Vojvoda's dismissal changes the ranking of Brazil's longest-serving coaches

The dismissal of Juan Pablo Vojvoda as Fortaleza coach, confirmed this Monday (14), caused changes in the list of the longest-serving coaches in Brazilian football. The Argentine, who had been in charge of Leão do Pici since May 2021, left the position after a streak of nine games without a win in the Brazilian Championship. With this, coach Rogério Ceni, currently at Bahia, joined the top-3 on the list of coaches with the longest continuous tenure at their clubs.

Abel Ferreira remains at the top of the rankings. The Portuguese coach has been in charge of Palmeiras since November 2020. During that time, he has amassed a string of impressive achievements, winning ten titles in total. Among his most notable trophies are two Brazilian Championships (2022 and 2023) and two editions of the Copa Libertadores da América (2020 and 2021). Furthermore, the coach has led Verdão to the finals of the Super Cup, Paulistão, and Recopa Sudamericana, cementing his reputation as one of the most successful in the club's history.

In second place is Jorge Castilho, Maringá's coach. He began his tenure in April 2021 and led the Paraná club to promotion to the Brazilian Championship's Série C. Despite failing to win the state title, the coach was runner-up in the Paraná Championship in three of the last four seasons: 2022, 2024, and 2025. In 2022, Castilho was loaned to Ipatinga in the second half of the year due to Maringá's absence from the league, but remained officially linked to the club, maintaining his uninterrupted tenure.

+ Rogério Ceni enters the top 3

Rogério Ceni took over as Bahia coach in September 2023. At the time, the club was facing a difficult period in the Brasileirão standings, threatened with relegation. Under the former goalkeeper's leadership, the team rebounded and managed to maintain its position in the Brazilian top flight. The following season, Bahia had its best campaign in the points-based era and secured a spot in the Copa Libertadores for the first time in 35 years. In 2025, Ceni won his first title with the club: the Campeonato Baiano.

After a year and ten months at the helm of Bahia, Ceni appears third on the list. The coach has been key in the rebuilding process of the Bahian club, which now ranks among the top clubs in Brazil. The strong performance in the current Brazilian Championship reinforces the consistency of his work.

Just below in the ranking is Rogério Corrêa, of Volta Redonda. The coach began his career with the Rio de Janeiro club in February 2024 and quickly achieved a historic feat. Under his leadership, Voltaço returned to the Brazilian Championship's Série B after 26 years and also won the Série C title that same year. Corrêa has now completed one year and five months of continuous service with the club.

Technicians with the longest-serving jobs in Brazil:

Trainer	Club	Start of work	Time in office
Abel Ferreira	Palm trees	November 2020	Four years and eight months
Jorge Castilho	Maringá	April 2021	Four years and two months
Roger Ceni	Bahia	September 2023	One year and ten months
Rogerio Correa	Volta Redonda	February 2024	One year and five months
Ricardo Catalá	Saint Bernard	April 2024	One year and two months

The current list highlights a trend toward greater emphasis on continuity in some projects, especially at clubs that focus on medium- to long-term planning. Vojvoda's dismissal, however, shows that the culture of immediate results still weighs heavily on the decisions of Brazilian football leaders.