Corinthians bolster youth fitness with ex-Palmeiras hire | OneFootball

Corinthians has expanded its youth academy coaching staff with the signing of fitness coach Leonardo Ramelo. He now joins the club’s performance department, working on the development of youth players.

Leonardo’s arrival was announced through the fitness coach’s own social media, where he celebrated his return to football and highlighted the opportunity to begin a new chapter at Parque São Jorge.

Photo: Reproduction / Instagram

“Last week I began a new professional journey in my career, now as the fitness coach for the youth categories of Sport Club Corinthians Paulista.

After a period away from doing what I love most, I return to football at a giant club, with the same desire to learn, improve and contribute, now with great responsibilities, a strong sense of purpose and total dedication. I’m very happy and motivated for this new challenge. May this be the beginning of a journey of hard work, growth and achievements. Let’s move forward!”, he said in the post.

Graduated in Sports Science from the State University of Campinas (Unicamp), Leonardo Ramelo also holds a specialization in Sports Science and Performance from NAR-SP. Before joining Corinthians, he had stints at Brutos Futsal, Inter de Limeira and Palmeiras.

During his time at the green-and-white club, he worked in the youth ranks, following teams from Under-13 to Under-20. Initially, he worked on the players’ physical transition process between age groups and later became part of the first team’s fitness staff. In 2025, he was part of the coaching staff that won the Brazilian Under-20 Championship.

At Corinthians, Leonardo will join the team coordinated by Walmir Cruz, who is in charge of the youth academy’s performance department. The sector is responsible for physical planning and monitoring players from the earliest age groups up to Under-20 level.

Currently, Corinthians maintains development teams from Under-7 to Under-20. In the introductory age groups, the youngsters combine their development in full-field football, small-sided spaces, and futsal. From Under-11 onward, the teams begin competing in the Campeonato Paulista, as well as national and international tournaments throughout the season.

The Under-17 and Under-20 age groups, meanwhile, have a calendar featuring state and national competitions such as the Campeonato Paulista, Brazilian Championship and the Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior. Depending on their performance in national competitions, the Under-20 team may also compete in tournaments such as the Copa do Brasil, the Supercopa and the Copa Libertadores of the category.

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