Brazilian football’s fondness for Portuguese coaches shows little sign of letting up, after Pedro Emanuel was announced as the new manager of Vasco da Gama on a contract until the end of next season.
Vasco have been looking for a new coach since dispensing with the vastly experienced Renato Gaucho last month, following poor results which left them in 17th place ahead of the World Cup break. With action in the Campeonato Brasileiro set to resume this week, Emanuel will have little time to adjust as he takes on a new challenge in Rio de Janeiro.
The former Porto defender has largely been working in the Middle East since January 2020 when he took the job at Al-Ain in the United Arab Emirates. Emanuel then had periods in charge of three Saudi Arabian clubs: Al Nassr, Al-Khaleej and Al-Fayha, amassing 130 matches in the country.
Emanuel’s first coaching staff position was at his former club Porto, the club at which he won numerous trophies as a player, including five Portuguese titles and the Champions League in 2004. Emanuel was assistant to André Villas-Boas for the Dragons’ highly successful 2010-11 campaign.
Since moving into management, Emanuel showed early promise during his roles at Académica, where he won the Taça de Portugal in 2012 and Arouca, but has struggled to settle in any of his subsequent clubs. Apollon Limassol in Cyprus, Estoril, Al Taawoun in Saudi Arabia and Madrid-based outfit Almeria in the Spanish second tier all represented short stints, with his 80 games in charge at Académica the longest he has enjoyed in a role in his career thus far.
Vasco, who have Luso winger Nuno Moreira in the ranks, have twice employed managers from Portugal in recent years. Ricardo Sá Pinto lasted 76 days in 2020, while Álvaro Pacheco’s tenure was even shorter in 2024, when he was sacked after 30 days and four winless matches.
Emanuel is the 5th Portuguese boss in the Campeonato Brasileiro. Abel Ferreira’s Palmeiras top the table, while Leonardo Jardim’s Flamengo are currently in 2nd place. Franclim Carvalho has Botafogo in 12th, while Luís Castro is struggling to make an impact at Gremio, who are in 14th place as the season nears the halfway point.
