Since his retirement in 1985, Braga has managed a number of clubs in Brazil and Portugal, including three spells at Fluminense and eight spells at Internacional, with whom won the Copa Libertadores and FIFA Club World Cup in 2006. He has also managed French club Marseille, as well as Emirati club Al Jazira over two spells.
Club career
Known as Abel during his playing days, he started his career as a player in Fluminense in 1968, being a regular member of the youth sides.[1] After becoming a part of the first team squad in 1971, he was loaned to Figueirense in 1973.[2]
Abel then established himself as a regular starter for Vasco, playing 90 matches in his first season.[2] In 1979, he moved abroad for the first time in his career, signing for French club Paris Saint-Germain.[2]
Back to Brazil in 1981, Abel returned to his home country to play for Cruzeiro, but a knee injury took him out for two months shortly after arriving, and he lost space after recovering.[4] He then moved to Botafogo in 1982, where he also struggled with injuries, and later represented Goytacaz, retiring with the club at the end of the 1984 season, aged 32.[2]
In 1985, immediately after retiring, Braga began working as a head coach at his last club Goytacaz. He returned to Botafogo shortly after, coaching the club in the 1985 Campeonato Carioca, before moving to Portugal to take over Rio Ave in November 1985.
Back to Brazil after the end of the 1985–86 season, Braga was in charge of Vitória for the remainder of the year, and later led Galícia and Santa Cruz (where he won the 1987 Campeonato Pernambucano) before being appointed head coach of Internacional in October 1988, replacing Chiquinho.[6]
Braga led Inter to the finals of the 1988 Série A, losing to Bahia, and was knocked out in the semifinals of the 1989 Copa Libertadores to Olimpia on penalties. Sacked in June 1989, he returned to Portugal shortly after, taking over Famalicão.
In June 1991, after leading Famalicão to the Primeira Liga, Abel returned to Internacional in the place of Ênio Andrade,[6] but only lasted three months in charge. In November 1993, after nearly two years at Belenenses (where he also achieved promotion to the top tier), he returned to Famalicão.
Back to Rio Ave in August 1994, Braga was in charge of the side for six matches before being dismissed. He would also manage Vitória de Setúbal in Portugal before joining another club he represented as a player, Vasco da Gama, in April 1995.[7]
Sacked in May 1995,[7] Braga returned to Inter for a third spell in July, and remained in charge until the end of the campaign. On 25 March 1997, after more than a year without a club, he replaced Geninho as head coach of Guarani,[8] but only lasted five matches before being sacked on 21 April.[9]
On 28 June 1997, Braga agreed to become Atlético Paranaense's head coach,[10] and led the club to the 1998 Campeonato Paranaense. Departing in August of that year, he spent a short period in charge of Bahia before returning to the state in April 1999, taking over Coritiba and also winning the year's state league over his former club Atlético.
Sacked from Coxa in September 1999, Braga took over Paraná in the following month,[11] and was kept in charge despite suffering relegation. In March 2000, however, he left the club after receiving an offer to return to Vasco.[7]
Marseille
In July 2000, Braga signed for Olympique de Marseille – rivals of his former team PSG – who had only just stayed in Ligue 1 on the last day of the previous season. He spent large amounts of money to buy compatriots Marcelinho Paraíba and Adriano Gabiru, and was dismissed in November with the team in the relegation zone having won five out of 16 games.[12]
Atlético Mineiro and Botafogo
Back to his home country, Braga was appointed Atlético Mineiro head coach in January 2001, but was sacked on 19 April of that year.[13] He returned to Botafogo in October, and despite resigning in March 2002,[14] he returned to the club in August,[15] but resigned again in September.[16]
Atlético Paranaense and Ponte Preta
Back to Atlético Paranaense in October 2002, Braga was sacked in November,[17] and took over Ponte Preta on 11 December.[18] After avoiding relegation, he left the club on 17 December 2003,[19]
Braga (left) being awarded the Sports Merit Medal by president Lula (right) in January 2007
Braga agreed to a new one-year contract on 12 December 2006,[27] and led the club to the 2006 FIFA Club World Cup title – Inter's biggest-ever accolade – five days later. In April of the following year, however, he was sacked after being knocked out of the 2007 Copa Libertadores in the group stage.[28]
On 10 August 2007, Braga returned to Internacional after the club had sacked Alexandre Gallo, his successor.[29] He won the 2008 Campeonato Gaúcho, and departed the club in June of that year, after agreeing to a contract with Emirati side Al Jazira.[30]
Fluminense return
On 8 June 2011, Braga was presented back at Fluminense in his home country; he had agreed to return to the club 87 prior to his presentation, and the club was coached by his assistant Leomir de Souza[pt] in the meantime.[31] In the following season, he won both the 2012 Campeonato Carioca and the 2012 Série A, being awarded as the best coach of the league.
