- Three coaches will have the chance to win the CONMEBOL Libertadores title once again.
- Dorival Júnior, Abel Ferreira, and Paulo Autuori are the only managers who have already lifted the trophy as head coaches.
The group stage of the CONMEBOL Libertadores will feature 32 teams, but only three of them will be led by coaches who know what it takes to win the tournament from the bench. Corinthians (BRA), Palmeiras (BRA), and Sporting Cristal (PER) have chosen to pursue the path to Eternal Glory guided by experience.
Dorival Junior – Corinthians
Former head coach of the Brazilian national team, Dorival Júnior reached the top of South America in 2022, when he took charge of Flamengo after replacing Portuguese manager Paulo Sousa. With a perfect campaign in the knockout stages—six wins in six matches—he led the Rio de Janeiro side to the CONMEBOL Libertadores final against Athletico Paranaense. A goal by Gabigol in first-half stoppage time secured Flamengo’s third title and the first continental triumph of Dorival’s coaching career.
Abel Ferreira – Palmeiras
The Portuguese coach etched his name in CONMEBOL Libertadores history with a rare achievement: winning the continent’s most prestigious trophy twice within the same calendar year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 edition’s final was played on January 30, 2021. On that occasion, a stoppage-time goal from Breno Lopes gave Palmeiras a victory over Santos and marked Abel Ferreira’s first continental title.
That same year, Palmeiras reached another final, this time corresponding to the 2021 edition of the tournament. Capitalizing on a mistake by Andreas Pereira, Deyverson scored the goal that sealed a 2–1 victory over Flamengo in the final held in Montevideo, Uruguay, crowning the Brazilian side as champions of South America once again.
Paulo Autuori – Sporting Cristal
Like Abel Ferreira, the 69-year-old coach has already won the CONMEBOL Libertadores on two occasions. The first came in 1997 with Cruzeiro, precisely against his current team, Sporting Cristal. After a goalless draw in Peru, the Belo Horizonte side lifted the trophy thanks to Elivelton’s goal, which secured a 1–0 victory at the Mineirão.
Autuori would return to the top of South America eight years later. This time, as São Paulo’s head coach, he claimed the title in a final against Athletico Paranaense. The trophy was decided with a 1–1 draw at Beira-Rio and a commanding 4–0 victory at the Morumbi.
