Bernardinho is certainly one of the most successful coaches in the history of sport. Let’s consider his list of accolades as head of Brazil’s men’s and women’s national teams:
- 3 Grand Prix
- 2 Olympic Games
- 3 World Championships
- 8 World Leagues
- 2 World Cups
- 3 Grand Champions Cup
It’s no wonder then that his public image in his home country has some kind of organizational “guru” aura, having his name always connected to ideals of excellence, quality, and success. This has led to unconventional demands, such as him heading off to politics. However, the latest news involving his name came from the coach himself, after he suggested to the Brazilian press that he should coach soccer star Neymar after his terrible World Cup performance, which saw Brazil get eliminated in the competition’s Round of 8, and the player be ostracized by the international media for his theatrics (Globo.com):
“I’ve been with him once or twice. He’s a fantastic guy, an exceptional kid. I say this because I am in moment in my life, with so much experience in sports, that I’ve been around the most diverse types of athletes: some more egocentric, others more team players, and even joked that one day would like to coach Neymar on some issues. That would be, of course, without getting into the football issue, because I am not a deep “connoisseur” of the sport, but about behavior and posture in some situations, how to deal with pressure, for example. I feel this way first because of the feeling of affection I have towards him, because of the friendship he has with my son, and second because I think he is a raw gemstone that needs to be worked. Everything around him is always very controversial, reverberates in a very strong way, even his hair during matches. I think the focus is this: how to make it about soccer only? Everyone talks about him, the world revolves around him, that the relevance he has. It’s a huge burden on a young man, a boy who has done so much, grown so much and who has a tremendous weight of responsibility.”
Joking or not, this just may be a good idea. There is no denying that Bernardinho is one of the most qualified coaches in the world. He surely had to deal with his share of famous and rebellious stars such as Giba, Ricardo Garcia, and his own son Bruninho. Bernadinho’s past a star player himself also gives him adequate insight into the everyday life of present stars. Will we see this happen?
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