulista, currently in the second division of the Campeonato Brasileiro, eventually qualified for the Copa Libertadores. Fluminense had another chance to qualify for the Libertadores, the most prestigious club football tournament in South America, by finishing the Campeonato Brasileiro among the top four. Even though Fluminense managed to lead the table for a few rounds, it failed again in the last match. A draw against Palmeiras would have been enough for the team to finish fourth, but they lost.

In the beginning of 2006, Abel transferred to Internacional of Porto Alegre to lead the team in the football tournament of Rio Grande do Sul. Grêmio emerged champions and Abel was criticised as an eternal runner-up. However, he may claim to have changed that image by winning the Copa Libertadores in the same year, the greatest achievement in the history of Internacional. Abel is now preparing to contest one of the world's main football competitions, the Club World Cup, in the Japanese cities of Yokohama, Tokyo and Toyota city.

The IFFHS ranked him as the sixth best club coach in 2006.

[edit] Career as a player

[edit] Career as a manager

[edit] Titles as a player

[edit] Titles as a manager


[edit] References

[edit] External links

SC Internacional - Current Squad

1 Clemer | 2 Ceará | 3 Índio | 4 Rafael Santos | 5 Monteiro | 6 Hidalgo | 7 Alex | 8 Edinho | 9 Fernandão | 10 Iarley | 11 Pato | 12 Renan | 13 Granja | 14 Ediglê | 15 Cardoso | 16 Adriano | 17 Wilson | 19 Christian | 20 Vargas | 21 Michel | 22 Boeck | 23 Jean | 24 Perdigão | 25 Maycon | Manager: Braga


Flag of Brazil Brazil squad - 1978 FIFA World Cup Third Place Flag of Brazil

1 Leão | 2 Toninho | 3 Oscar | 4 Amaral | 5 Toninho Cerezo | 6 Edinho | 7 Zé Sérgio | 8 Zico | 9 Reinaldo | 10 Rivelino | 11 Dirceu | 12 Carlos | 13 Nelinho | 14 Abel | 15 Polozzi | 16 Rodrigues Neto | 17 Batista | 18 Gil | 19 Jorge Mendonça | 20 Roberto Dinamite | 21 Chicão | 22 Valdir Peres | Coach: Coutinho
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