EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Fluminense’s trip to the Club World Cup semifinal should net Brazilian coaches more respect, the club’s manager Renato Portaluppi said on Tuesday, after their improbable deep run in the tournament ended in a 2-0 defeat to Chelsea.
The former striker, also known as Renato Gaucho, steered the team to the 1995 Rio de Janeiro championship as a player, then turned them from relegation battlers into tournament threats in the span of just three months as manager.
The club received a hero’s sendoff from fans at MetLife Stadium after the loss to Chelsea.
A critic of the influx of foreign coaches in Brazilian club football, Portaluppi hopes the strong showing will shine a light on talent among Brazilian managers.
“I hope that not only the rest of the world but Brazil, as well, can look at Brazilian coaches in a different way and appreciate them a little more,” said Gaucho.
“I have nothing against coaches from other places in the world but people talk a lot about them but pay little attention to Brazilian coaches. This Club World Cup allowed for Brazilian coaches to be seen in a better light and I hope that continues to be the case.”
South American fans brought a party atmosphere to the Club World Cup and their teams produced some thrilling surprise results against their European counterparts, in a tournament that organisers hoped would showcase the sport’s global talent.
All four Brazilian teams made it to the round of 16 and in the group stage Flamengo beat Chelsea, while Botafogo pulled off an upset of UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain.
The final South American team in the tournament can leave with their heads held high, said Portaluppi, promising to maintain momentum for their fans back home.
“Our fans are now more excited, they’re happier,” he said. “They will expect the same performance from us back in Brazil.”
Information from Reuters was used in this story.