(photo: Nonato’s Instagram reproduction)
Former left-back Nonato stated that he would hire an idol to lead Cruzeiro after the departure of Nicolás Larcamón. The multiple champion for Raposa did not criticize current coach Fernando Seabra, but made it clear, in an exclusive interview with In Attack, who would have hired another commander for Raposa.
Cruzeiro idol, Nonato said that “it would be time” for Cruzeiro’s board to give Alex a chance. The former midfielder was a protagonist in winning the Triple Crown in 2003 and, in 121 games for Raposa, he scored 64 goals and distributed 61 assists. As a coach, he worked at São Paulo’s youth team and at Avaí’s professional team – there were 18 games and just six victories for the Santa Catarina club.
“I’ll be honest. I’m not against Seabra, on the contrary. But, if it were to give an opportunity to a new guy, he would have given an opportunity to Alex, the Talent (Blue). He managed São Paulo’s Under-20s for two years and was at Avaí. I think this would be the time to give Alex an opportunity.”
Nonato, Cruzeiro idol
Fernando Seabra, 46 years old, was announced by Cruzeiro on April 9 to replace Nicolás Larcamón, coach fired after losing the final of the Campeonato Mineiro to rival Atlético. The current celestial commander was in charge of Red Bull Bragantino II in Série A3 of the Campeonato Paulista.
But before going to the São Paulo club, Seabra was at Raposa itself. Between March 2022, when he was hired, and January 2024, the coach stayed on the under-20 team and won the Copa do Brasil (2023) and the Mineiro (2022 and 2023) in the category. Furthermore, he was runner-up in the 2024 São Paulo Junior Football Cup.
Seabra also played, on an interim basis, for Cruzeiro’s professional team in 2023. He was in command in a game after Pepa’s dismissal and took command with director Paulo Autuori after Zé Ricardo’s departure. The duo achieved two wins and four draws in six rounds, saved Cruzeiro from relegation and also won a place in the Copa Sudamericana.
In this current period, Seabra has five matches: one victory, three draws and one defeat, thus having a 40% success rate.
Nonato at Cruzeiro
Born in Mossoró, Nonato was introduced to football at Baraúnas, in Rio Grande do Norte, in 1985. He played for ABC-RN and Pouso Alegre-MG before arriving at Cruzeiro, in 1990. His debut was in the 1-1 victory 0 over Botafogo, at Mineirão, for the Brazilian Championship.
The right-handed left-back became an idol for Celeste fans and was captain in important achievements for Raposa. The most special was the second title in the Copa do Brasil, in 1996, over the popular Palmeiras, which featured renowned players, such as Rivaldo, Djalminha and Cafu.
Nonato won five international titles with Cruzeiro: the two-time Supercopa championship, in 1991 and 1992, the Copa Ouro and Copa Master, in 1995, and the Copa Libertadores da América, in 1997. In addition to the Copas do Brasil in 1993 and 1996, the side won four state championships and one Minas Gerais Champions Cup.
