# Fernando Diniz

Fernando Diniz Silva (born 27 March 1974) is a Brazilian professional football coach and former player who played as a midfielder. He was recently the head coach of Cruzeiro.
Diniz is well known for his style of play with its focus on ball possession. For this reason, he is known to be the manager who consolidated the Tiki-taka style in Brazil, which earned him the nickname of "Brazilian Guardiola". Although acknowledging Guardiola's influence on his intention to dominate games, Diniz has distanced himself from Guardiola's positional tactics, introducing a relational approach known as "Dinizismo".

## Playing career

Born in Patos de Minas, Minas Gerais, Diniz started his career with Juventus-SP in 1993. In 1996 he moved to Guarani, but agreed to a contract with Palmeiras shortly after.
In 1997, Diniz moved to Palmeiras' fierce rivals Corinthians, featuring regularly during his two-year spell at the club. He subsequently represented Paraná, Fluminense, Flamengo, Juventude, Cruzeiro and Santos, all in the top tier.
In 2006 Diniz signed for Paulista, and later played for Santo André and Gama. He retired with the latter in 2008, aged 34.

## Coaching career
### Early career

One year after retiring, Diniz was appointed head coach of lowly Votoraty, where he was crowned champions of both Copa Paulista and Campeonato Paulista Série A3. In 2010 he moved to Paulista, club he already represented as a player, and won another Copa Paulista with the side.
On 5 February 2011, Diniz was named Botafogo-SP head coach, but was fired after only four matches in charge. He was appointed at the helm of Atlético Sorocaba in 2012. Despite achieving promotion from the Campeonato Paulista Série A2, he was relieved from his duties in October of that year.
In 2013 Diniz joined Audax, and introduced the tiki-taka, style of FC Barcelona, in the club. On 8 July 2015 he moved to another club he represented as a player, Paraná.
Diniz returned to Audax for the 2016 Campeonato Paulista, which he managed to lead the side to the finals, but lost to Santos. Subsequently, he was appointed head coach of Oeste after a partnership between Oeste and Audax was established.
Diniz returned to Audax for a third spell in 2017, but suffered relegation.

### Atlético Paranaense

Diniz only returned to managerial duties in the following season; after being announced as head coach of Guarani in November 2017, he signed with Atlético Paranaense in January 2018. He was dismissed from the team in June, being subsequently replaced by under-23 coach Tiago Nunes.

### Fluminense

On 19 December 2018, Diniz was appointed head coach of another club he represented as a player, Fluminense. He was sacked by the club on 19 August 2019.

### São Paulo

Diniz took over São Paulo on 27 September 2019. In the 2020 Série A, he led the club to a streak of 17 matches undefeated from September to December.
In January 2021, during a 2–4 loss to Red Bull Bragantino, Diniz had an argument with Tchê Tchê which led to strong media criticism due to his way of speaking to the player. On 1 February, after seven winless matches, he was sacked.

### Santos

On 6 May 2021, Diniz agreed to a one-year contract with Santos, being officially named head coach the following day. On 5 September, after six matches without winning, he was sacked by Peixe.

### Vasco da Gama

Four days after leaving Santos, Diniz was appointed at Vasco da Gama in the second division. He was dismissed on 11 November 2021, after failing to achieve promotion.

### Fluminense return

Diniz returned to Fluminense on 30 April 2022, after Abel Braga resigned. He won the 2023 Campeonato Carioca with the club, his first major trophy as a head coach. He also led them to success in the 2023 Copa Libertadores by winning the final 2–1 against Boca Juniors.
On 24 June 2024, Diniz was dismissed from Flu after a poor performance in the 2024 Série A.

### Brazil national team

On 4 July 2023, Diniz was appointed as interim head coach of the Brazil national team on a one-year deal. On 21 November, Brazil lost 1–0 to Argentina at the Maracanã Stadium, which was the nation's first-ever defeat at home in a World Cup qualification match.
On 5 January 2024, CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues dismissed Diniz from his role as Brazil interim head coach.

### Cruzeiro

On 23 September 2024, Diniz took over another club he represented as a player, Cruzeiro. He signed a contract until the end of 2025, and replaced sacked Fernando Seabra. At the club, he was heavily criticized for his start in the team, as they were coming off a good run and after that, there were several draws and defeats, one of which cost him the title of Copa Sudamericana and the qualification for the Copa Libertadores After a poor 2025, drawing in friendlies even against the rival Clube Atlético Mineiro and nearly losing to Betim in the Campeonato Mineiro, he was fired on the day 27 January after much criticism from the club's fans, given that they had invested a lot of money.
In total, there were 17 games, with 7 defeats, 6 losses and only 4 wins, a 37.5% performance, much worse than the former coach Fernando Seabra, with 16 wins, 10 losses and 8 draws in 34 games

