Soccer leaves little time for athletes and coaching staff. The constant rush of games and travel often prevents them from managing other businesses; sometimes, they have to postpone their dreams. Performance Analyst Claudio Grillo is no exception. Due to his busy schedule, he had to leave the automotive industry he loves. At 17, he opened a sound and accessories store and, ever since, has dedicated himself to tinkering with vintage cars. However, his fascination began while he was still in his mother's womb, and today he maintains a warehouse in São Paulo.

 

"This passion is old, it runs in the family. My father restored the upholstery of old cars. I opened my shop when I was 17 and ran it for 12 years. I saw the entire technological evolution of the automotive industry up close. The shop still exists today, but it's no longer mine. I passed it on to an employee of mine, who was the manager there for four years. The clientele is now in the generation of the grandchildren of my clients from that time," he says proudly.

 

The store is called INSTALASOM and is located in São Paulo. Since he works in Rio de Janeiro, Claudio Grillo attends the meetings between customers and store employees whenever he can. After all, with so much time running the business, it's natural to make many friends. Especially when everything is so close.

 

"I have a warehouse with cars, which is next door. In fact, it's a space with a lot of old and car-related stuff. There I also house the first known 'Tape Player Museum' in the world, with almost three thousand devices. I have a Kombi; four Fiat 147s; a stylized 147 Pick-Up; a Dardo (there are only approximately 20 such cars in Brazil). It's a fiberglass sports car from the 1980s, designed by the creator of Porsche, Bertone. The design was brought to Brazil by Toni Bianco. Only 300 units were made; an Emis Art, made at Dacon, in São Paulo. Today there are only three examples of this vehicle; I also have a 1995 Opel Calibra; seven stylized and restored Beetles; and two old motorcycles as well," he details.

 

 

The Performance Analyst carries around his relics whenever he can, and explains that he has a plan to set up a dedicated space for the sector, with parts sales, lectures, courses, and meetings. "But only when I stop playing soccer, because it takes up all my time," he says. The main criteria for purchasing a new car are up-to-date documentation and provenance. The preference, nowadays, is for old Beetles and Fiats. The reason, he says, is that they never depreciate, and everyone is interested. And how can you keep them in perfect condition?

 

"I disassemble them myself, take care of the carburetor, chrome details like trim and fillets, the sound system, and I'm an excellent painter. I only have the bodywork done outsourced. I have tools, workbenches, and even a paint booth. Upkeep is a big issue. I often say that cars wear out more when they're parked than when they're running. When I'm away from the club, I put the cars back in operation myself, but it's a lot of work (laughs). I always store them in a covered place with a layer of protective wax. Plus, I use a good cover to cover them," he explains.

 

Having played soccer for many years, Claudio Grillo's passion often sparks interest and curiosity among fans, who ask about the cars he owns and the ones he occasionally takes to training centers. Although he hasn't yet parked any of his collection at the George Helal Training Center, he brought a rare Honda motorcycle to the Marvelous City: the Shadow, a special three-speed model with a distinctive paint job and all the chrome. Until his turn to take it to Flamengo, he fondly remembers former teammates and other admirers who have had the opportunity to admire his "children on wheels" up close.

 

"Mineiro, the former São Paulo midfielder, used to come to my warehouse a lot. So did Nelsinho Baptista and so many of my coaching staff partners. Zetti is a regular at the warehouse. He likes old cars and even tinkering with parts and restorations. He has a Jeep and goes on trail rides. When I worked at clubs in São Paulo, it was much easier because of the proximity. At Atlético-MG, I brought a fully restored and 'turbocharged' Fiat 147. The car was a hit there. Petkovic, Alexandre Gallo, Marques, and the coaching staff and security staff were always asking to drive it around the training center. At Bahia, I brought a 1500 Beetle 1971, which was the club's favorite parking lot for a year. When I was at Santos, I made a point of parking a black-plate collector's car next to Neymar's 'spaceship.' It soon became my favorite, too," he says.

 

 

The habit of driving to work has already yielded curious stories. Not only athletes, but also Fernando Bob, Renato Cajá, and Borges, have pampered their cars. During the World Cup, even the international press paid attention when he worked at Ponte Preta.

  

"Since Campinas was close to São Paulo, I always took different cars there so I could move them around and enjoy them. During the World Cup, the Portuguese national team used our training center, and I left a fully restored Fiat 147 there, with vintage sports wheels and various accessories. The Portuguese press wanted to know who owned the car, and I had to remove it to avoid complications. My Fiat was parked right at the main entrance to Moisés Lucarelli," he recalls, with good humor.

 

Flamengo's professional football performance analyst, he arrived at Gávea alongside Muricy Ramalho, with whom he has worked for a total of nine years. Claudio Grillo defines himself as an additional tool to assist the coach and Tata in their work. He watches as many matches as possible and lives Flamengo's championships 24/20. Discreet, he understands that the coach is the main pillar of support and creation of a true coaching staff. With over XNUMX titles under his belt, including Brazilian titles, Libertadores, Recopas, and the World Cup, he admits that the experience of working at the club is unique. When comparing the club to a car, he summed it up nicely: "Flamengo is incomparable."