Renato Gaúcho's track record with Colombians explains Vasco's plight | OneFootball

The process of adapting foreign players at Vasco became a talking point after the recent defeat in the state derby. Asked about striker Marino Hinestroza’s difficulty in finding his rhythm with the team, coach Renato Gaúcho said that Colombian and Ecuadorian players usually face a major tactical barrier when they arrive in Brazilian football, requiring a long adjustment period.

To support his coaching philosophy, the manager said that in previous jobs he only approved the signing of players from those nationalities if they had already had prior experience at other clubs in the country:

In light of that strong statement, sports outlet ge carried out a detailed survey of the coach’s history with Colombian players over the last decade, projecting the challenge he will face with Vasco’s quartet made up of Andrés Gómez, Cuesta, Johan Rojas, and Marino.

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Renato Gaúcho’s track record at Grêmio and Fluminense

The data confirms that Vasco’s current coach has had limited experience working with Colombians. In the last ten years, before taking over at the club, Renato worked with only seven players from the neighboring country, three of them at Grêmio and four at Fluminense. The most relevant detail highlighted by the research is that only three of those players were signed after the coach’s direct approval.

At the Porto Alegre club, he coached full-back Luis Orejuela (who had already played in Brazil for Cruzeiro), forward Campaz (who was already in the squad), and midfielder Monsalve (signed with Renato’s approval in 2024, but who alternated between the starting lineup and the bench). In Rio de Janeiro, his recent record at Fluminense included Jhon Arias, Gabriel Fuentes, Kevin Serna, and Santi Moreno, with the latter being the only one signed under his command, though he left the country after just 13 appearances.

Marino Hinestroza is going through an inconsistent spell at Vasco – Photo: Reproduction

The performance of the foreign players and the challenge at Vasco

Despite the adaptation difficulty mentioned, the survey points out that players like Arias and Serna enjoyed excellent spells under Renato, with Serna recording the most prolific season of his career in 2025. However, the transition to the current situation at the Giant of the Hill presents clear obstacles.

The tactical restriction mentioned in the press conference is already reflected in the lineup. Of the four Colombians in Vasco’s current squad, only winger Andrés Gómez has managed to secure an undisputed starting spot in this early stage of Renato’s tenure. Veteran center-back Cuesta lost his place to Alan Saldivia and has yet to play any minutes under the new coach, while Rojas and Hinestroza have started only one match among the eleven and are often not used during games.

Renato Gaúcho and Vasco players after the defeat to Botafogo — Photo: Jorge Rodrigues/AGIF

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.