Ricardo Ferretti de Oliveira (born 22 February 1954), also known as Tuca,[1] is a Brazilian-Mexican professional footballmanager and former player who currently works for ESPN Deportes and ESPN Mexico as an analyst.[2]
As a player, Ferretti was an attacking midfielder who specialized in free kicks. He was known for his mobility, powerful right shot and leadership. Ferretti spent most of his playing career with Universidad Nacional, where he is the club's second all-time leading scorer. He also played for Botafogo, Vasco da Gama and Bonsucesso in his native Brazil, and Atlas, Neza, Monterrey and Toluca in Mexico.[3]
As a manager, Ferretti led several prominent Mexican clubs, including Universidad Nacional, Guadalajara, Toluca and Cruz Azul. His most enduring and influential spell came with Tigres UANL, where he served for eleven years and guided them to five league championships. In addition to his club career, he was appointed interim head coach of the Mexico national team on three occasions, overseeing a total of eleven matches.[4]
Ferreti holds the national record for the most league matches managed. Alongside Ignacio Trelles, he is the manager with the most league titles in Mexican football.[5]
Club career
Ferretti launched his career in Brazil, entering the Botafogo youth academy, where his brother, Fernando Ferretti, was already playing professionally. He later moved to Vasco da Gama and Bonsucesso, though he found limited playtime at both clubs. In 1977, his agent arranged a move to Mexico to explore new opportunities.[6]
Ferretti arrived in Mexico to strengthen Atlas during the 1977–1978 season. His time with Los Zorros was modest: he joined midway through the campaign with the mission of avoiding relegation. Despite scoring nine goals, his efforts weren’t enough, and Atlas ultimately went down. He left the club at the end of the season and signed with UNAM.
With Pumas, he reached the final of the 1978–1979 season, though Cruz Azul claimed the title. Ferretti, however, remained with the squad and quickly became a key figure. Under the guidance of Bora Milutinović, Pumas reached the final of the 1980–1981 tournament, defeating Cruz Azul 4–2 on aggregate.
Ferretti’s stay with UNAM lasted until 1985. That year, they reached another final, this time falling to Club América, which marked his departure from the institution.
After stints with Neza, Monterrey, and Toluca, Ferretti returned to Pumas for the 1990–1991 season. It was then that he reached the pinnacle of his playing career: in the final against Club América, he scored a stunning free-kick goal that delivered another league title to the auriazules. With 128 goals across all competitions, he cemented his place as the club’s second all-time top scorer.[7]
Following that championship, Ferretti retired as a footballer and immediately took charge of Pumas, beginning his long and successful career as a manager.
Coaching career
Early Career and Initial Success
Ferretti began his managerial career in 1991 with Universidad Nacional, marking the start of his long association with Mexican football. In the 1996–97 season, he moved to Guadalajara, where he achieved his first significant success as a manager. Ferretti led the team to victory in the Verano 1997 tournament, securing his first title in Mexican football. The following season, he guided Chivas to a runner-up finish, further solidifying his reputation. Over his eight seasons at the helm, Ferretti consistently led the team to the playoffs, missing out only once.[8]
In the Invierno 2000, Ferretti took charge of Tigres UANL, a club with a talented roster but struggling to meet expectations. In his first season, he led the team to the playoffs, and in the following season, they finished as runners-up. However, after Tigres were eliminated by Monterrey in the Clausura 2003 semi-finals, the club opted not to renew Ferretti’s contract.
Expanding Influence and Club Transitions
After leaving Tigres, Ferretti moved to Toluca in the Apertura 2003. At Toluca, he helped the team maintain a strong record of playoff appearances, and under his leadership, the club won the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Despite these achievements, Ferretti’s tenure ended due to differences with the club’s star player, José Cardozo.[9]
Ferretti's next role was at Morelia, where he guided the team through a challenging period and helped them avoid relegation. He returned to Tigres for a second stint during the Clausura 2006. However, after failing to qualify for the playoffs that season, Ferretti was let go.[10]
Once again, Ferretti took charge of Universidad Nacional in the Apertura 2006, a club struggling with poor results and relegation concerns. Under his guidance, Pumas reached the final of the Apertura 2007, though they were defeated by Atlante. The following Clasura 2009 saw Ferretti lead Pumas to another final, where they triumphed over Pachuca to claim the title.[11]
Success at Tigres and Later Years
Ferretti’s third tenure at Tigres began in the Apertura 2010, during a time when the club was facing relegation concerns. His arrival marked the start of a turnaround for Tigres, culminating in a league title in the Apertura 2011, where they defeated Santos Laguna to end a 29-year championship drought.
Ferretti continued to guide Tigres to success in subsequent years, including a runner-up finish in the Clausura 2014 to Club América and a Copa Libertadores final appearance in 2015, where they were defeated by River Plate. In the same year, Tigres won the Apertura 2015 title by defeating UNAM. The team claimed another league championship in the Apertura 2016, but were defeated in the Clausura 2017 final by Guadalajara.
A significant moment in Ferretti’s career came in the Apertura 2017, when Tigres won their first Clásico Regiomontano league final, defeating Monterrey. On November 25, 2018, Ferretti surpassed Ignacio Trelles as the manager with the most league matches in Mexican football history, managing his 1,082nd match.[12] In the Clausura 2019, Ferretti led Tigres to another league title, defeating León and securing his seventh overall championship, matching the record set by Trelles.[13]
In December 2020, Ferretti guided Tigres to their first CONCACAF Champions League title, defeating Los Angeles FC. This achievement marked the tenth and final official trophy of his tenure with Tigres.[14] Ferretti’s final match as manager of the club took place on May 8, 2021, concluding an 11-year period in which he significantly contributed to the team’s success.[15]
In the later stages of his career, Ferretti took managerial roles at Juárez and Cruz Azul. However, despite his earlier successes, he was unable to replicate the same level of achievement with these clubs.
Mexico national team
Ferretti served as interim manager of the Mexico national team on three separate occasions, overseeing a total of eleven matches. Despite repeated efforts by the Mexican Football Federation to appoint him as the permanent head coach, Ferretti consistently declined the offer.[16]
His first interim appointment occurred in June 1993, when he stepped in as head coach for a friendly match against Costa Rica, temporarily replacing Miguel Mejía Barón.[17]
Ferretti’s third interim role took place in August 2018, when he managed the national team for a series of friendly matches, including contests against Uruguay, the United States, Costa Rica, Chile, and two consecutive fixtures with Argentina.[19]
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