Corinthians U17 coach on youth progress and career beginnings

In partnership with

Central do Timão

·4 ottobre 2025

Corinthians U17 coach on youth progress and career beginnings

By Fabio Luigi / Central do Timão Editorial Team

Head coach of Corinthians’ U-17 since February 2024, coach Raphael Laruccia gave an interview to Corinthians TV and took the opportunity to share, in detail, his journey in football, from the moment he chose to give up his playing career to the beginning of his story on the technical side.

He also commented on the work of transitioning players through the youth categories from U-17, U-20, and professional, the evaluation of the Timãozinho squad’s performance, managing the locker room environment, his brief period as interim coach of the professional squad, and his career experiences.

OneFootball Video

Photo: Rodrigo Gazzanel/Agência Corinthians

Giving up a professional playing career, physical education degree, and professional experience – stint in Corinthians’ associative football

“I’ve always identified with leading teams. I tried to pursue a career as a player, but at a certain point, when I started my Physical Education degree, I decided to give up trying to be a player and focus on becoming a coach. My goal to become a football coach existed from the very beginning of my studies. Throughout my journey, I started out at some smaller clubs, at Flamengo de Guarulhos, AD Guarulhos, had a stint at Taboão da Serra, and also went through Portuguesa. I spent 11 years working at Corinthians in the Social Department, with the CIFAC Selection, where I also had the opportunity to work in all categories, from U-11 to U-20. Finally, I had a stint at Avaí, in Florianópolis, and after Avaí I was invited to return to Corinthians for the youth department.”

Assessment of the work with Corinthians’ U-17 and the transition of players

“When it comes to the day-to-day work on the field, we are giving our best. We dedicate ourselves daily so that the club can reap good results from the youth categories, from our U-17 and, consequently, from the other categories in this transition process. Therefore, effort, dedication, and commitment will never be lacking. Organization and process will also be constant in our work. And I invite anyone who hasn’t watched to see a U-17 match to see for themselves how our category honors the Corinthians shirt.”

“We are very satisfied with what we have been presenting in terms of performance. We have a positive record of players who have already transitioned directly from U-17 to the professional team and of players who moved up to U-20. The goals for player development and transition have already been achieved. We managed to hit these targets in the first semester, and that made us very happy.”

The development of an athlete starts with building character as a citizen and the coach’s role in this process

“When you are at a big club like Corinthians, your focus is intensely on the athlete. However, I understand that the coach’s role in this process is also to look at the human being, not just the player. I believe one of the main functions of the coach is to influence the development of this person. We have a great responsibility to live daily with these young people and influence them. We must be aware that this influence needs to be positive in terms of human development. If we develop the person well, we will consequently have an athlete who will perform, deliver, and evolve in their career.”

‘Honesty’ is the pillar for managing a squad with many players – daily competition for positions and a spot in the starting lineup

“I believe the main path for managing players — and for dealing with their collective and individual dreams — is honesty. It’s hard to talk about fairness in the daily life of football. We can’t be fair to everyone when we have 35 top-level players. At some point, someone will feel wronged in the process, but we will be honest with them at all times. We will deal with all the daily challenges and issues head on, face to face, talking and dialoguing. There will always be an open door for the player to express what they are feeling, what emotions and feelings they are experiencing. This is fundamental for them to learn how to deal with all the situations that are part of our daily routine.”

Three matches in charge of the first team in July 2024 in the Brazilian Championship – Vitória, Cruzeiro, and Vasco da Gama

“The experience in the professional team is extremely rich. You go through periods where emotions and responsibilities reach their peak. This makes us more mature and better prepared to deal with situations we encounter daily, even in the youth categories. It’s essential that the players understand: it’s here that we learn how to behave for when we get there.”

Watch the full video below on Corinthians TV:

See More: