Mirassol’s run in the Série A of the Brasileirão, also qualifying for the Libertadores, put coach Rafael Guanaes in the spotlight, making him one of the big names of the season. On Monday evening, he took the stage to receive the trophy for best male coach at the Brasileirão 2025 Awards, an event held in Rio de Janeiro. Before the ceremony, Guanaes talked about what he expects from next year and what he already has planned for the team.
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He joined the team in March this year and will continue in 2026. Among the strategies, the coach said he would maintain what had been done throughout 2025 and it yielded results, making the necessary adjustments.
— I believe that the Brazilian Championship must be the main objective. Keeping the team in the premier division must be the club’s main objective in the competition. And the challenge is truly greater. This is why we must plan well above all else. It’s about Juninho, Paulinho, Doctor Edson, with me we already have many criteria, with a lot of respect for everything we have already achieved, but knowing that now everything starts from scratch and the challenge is greater, so we will have to do more than this year.
The coach spoke about the emotion of representing not only the Mirassol club, but also the city and those who support the team’s work. This Monday he received another important recognition: he was honored as coach of the Bola de Prata selection, a traditional award for ESPN channels.
— It is the work of several hands, several feet, several minds. And we managed to do something extraordinary. So, the gratitude and the joy of being able to experience this moment of starting a competition in which we were the youngest, I was the youngest in the competition, and to be able to play football well, to be able to have good processes, to have an environment conducive to high performance, to finish undefeated at home, to be able to maintain our standards inside and outside the house, so, a lot of things that we have achieved, in addition to keeping us in Serie A, and the direct place in the Libertadores ends up being something very significant — he declared upon his arrival. for the 2025 Brasileirão Prize.
Guanaes spoke about his career in football, about how he conquered space until reaching the Brasileirão Serie A, a job that, he emphasized, was not achieved alone.
— It’s a childhood dream. I didn’t plan to become a coach. This was happening in my life. But I have always been passionate about football, from the days when I was playing, when I was going to live abroad to study and trying to prepare myself. Definitely a dream come true. To be honest, I don’t think much about my belly button. I am much more satisfied to have participated and built with many people, but, obviously, I remember everything I experienced, and to be able to be here today is a privilege — he said.
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Mirassol left-back Reinaldo won the Brasileirão 2025 award in the best full-back category, which also included Vasco’s Paulo Henrique. The number 6 spoke about the arrival of Rafael Guanaes and the strengthening of the team throughout the championship, with positive results, especially at home, where they remained undefeated.
— After the first match of the Brasileirão, with the arrival of Rafael, not only me, but the whole group began to believe a lot in the potential of our team and with the courage he gave us during the match, what we do during training, the work, it is to be congratulated. So it was a wonderful year and, thank God, I was able to contribute with goals, with help, — said the full-back.
The player spoke about Mirassol’s exceptional season and his commitment off the field:
— I play at a high level, regardless of my age. I say age is just a number. But the important thing is that the player takes care of himself off the field, that he has a good structure to work with, as there is at Mirassol, so it is the result of collective work, and also of a care that I have taken since my arrival at Mirassol.
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