## Career statistics

| Club | Season | League | League | League | State League | State League | Cup | Cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Juventus-SP | 1995 | Série C | 0 | 0 | 25 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 25 | 3 |
| Juventus-SP | 1996 | Série C | 0 | 0 | 26 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 26 | 2 |
| Juventus-SP | Total | Total | 0 | 0 | 51 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 51 | 5 |
| Guarani (loan) | 1995 | Série A | 18 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | — | — | 19 | 3 |
| Palmeiras | 1996 | Série A | 18 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | — | — | 20 | 1 |
| Corinthians | 1997 | Série A | 12 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 25 | 0 |
| Corinthians | 1998 | Série A | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 4 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
| Corinthians | Total | Total | 12 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | — | 4 | 0 | 35 | 1 |
| Paraná | 1998 | Série A | 17 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17 | 1 |
| Paraná | 1999 | Série A | 15 | 1 | 8 | 1 | — | — | 4 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 39 | 2 |
| Paraná | 2000 | Série A | 0 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 15 | 3 |
| Paraná | Total | Total | 32 | 2 | 20 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 71 | 6 |
| Fluminense | 2000 | Série A | 14 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | 2 |
| Fluminense | 2001 | Série A | 16 | 1 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 | 38 | 1 |
| Fluminense | 2002 | Série A | 18 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 2 | — | — | 15 | 1 | 41 | 4 |
| Fluminense | 2003 | Série A | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 0 |
| Fluminense | Total | Total | 49 | 4 | 23 | 0 | 9 | 2 | — | — | 20 | 1 | 101 | 7 |
| Flamengo | 2003 | Série A | 12 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | 1 |
| Juventude | 2004 | Série A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Cruzeiro | 2004 | Série A | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 0 |
| Santos | 2005 | Série A | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 |
| Paulista | 2006 | Série B | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 2 |
| Paulista | 2007 | Série B | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | 1 |
| Paulista | Total | Total | 5 | 2 | 14 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 19 | 3 |
| Santo André | 2007 | Série B | 17 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17 | 1 |
| Juventus-SP | 2008 | Paulista | — | — | 10 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 0 |
| Gama | 2008 | Série B | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 172 | 14 | 134 | 10 | 17 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 36 | 1 | 368 | 28 |
* 1 2 3 Appearance(s) in Copa CONMEBOL
* 1 2 Appearance(s) in Torneio Rio – São Paulo
* ↑ Appearance(s) in Copa Sul
* ↑ 11 appearances and one goal in Torneio Rio – São Paulo, four appearances in Copa dos Campeões
* ↑ Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores

## Coaching statistics

    As of 25 January 2025
Coaching record by team and tenure :
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Ref |
| Team | Nat | From | To | G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | Ref |
| Votoraty | | 12 January 2009 | 30 June 2010 | 77 | 38 | 17 | 22 | 129 | 90 | +39 | 049.35 | |
| Paulista | | 1 July 2010 | 3 February 2011 | 54 | 23 | 19 | 12 | 92 | 71 | +21 | 042.59 | |
| Botafogo-SP | | 4 February 2011 | 5 March 2011 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 10 | −5 | 025.00 | |
| Atlético Sorocaba | | January 2012 | 17 October 2012 | 45 | 24 | 8 | 13 | 86 | 63 | +23 | 053.33 | |
| Audax | | 1 January 2013 | 25 April 2014 | 64 | 33 | 18 | 13 | 99 | 61 | +38 | 051.56 | |
| Guaratinguetá | | 25 April 2014 | October 2014 | 18 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 32 | 18 | +14 | 033.33 | |
| Audax | | October 2014 | 8 July 2015 | 15 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 23 | 19 | +4 | 040.00 | |
| Paraná | | 8 July 2015 | 27 September 2015 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 22 | 21 | +1 | 041.18 | |
| Audax | | 30 October 2015 | 16 May 2016 | 19 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 32 | 26 | +6 | 042.11 | |
| Oeste | | 16 May 2016 | 27 November 2016 | 37 | 9 | 16 | 12 | 34 | 45 | −11 | 024.32 | |
| Audax | | 27 November 2016 | 2 June 2017 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 18 | 22 | −4 | 021.43 | |
| Atlético Paranaense | | 3 January 2018 | 25 June 2018 | 21 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 25 | 27 | −2 | 023.81 | |
| Fluminense | | 19 December 2018 | 19 August 2019 | 44 | 18 | 11 | 15 | 71 | 48 | +23 | 040.91 | |
| São Paulo | | 27 September 2019 | 1 February 2021 | 77 | 35 | 21 | 21 | 120 | 89 | +31 | 045.45 | |
| Santos | | 7 May 2021 | 5 September 2021 | 27 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 29 | 29 | +0 | 037.04 | |
| Vasco da Gama | | 9 September 2021 | 11 November 2021 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 18 | −6 | 033.33 | |
| Fluminense | | 30 April 2022 | 24 June 2024 | 144 | 73 | 30 | 41 | 233 | 156 | +77 | 050.69 | |
| Brazil (Interim) | | 4 July 2023 | 5 January 2024 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 7 | +1 | 033.33 | |
| Cruzeiro | | 23 September 2024 | 27 January 2025 | 18 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 15 | 21 | −6 | 022.22 | |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 713 | 309 | 188 | 216 | 1,085 | 841 | +244 | 043.34 | — |

## Honours
### Player

Corinthians
* Campeonato Paulista: 1997
Fluminense
* Campeonato Carioca: 2002

### Manager

Votoraty
* Copa Paulista: 2009
* Campeonato Paulista Série A3: 2009
Paulista
* Copa Paulista: 2010
Fluminense
* Copa Libertadores: 2023
* Recopa Sudamericana: 2024
* Campeonato Carioca: 2023
Cruzeiro
* Copa Sudamericana runner-up: 2024
Individual
* South American Coach of the Year: 2023