Ex-Corinthians boss leads Albania to 2026 World Cup play-offs

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Central do Timão

·14 de novembro de 2025

Ex-Corinthians boss leads Albania to 2026 World Cup play-offs

By Fabio Luigi / Central do Timão Editorial Team

On the afternoon of last Thursday (13), Albania qualified for the 2026 World Cup playoffs by defeating Andorra away from home at the Encamp Stadium, with a score of 1-0. The result secured the team, led by Sylvinho, former player and former coach of Corinthians, second place in Group K with 14 points (four wins, two draws, and one loss – seven goals scored and three conceded).

The group leader was England, who won all seven matches in the group stage (100% record) – 20 goals scored and none conceded. Since his debut as Albania's coach at the end of March 2023, Sylvinho has accumulated 15 wins, seven draws, and nine losses, putting the country in the spotlight on the world football stage. The playoffs will be held in March 2026, with four European teams qualifying.

Vídeos OneFootball

Photo: Matthieu Rondel/ Getty Images

Sylvinho took over Albania a year after his dismissal from Corinthians, in February 2022. The coach arrived at Parque São Jorge at the end of the first half of 2021, right after the team's elimination in the semifinals of the Paulista Championship, against Palmeiras, by 2-0, at Neo Química Arena. He managed Corinthians in the Brazilian Championship and the Copa do Brasil that year. In the knockout tournament, the Alvinegro was eliminated in the third phase, after being defeated by Atlético-GO on aggregate, with a score of 2-0.

In the national competition, the club from Parque São Jorge had a difficult start, sitting mid-table until halfway through the year, when Giuliano, Renato Augusto, Willian, and Roger Guedes were signed. The quartet helped the team finish the competition in fifth place with 57 points (15 wins, 12 draws, and 11 losses – 40 goals scored and 36 conceded).

However, even with the good position in the national competition and a spot in the group stage of the 2022 Conmebol Libertadores, the coach faced various questions from the fans and was dismissed after three matches in the 2022 Paulista Championship, the last being a come-from-behind 2-1 defeat to Santos, in Itaquera, during the group stage of that year's state championship. As Corinthians' coach, he had 16 wins, 14 draws, and 13 losses – 48% success rate – 42 goals scored and 40 conceded.

As a player, the former left-back has an enviable résumé. The current coach of Albania was developed in Corinthians' youth academy, where he played for the first team between 1994 and 1999, making 269 appearances (260 as a starter), scoring two goals, and winning six titles: Brazilian Championship (1998), Paulista Championship (1995 and 1997), Copa do Brasil (1995), and Ramón Carranza Trophy (1996).

Later, he played two seasons for Arsenal (1999-2001), where he scored eight goals in 86 matches. Between 2001 and 2004, he played for Celta de Vigo in Spain, appearing in 105 matches and scoring four goals. From 2004 to 2009, he played for Barcelona, also in Spain, scoring three goals in 128 matches. His last club was Manchester City in England, where he played only 15 matches, scoring once.

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