Telê Santana

Brazilian footballer and manager From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Telê Santana da Silva, also known as Telê Santana (July 26, 1931 – April 21, 2006) was a Brazilian football manager and former player (right winger). He was born in Itabirito, Minas Gerais.[1]

Full name Telê Santana da Silva
Date of birth (1931-07-26)26 July 1931
Place of birth Itabirito, Brazil
Date of death 21 April 2006(2006-04-21) (aged 74)
Quick facts Personal information, Full name ...
Telê Santana
Telê Santana holding a São Paulo F.C. jersey
Personal information
Full name Telê Santana da Silva
Date of birth (1931-07-26)26 July 1931
Place of birth Itabirito, Brazil
Date of death 21 April 2006(2006-04-21) (aged 74)
Place of death Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Position Winger
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1951–1960 Fluminense 557 (162)
1960–1962 Guarani
1963 Vasco da Gama
Managerial career
1969–1970 Fluminense
1970–1972 Atlético Mineiro
1973 São Paulo
1973–1975 Atlético Mineiro
1976 Botafogo
1976–1978 Grêmio
1979–1980 Palmeiras
1980–1982 Brazil
1983–1985 Al-Ahli
1985–1986 Brazil
1987–1988 Atlético Mineiro
1988–1989 Flamengo
1989 Fluminense
1990 Palmeiras
1990–1996 São Paulo
* Club domestic league appearances and goals
Close

Santana was the manager of the famous 1982 and 1986 Brazil national squads. The 1982 squad, which consisted of players such as Zico, Sócrates, Falcão, Júnior and Toninho Cerezo, is widely considered one of the best sides to never win the World Cup. Santana was also a highly successful manager of various club teams, including the legendary 1992 and 1993 São Paulo, and was also very influential with Atlético Mineiro and Fluminense.

Santana is often mentioned by the Brazilian sports press as being one of the most relevant football managers to ever work in the country.[2] His preferred style of play was very offensive-minded, and he believed in training athletes by using relentless repetition of elementary fundamentals of the game, such as passing the ball and set piece training.

Career

First experiences

Santana started playing for Itabirense Esporte Clube, headquartered near his home in Itabirito, and later played for América, from São João del-Rei.

Playing career

Santana played for clubs such as Fluminense, Madureira and Vasco da Gama. He was also a reserve player of the Brazil national football team. As a player, his preferred position was centre forward. However, he started his career as a goalkeeper.

Managerial career

His career as a manager started in 1967, coaching the Fluminense youth squad. Four years later, Santana led Atlético Mineiro to win its first Brazilian championship title. Santana coached the Brazil squads of the 1982 and 1986 World Cups, both of which are regarded as among the greatest teams in the tournament's history to never win the competition.

After 1986, Santana returned to club management and took charge of Flamengo in 1988 before beginning a highly successful spell with São Paulo in 1990. With a talented squad featuring players such as Zetti, Cafu, Raí, and Leonardo, São Paulo won the Brazilian championship title in 1991, followed by consecutive Copa Libertadores titles in 1992 and 1993 – the first won by a Brazilian club since 1983.

Santana's spell at São Paulo is most celebrated for its back-to-back Intercontinental Cup victories in Tokyo, beating first Johan Cruyff's FC Barcelona in 1992 and then Fabio Capello's A.C. Milan in 1993.[3] Santana's São Paulo side is widely regarded as one of the greatest club sides in Brazilian football.[4][5]

Legacy

Santana is widely recognised as one of the greatest exponents of Futebol Arte, a school of football centred on technical excellence, attacking football and fair play. Santana's philosophy was best embodied by the 1982 Brazil national squad, which was eliminated by Italy after a 3–2 defeat in the knockout stage.[6] Santana was heavily criticised for refusing to adopt a more defensive approach against Italy, as Brazil only required a draw to reach the semifinals under the tournament format at the time. While Santana never led the Brazilian squad to glory, he is still regarded as one of greatest managers and innovators in the history of Brazilian football.[7][8]

Santana has expressed admiration for the 1974 Netherlands side, stating, "my greatest satisfaction would be to manage a team such as 1974 Holland. It was a team where you could pick [Johan] Cruyff and place him on the right wing. If I had to put him in the left-wing, he would still play [the same]. I could choose Neeskens, who played both to the right and to the left of the midfield. Thus, everyone played in any position."[9] He said he tried to use a similar tactical strategy in 1992's São Paulo, by using versatile players in different positions according to what was required in a match.

Santana has been described as the "last romantic of Brazilian football",[9] and had always been a strong advocate for fair play and against violence in the game.[10]

Death

In 1996, Santana retired from coaching after suffering a stroke.[11] He had part of his left leg amputated in 2003 because of ischemia in his left foot. He was operated at Hospital Felício Roxo, in Belo Horizonte.[12]

Santana died on April 21, 2006, due to an abdominal infection.[13] His body was buried at Cemitério Parque da Colina, in Belo Horizonte.[14] He is survived by his wife Ivonete and their son and daughter.

Managerial statistics

More information Team, Nation ...
Team Nation From To Record
G W D L F A GD Win %
Fluminense  Brazil 1969 1969 442311106640+2652.27
Atlético Mineiro  Brazil 1970 1972 149764627223117+10551.01
São Paulo  Brazil 1973 1973 30111363024+636.67
Atlético Mineiro  Brazil 1973 1975 151823732243125+11854.3
Botafogo  Brazil 1976 1976 2111462917+1252.38
Gremio  Brazil 1976 1978 13079312024986+16360.77
Palmeiras  Brazil 1979 1980 5630151110551+5453.57
Brazil  Brazil 2 April 1980 5 July 1982 3829637425+4976.32
Al-Ahli  Saudi Arabia 1983 1985 52321467429+4561.54
Brazil  Brazil 2 June 1985 21 June 1986 1711424512+3364.71
Atlético Mineiro  Brazil 1987 1988 10252341114372+7150.98
Flamengo  Brazil 1988 1989 623715107439+4564.71
Fluminense  Brazil 1989 1989 2896132435-1132.14
Palmeiras  Brazil 1990 1990 472212135431+2346.81
São Paulo  Brazil 1990 1996 39119111486603375+22848.85
Total 1,3186953622612,0361,078+95552.73
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As of 11 July 2023

Honours

As a Player

Club
Fluminense

As a Manager

Club
Fluminense
Atlético Mineiro
Grêmio
Al-Ahli
São Paulo
Individual

See also

Notes

References

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