Portuguesa appoints Márcio Zanardi as professional team coach

Portuguesa has officially announced the return of Márcio Zanardi to lead its professional football team. The 48-year-old coach has signed a contract that runs through the end of the 2028 Campeonato Paulista.

Zanardi returns to the club eight years after his tenure with Portuguesa’s youth categories, where he notably led the team to the semifinals of the 2018 Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior. Since then, he has built a professional career with stints at clubs including São Bernardo, Goiás, Botafogo-SP, Figueirense, Amazonas, and Ponte Preta. His experience includes observing work with Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds United and Tite with the Brazilian national team.

Zanardi will be joined by assistant coach Caco Espinosa. The technical staff has already begun working alongside technical coordinator Jorginho to plan the squad and sporting strategy for the 2027 season.