On 29 July 2013, after five consecutive loses in the 2013 Série A that kept the club in relegation zone, Braga was dismissed from Fluminense.[32]
Sixth spell at Internacional
On 13 December, he returned to Inter for his sixth spell,[33] and won the 2014 Campeonato Gaúcho. In December 2014, he left the club as his contract was due to expire.[34]
Al Jazira return
Braga then returned to Al Jazira for a second spell on 16 June 2015,[35] but parted company with the club in December after a string of poor results.[36]
Third spell at Fluminense
On 1 December 2016, Fluminense announced Braga as their head coach for the ensuing season.[37] On 16 June 2018, he resigned from the club, after having won just one trophy, the 2017 Taça Guanabara.[38]
Flamengo return
On 2 January 2019, Braga returned to Flamengo as head coach.[39] They confirmed their status as favourites by winning the 2019 Campeonato Carioca,[40] but Braga still resigned on 29 May, after being contested by fans.[41]
Cruzeiro
Cruzeiro announced Braga as head coach on 27 September 2019,[42] but sacked him on 29 November after winning three games out of 14.[43] He was announced as Vasco da Gama's head coach for the 2020 season on 16 December 2019,[44] but resigned the following 16 March.
Seventh spell at Internacional
On 10 November 2020, Braga returned to Internacional for a seventh spell as head coach, replacing Eduardo Coudet.[45] He left the following 26 February, after losing the 2020 Série A in the last round.[46]
Lugano
In June 2021, Braga was hired by Swiss Super League club FC Lugano,[47] but was sacked on 1 September after the team two wins and two defeats in the first 4 league matches of the 2021–22 season.[48]
Fourth spell at Fluminense
On 15 December, Braga returned to Fluminense for a fourth spell as head coach,[49] but resigned on 28 April 2022, despite winning the 2022 Campeonato Carioca.[50]
Retirement
On 29 June 2022, Braga announced his retirement as a head coach, stating that he would not discard continue working with football but in another roles.[51]
Eighth spell at Internacional
On 29 November 2025, Braga came out of retirement to become the head coach of Internacional for the remaining two matches of the season; it was his eighth spell at the club.[52] He agreed to work with no wages in both of the matches, in an attempt to save the club from relegation, which he succeeded in doing.[53]
Personal life
On 29 July 2017, Braga's 18-year-old son, João Pedro, died after falling from the balcony of the family's apartment in the Leblon region of Rio de Janeiro.[54] Braga was informed of his son's death whilst undergoing the final preparations for Fluminense's fixture against Ponte Preta the following day. Ponte Preta agreed to Fluminense's request to postpone the match, which was rescheduled by the CBF.
↑"Abel Braga volta ao Internacional"[Abel Braga returns to Internacional] (in Brazilian Portuguese). SC Internacional. 10 November 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
↑"Abel Braga é o novo técnico do Fluminense"[Abel Braga is the new head coach of Fluminense] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Fluminense FC. 15 December 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
↑"Nota Oficial - Abel Braga"[Official note - Abel Braga] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Fluminense FC. 28 April 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
↑"Inter anuncia o técnico Abel Braga"[Inter announce the head coach Abel Braga] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 29 November 2025. Retrieved 29 November 2025.
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