A longtime acquaintance of the World's Biggest Fanbase is Flamengo's new coach. Paulo César Carpegiani, captain of the 1981 World Cup-winning team, is returning to his third stint as Flamengo's Most Beloved coach at the age of 67. A native of Erechin, Rio Grande do Sul, he played 138 matches in charge of Flamengo, in two spells: from 1981 to 1983 and in 2000. In total, he won 83 matches, drew 31, and lost 24. His résumé included the two biggest titles in Flamengo's history - the Libertadores and the Interclub World Cup - and also celebrated the 1982 Brazilian Championship.
As a Flamengo player, Carpegiani arrived at Flamengo in 1977. An experienced and talented midfielder, he was one of the group's leaders and was much loved by the Rubro-Negra Nation. He earned a reputation for his grit on the field. Wearing the Sacred Mantle, Carpegiani won three Rio de Janeiro titles (1978, 1979, and the 1979 special edition) and the 1980 Brazilian Championship. He played 223 games for the Rubro-Negro, winning 136, drawing 57, and scoring 12 goals.
The new red-black coach will be presented tomorrow (09.01) in a press conference that will take place at CT George Helal at 12:30.