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Antônio Carlos Zago
Antonio-Carlos-Zago-Palmeiras-2018.jpg
Zago in 2018
Personal information
Full name Antônio Carlos Zago
Date of birth (1969-05-18) 18 May 1969 (age 56)
Place of birth Presidente Prudente, Brazil
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Centre back
Youth career
Corinthians-PP
1983–1986 Ubiratan
1988–1989 São Paulo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1986–1988 Ubiratan
1990–1992 São Paulo 111 (8)
1992 Albacete 12 (1)
1993–1995 Palmeiras 145 (8)
1996–1997 Kashiwa Reysol 24 (0)
1997 Corinthians 21 (2)
1998–2002 Roma 107 (2)
2002–2004 Beşiktaş 56 (2)
2004–2005 Santos 8 (0)
2005–2007 Juventude 53 (3)
2007 Santos 15 (1)
Total 552 (27)
International career
1991–2001 Brazil 37 (3)
Managerial career
2009–2010 São Caetano
2010 Palmeiras
2010 Grêmio Prudente
2011 Mogi Mirim
2011 Vila Nova
2012 Audax São Paulo
2013 Roma (assistant)
2013–2015 Shakhtar Donetsk (assistant)
2015–2016 Juventude
2017 Internacional
2017 Fortaleza
2017–2018 Juventude
2018–2019 Red Bull Brasil
2019 Bragantino
2020–2021 Kashima Antlers
2021–2022 Bolívar
2023 Coritiba
2023–2024 Bolivia
2025 The Strongest
2025 Botafogo-PB
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Antônio Carlos Zago, born on May 18, 1969, is a famous Brazilian football coach and a former player. He was known for playing as a centre back (a defender who plays in the middle of the field). People often called him just Antônio Carlos or Zago.

Playing Career Highlights

Starting Out as a Player

Antônio Carlos Zago was born in Presidente Prudente, Brazil. As a teenager, he moved to Dourados and started his football journey with a local team called Ubiratan. Back then, he played as a forward and was known as Tonhão. In 1988, he joined São Paulo.

Success with São Paulo

When Zago joined São Paulo, he became known as Antônio Carlos. His coaches moved him from a forward to a midfielder, and then to a libero (a type of defender). He played his first game for the main team on April 25, 1990.

With manager Telê Santana, Zago became a regular player. He helped São Paulo win two Campeonato Paulista titles in 1991 and 1992. He also won the Brazilian League in 1991 and the important 1992 Copa Libertadores in 1992.

Playing in Europe: Spain and Italy

In July 1992, Zago moved to Spain to play for La Liga team Albacete Balompié. He found it hard to get used to the new country and left in December of that year.

In January 1998, Zago moved to Italy to join Roma. He played for five seasons with Roma and was a key part of the team that won the Serie A title in 2001. He played alongside other great defenders like Aldair and Walter Samuel. Roma fans loved him and even nicknamed him Terminator because of his strong play.

Playing in Turkey and Back in Brazil

After his time in Italy, Zago moved to Turkey in 2002 and signed with Beşiktaş. He played there for two years.

In 2004, Zago returned to Brazil and joined Santos. He played a few games before moving to Juventude in 2005. He played there until 2006. In December 2006, he returned to Santos and officially retired from playing football in November 2007, at 38 years old.

International Career for Brazil

Zago first played for the Brazilian national team on October 30, 1991. He played for Brazil until 1993. After playing well for Roma, he was called back to the national team in 1998.

Between 1998 and 2001, he played 26 more games for Brazil and scored two goals. He was also part of the team that won the 1999 Copa América in 1999. In total, he played 37 games for Brazil between 1991 and 2001, scoring three goals.

Coaching Career Journey

After retiring as a player, Zago started his coaching career. He first worked as a technical director for Corinthians.

Early Coaching Roles

On June 2, 2009, Zago became the manager of São Caetano. He led the team to a seventh-place finish in the league. In February 2010, he left São Caetano to become the manager of Palmeiras, a team he played for.

Antônio Carlos Zago (2010)
Zago as head coach of Palmeiras in 2010

He started well at Palmeiras, winning his first game. However, he left the club in May 2010. After Palmeiras, he coached other Brazilian teams like Grêmio Prudente, Mogi Mirim, Vila Nova, and Audax São Paulo.

Assistant Coach and Return to Brazil

In 2012, Zago went back to Roma as an assistant coach. In 2013, he became an assistant manager for FC Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine.

