Internacional close in on deal for Luís Zubeldía, former São Paulo boss | OneFootball

The board of Internacional has already started talks to sign a new coach, following the dismissal of Roger Machado over the weekend. The frontrunner for the position is Luís Zubeldía, former São Paulo manager.

The management’s intention is to finalize the deal with the coach as quickly as possible. This way, he would have time to train the team this week and make his debut in Saturday’s match against Juventude, in Caxias do Sul.

In addition to Zubeldía, two other names were considered at Internacional: Odair Hellmann and Ramón Díaz, but negotiations did not progress.

Stint at São Paulo

The 44-year-old Argentine coach had a rollercoaster spell at Tricolor, with 37 wins, 28 draws, and 20 losses. His performance in knockout matches was considered good, especially in the Libertadores, but in the 2025 Brasileirão the team faced many difficulties.

On the sidelines, Zubeldía became known for his energy and passion. However, he was criticized for the excessive number of cards received at São Paulo.

His coaching staff at the São Paulo club included assistants Maxi Cuberas, Carlos Gruezo, and Alejandro Escobar; fitness coach Lucas Vivas; and analyst Carlos Burbano.

Extensive experience

Zubeldía began his coaching career in 2009, at Lanús. From there, he gained experience in several countries: he managed Barcelona de Guayaquil and LDU de Quito (Ecuador), Racing (Argentina), Santos Laguna (Mexico), Independiente Medellín (Colombia), Cerro Porteño (Paraguay), and Alavés (Spain).

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