Luis Zubeldía: flying start and São Paulo journey before Fluminense move | OneFootball

Officially taken over by Fluminense, the 44-year-old coach Luis Zubeldía brings with him a recent and intense experience in Brazilian football. The Argentine was hired by São Paulo in April 2024 and quickly made his mark, with a devastating start and good results in his first season. In 2025, he fluctuated in the Brazilian Championship, but left his mark with his intense style on the sidelines.

Undefeated Start

Zubeldía began his journey in Brazilian football with impressive numbers. In his first 10 games for São Paulo, he accumulated:

The results did not come against less significant opponents. The Argentine debuted directly in Libertadores, Copa do Brasil and Brazilian Championship matches, without going through state championships, which further enhanced his performance.

Campaigns

In total, Zubeldía led São Paulo in 85 matches, accumulating 37 wins, 27 draws, and 21 losses. Known for his vibrant style on the sidelines, the coach did not hide the intensity in celebrations and complaints, which earned him 35 cards during his tenure.

Under his command, the Tricolor Paulista reached the quarterfinals of the Libertadores and the Copa do Brasil in 2024, as well as securing the 6th position in the Brasileirão, which guaranteed a spot in this season's continental tournament.

Performance Drop and Departure

In 2025, however, the results fluctuated. São Paulo fell in the semifinals of the Campeonato Paulista against Palmeiras, was eliminated by Athletico-PR in the round of 16 of the Copa do Brasil, and faced difficulties in the Brasileirão. The club had only 12 points in 12 games until the break for the Club World Cup.

In the Libertadores, the team was still alive until the quarterfinals against LDU, but the negative sequence in the national scenario weighed heavily. In June, Zubeldía chose to leave the club, admitting that he could not quickly reverse the situation.

Next Challenge

Now, the Argentine will begin a new chapter in his career. Luis Zubeldía will be the 17th foreign coach in the history of Fluminense and the first since the Uruguayan Hugo de León, in 1997.

With the mission of reorganizing the team after the departure of Renato Gaúcho, Zubeldía arrives in Rio de Janeiro surrounded by expectation and with the opportunity to write his name in Brazilian football once again, now, at the helm of the Tricolor das Laranjeiras.

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