In August 2015, Zago returned to Brazil to manage Juventude again. He helped the team get promoted to a higher league in 2016. He left Juventude in December 2016.

Managing Top Brazilian Teams

On December 12, 2016, Zago became the head coach of Internacional. He stayed there until May 2017.

In August 2017, he took over as coach of Fortaleza. He helped them get promoted back to the Série B after eight years. He then returned to Juventude for a short time in October 2017.

Recent Coaching Roles

In September 2018, Zago became the manager of Red Bull Brasil. When the club merged with Bragantino in 2019, he became the manager of the new team, Bragantino. He led them to win the Série B title and get promoted.

In January 2020, Zago moved to Japan to manage Kashima Antlers. He was there until April 2021.

From July 2021 to November 2022, he managed Bolívar in Bolivia, winning the 2022 Apertura title. He then coached Coritiba in Brazil in 2023.

In October 2023, Zago was announced as the head coach of the Bolivia national football team. He left this role in July 2024. In January 2025, he returned to Bolivia to manage The Strongest. In April 2025, he became the head coach of Botafogo-PB in Brazil.

Career Statistics

Club Playing Statistics

Club Season League State League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
São Paulo 1990 Série A 21 1 13 0 6 0 — — 40 1
1991 21 1 30 4 — — — 51 5
1992 23 2 3 0 — 13 2 — 39 4
Total 65 4 46 4 6 0 13 2 — 130 10
Albacete 1992–93 La Liga 12 1 — 2 0 — — 14 1
Palmeiras 1993 Série A 18 1 34 2 3 0 — 2 0 57 3
1994 22 2 21 1 1 0 7 0 — 51 3
1995 20 1 30 1 4 0 10 0 — 64 2
Total 60 4 85 4 8 0 17 0 2 0 172 8
Kashiwa Reysol 1996 J1 League 24 0 — 2 0 — 5 0 31 0
1997 0 0 — 0 0 — 6 0 6 0
Total 24 0 — 2 0 — 11 0 37 0
Corinthians 1997 Série A 12 2 9 0 0 0 — — 21 2
Roma 1997–98 Serie A 12 0 — — — — 12 0
1998–99 28 0 — 2 0 7 0 — 37 0
1999–2000 27 2 — 2 0 8 0 — 37 2
2000–01 28 0 — 1 0 3 0 — 32 0
2001–02 12 0 — 2 0 5 0 1 0 20 0
Total 107 2 — 7 0 23 0 1 0 138 2
Beşiktaş 2002–03 Süper Lig 31 2 — 2 0 7 0 — 40 2
2003–04 25 0 — 0 0 7 0 — 32 0
Total 56 2 — 2 0 14 0 — 72 2
Santos 2004 Série A 7 0 — — 1 0 — 8 0
2005 0 0 1 0 — 0 0 — 1 0
Total 7 0 1 0 — 1 0 — 9 0
Juventude 2005 Série A 30 2 — — 2 0 — 32 2
2006 22 1 1 0 — — — 23 1
Total 52 3 1 0 — 2 0 — 55 3
Santos 2007 Série A 1 0 14 1 — 7 0 — 22 1
Career total 396 18 156 9 27 0 77 2 14 0 670 29

International Playing Statistics

Brazil national team
Year Apps Goals
1991 2 0
1992 3 1
1993 6 0
1994 0 0
1995 0 0
1996 0 0
1997 0 0
1998 3 0
1999 12 0
2000 10 2
2001 1 0
Total 37 3

