Palmeiras announced this Wednesday (10) the renewal of coach Abel Ferreira’s contract until the end of 2027.
The Portuguese coach was hired in October 2020, replacing Vanderlei Luxemburgo, and had a contract until December 31, 2025.
He is the alviverde club’s record holder for titles, with ten wins, tied with Oswaldo Brandão.
At the head of the team, Abel won two Brazilian Championship titles (2022 and 2023) and two Copa Libertadores titles (2020 and 2021), in addition to three Campeonato Paulista titles (2022, 2023 and 2024). The coach also lifted the cups for the Copa do Brasil (2020), the Supercopa do Brasil (2023) and the Recopa Sul-Americana (2022).
This year, for the first time since being hired by Palmeiras, the coach did not win any cup, finishing second in the Brazilian Championship and Copa Libertadores, losing both to Flamengo.
“Over these five years here, I have identified with the values and principles of the club. For me, Palmeiras is a lifestyle and a way of living and being. I am a project and relationship coach and it was a decision I also made with my family”, said the coach.
“We talked a lot throughout the year and president Leila [Pereira] has always expressed an interest in the continuity, stability and consistency of the project”, added the Portuguese.
He also said that, after being eliminated by rival Corinthians in the round of 16 of this year’s Copa do Brasil, the representative reiterated her confidence in the work of the technical committee. “That’s hard to find in today’s football. It was one of the most difficult moments of the season and that left a big impression on me.”
Abel said he preferred not to sign the renewal at the time, but gave his word that he would remain at the club.
“Abel is not only the most successful coach in the history of Palmeiras. He is also a competent and dedicated professional, in whom I have full confidence. There is no one more prepared than Abel to develop and successfully complete the work of reformulating the squad that we started this year”, said Leila Pereira.
In total, there have been 395 games since Abel’s arrival, with 229 wins, 93 draws and 74 defeats. There were 672 goals scored and 320 conceded.
“A team like Palmeiras only feeds on titles and here we know what we want, we know where we are, where we want to go and who we want to go with”, said the coach. “I’m where they want me to be, I’m where I want to be, I’m where they value me and I always want to win. I’m sure that the lessons from 2025 will help us a lot to win in 2026”, added the Portuguese.
Despite the successful trajectory, the marriage between club and coach almost came to an end after winning the 2023 Brazilian Championship, when Abel received a very high offer from Al Sadd – he even visited the Qatari club during his vacation, but ended up choosing to continue his work in Brazil.
The first Portuguese, eighth European and 23rd foreigner to take command of Palmeiras in history, Abel is also the foreign coach with the most titles in Brazilian football, followed by Uruguayan Felix Magno, with eight, twice state champion with Atlético-MG and six with Coritiba, from 1946 to 1959.
