Abel Braga

Abel Carlos da Silva Braga (born 1 September 1952) is a Brazilian football coach and former player. He is the current technical director of Internacional.

Braga played as a central defender during a professional career that started with Fluminense in 1968. He earned one cap for Brazil, and was on the 1978 FIFA World Cup squad.

Since his retirement in 1985, Braga has managed a number of clubs in Brazil and Portugal, including three spells at Fluminense and eight spells at Internacional, with whom won the Copa Libertadores and FIFA Club World Cup in 2006. He has also managed French club Marseille, as well as Emirati club Al Jazira over two spells.

Club career

Known as Abel during his playing days, he started his career as a player in Fluminense in 1968, being a regular member of the youth sides. After becoming a part of the first team squad in 1971, he was loaned to Figueirense in 1973.

Back to Flu in 1974, Abel enjoyed a run as a first-choice, but lost his starting spot under head coaches Carlos Alberto Parreira and Paulo Emilio. Unhappy with his backup status, he saw moves to Flamengo and America-RJ being blocked by Fluminense president Francisco Horta, but was sent to Vasco da Gama along with two teammates in early 1976.

Abel then established himself as a regular starter for Vasco, playing 90 matches in his first season. In 1979, he moved abroad for the first time in his career, signing for French club Paris Saint-Germain.

Back to Brazil in 1981, Abel returned to his home country to play for Cruzeiro, but a knee injury took him out for two months shortly after arriving, and he lost space after recovering. He then moved to Botafogo in 1982, where he also struggled with injuries, and later represented Goytacaz, retiring with the club at the end of the 1984 season, aged 32.