Managerial Statistics

Managerial record by team and tenure
Team Nat From To Record Ref
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
São Caetano Brazil 2 June 2009 19 February 2010 &&&&&&&&&&&&&035.&&&&&035 &&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 &&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011 &&&&&&&&&&&&&062.&&&&&062 &&&&&&&&&&&&&039.&&&&&039 +23 &&&&&&&&&&&&&045.71000045.71
Palmeiras Brazil 19 February 2010 18 May 2010 &&&&&&&&&&&&&019.&&&&&019 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05 &&&&&&&&&&&&&025.&&&&&025 &&&&&&&&&&&&&020.&&&&&020 +5 &&&&&&&&&&&&&047.37000047.37
Grêmio Prudente Brazil 17 August 2010 10 September 2010 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 −3 &&&&&&&&&&&&&016.67000016.67
Mogi Mirim Brazil 3 January 2011 9 February 2011 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09 −2 &&&&&&&&&&&&&033.33000033.33
Vila Nova Brazil 9 February 2011 25 March 2011 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03 &&&&&&&&&&&&&017.&&&&&017 &&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012 +5 &&&&&&&&&&&&&057.14000057.14
Audax Brazil 23 November 2011 27 December 2012 &&&&&&&&&&&&&051.&&&&&051 &&&&&&&&&&&&&025.&&&&&025 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09 &&&&&&&&&&&&&017.&&&&&017 &&&&&&&&&&&&&081.&&&&&081 &&&&&&&&&&&&&063.&&&&&063 +18 &&&&&&&&&&&&&049.&2000049.02
Juventude Brazil 17 August 2015 11 December 2016 &&&&&&&&&&&&&054.&&&&&054 &&&&&&&&&&&&&024.&&&&&024 &&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016 &&&&&&&&&&&&&014.&&&&&014 &&&&&&&&&&&&&080.&&&&&080 &&&&&&&&&&&&&054.&&&&&054 +26 &&&&&&&&&&&&&044.44000044.44
Internacional Brazil 12 December 2016 28 May 2017 &&&&&&&&&&&&&030.&&&&&030 &&&&&&&&&&&&&014.&&&&&014 &&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06 &&&&&&&&&&&&&047.&&&&&047 &&&&&&&&&&&&&027.&&&&&027 +20 &&&&&&&&&&&&&046.67000046.67
Fortaleza Brazil 20 August 2017 26 October 2017 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 +0 &&&&&&&&&&&&&033.33000033.33
Juventude Brazil 28 October 2017 22 February 2018 &&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 &&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012 &&&&&&&&&&&&&023.&&&&&023 −11 &&&&&&&&&&&&&013.33000013.33
Red Bull Brasil Brazil 5 September 2018 23 April 2019 &&&&&&&&&&&&&031.&&&&&031 &&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016 &&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&045.&&&&&045 &&&&&&&&&&&&&026.&&&&&026 +19 &&&&&&&&&&&&&051.61000051.61
Bragantino Brazil 23 April 2019 24 December 2019 &&&&&&&&&&&&&038.&&&&&038 &&&&&&&&&&&&&022.&&&&&022 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07 &&&&&&&&&&&&&064.&&&&&064 &&&&&&&&&&&&&027.&&&&&027 +37 &&&&&&&&&&&&&057.89000057.89
Kashima Antlers Japan 2 January 2020 13 April 2021 &&&&&&&&&&&&&048.&&&&&048 &&&&&&&&&&&&&023.&&&&&023 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07 &&&&&&&&&&&&&018.&&&&&018 &&&&&&&&&&&&&078.&&&&&078 &&&&&&&&&&&&&064.&&&&&064 +14 &&&&&&&&&&&&&047.92000047.92
Bolívar Bolivia 14 July 2021 12 November 2022 &&&&&&&&&&&&&077.&&&&&077 &&&&&&&&&&&&&042.&&&&&042 &&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012 &&&&&&&&&&&&&023.&&&&&023 &&&&&&&&&&&&0162.&&&&&0162 &&&&&&&&&&&&&068.&&&&&068 +94 &&&&&&&&&&&&&054.55000054.55
Coritiba Brazil 22 April 2023 27 June 2023 &&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09 &&&&&&&&&&&&&022.&&&&&022 −13 &0&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00.00
Bolivia Bolivia 31 October 2023 18 July 2024 &&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07 &&&&&&&&&&&&&023.&&&&&023 −16 &&&&&&&&&&&&&020.&&&&&020.00
The Strongest Bolivia 12 January 2025 7 April 2025 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07 −3 &&&&&&&&&&&&&025.&&&&&025.00
Botafogo-PB Brazil 7 April 2025 present &&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00 +3 &&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&0100.000
Total &&&&&&&&&&&&0452.&&&&&0452 &&&&&&&&&&&&0207.&&&&&0207 &&&&&&&&&&&&0104.&&&&&0104 &&&&&&&&&&&&0141.&&&&&0141 &&&&&&&&&&&&0716.&&&&&0716 &&&&&&&&&&&&0500.&&&&&0500 +216 &&&&&&&&&&&&&045.80000045.80

Honours and Achievements

As a Player

Club Trophies

São Paulo

Palmeiras

Corinthians

  • Campeonato Paulista (São Paulo State League): 1997

Roma

Beşiktaş

Santos

International Trophies

Brazil

As a Manager

Internacional

  • Recopa Gaúcha: 2017

Bragantino

Bolívar

  • Bolivian Primera División: 2022 Apertura

Individual Awards

  • Campeonato Paulista Team of the Year: 2019

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Antônio Carlos Zago para niños

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