Renato Gaúcho is sacked as Vasco coach

Vasco da Gama announced late Thursday that coach Renato Gaúcho is no longer in charge of the club's professional team. The decision was made by mutual agreement between both parties. "Vasco da Gama informs that Renato Gaúcho is no longer the coach of the professional team. The decision was made in mutual agreement between the parties. Vasco thanks the coach and his staff for the services rendered during his third spell at the club and wishes success in the continuation of their careers," the club said in an official statement.

Renato Gaúcho was hired in early March and managed 22 matches for Vasco, recording nine wins, six draws, and seven defeats. Under his command, the team scored 33 goals and conceded 31. His tenure began promisingly with a victory over Palmeiras at São Januário, followed by a positive run of results. However, performance gradually declined as internal friction emerged.

The deterioration was preceded by player discontent stemming from Renato's public criticism of the squad during press conferences in recent weeks. A statement about Colombian players before the World Cup break had already generated tension with player Marino Hinestroza. More recently, frustration intensified when the coach expanded his criticism to include the bench and the team's lack of squad depth. The management had been discussing the situation, with the coach's position already unstable when the termination was announced.

Renato's final weeks were marked by attempts to explain the team's position, citing the reduced squad he inherited and the competitive dynamics of the Brazilian championship, where consecutive losses quickly drop teams down the standings. The coach expressed frustration about lacking sufficient time and acknowledged supporter frustration following recent defeats.