Paulo Autuori appointed Fortaleza head coach on deal to 2026 | OneFootball

Paulo Autuori has been appointed Fortaleza head coach on a contract running to the end of 2026, marking the former Benfica boss’s return to the touchline.

The appointment was announced on Saturday, 25 July, according to Glorioso 1904.

The 69-year-old takes over a side currently fifth in Série B and arrives with assistant Bernardo Franco and fitness coach Fábio Eiras.

Rio de Janeiro-born Autuori’s honours include the 1997 Copa Libertadores with Cruzeiro and both the 2005 Libertadores and the Club World Cup with São Paulo. He also led Botafogo to the 1995 Brazilian title.

His managerial career has taken him to Portugal with Nacional, Vitória de Guimarães, Marítimo and Benfica, before further roles abroad. He won silverware in Peru with Sporting Cristal and Alianza Lima, twice lifted the Emir of Qatar Cup with Al-Rayyan, and claimed Colombia’s Superliga with Atlético Nacional.

Last season he coached Sporting Cristal to the Copa Libertadores group stage after navigating two qualifying rounds. Beyond head coaching, he has served as technical director at Botafogo, Cruzeiro, Coritiba and Athletico Paranaense, and has managed the Peru and Qatar national teams.

Source: Glorioso 1904