We want quality. That's what counts.
In the aftermath of victory, a coach is asked again about a throne he does not seek. Abel Ferreira, the Portuguese architect of Palmeiras' recent dominance, stood firm in January 2023 — not in defiance, but in genuine belonging. While Brazil's football federation searched for a new identity after Tite, Ferreira's answer remained what it had always been: his place is here, among the players he is building something with, at a club where the work is unfinished and the ambition still burns.
- The same question keeps returning like a tide — would Abel leave Palmeiras for the Brazil job? — and each time he pushes it back out to sea.
- Beneath the speculation lies a real vulnerability: two key departures have left Palmeiras unsteady, and early 2023 performances have been unconvincing despite an unbeaten record.
- Ferreira is actively shaping the club's transfer strategy, insisting that quality and ambition matter more than age or reputation as Palmeiras hunts for reinforcements.
- The CBF's true priority is Carlo Ancelotti, not Ferreira, with an announcement expected by early February — making the speculation around the Palmeiras coach more noise than signal.
- A São Paulo derby looms on Sunday, and Ferreira's focus is entirely forward: rebuild the squad, restore the team's edge, and prove the dynasty can endure.
After Palmeiras defeated Botafogo in Ribeirão Preto, the familiar question surfaced again in the press conference: would Abel Ferreira take the Brazil national team job? His answer carried the calm of repetition. No. His focus was at Palmeiras — where he felt good, where he wanted to keep winning, where he belonged.
Ferreira had been deflecting this question for months, each time with a slightly different framing but the same conclusion. He was too young for a national team, he had no interest, he would only leave if forced out. Now, in January 2023, he was simply emphatic: he wanted to stay and keep building.
The speculation had logic behind it. The CBF was searching for Tite's successor — someone with a winning record and a connection to Brazilian football's soul. Ferreira, who had delivered six titles to Palmeiras, fit that description. But reporting from Estadão suggested he wasn't actually the federation's top choice. That honor belonged to Carlo Ancelotti, whose European trophy cabinet dwarfed almost anyone else's. An announcement was expected by early February.
What weighed more heavily on Ferreira was the state of his own squad. Palmeiras had won in his first year and his second, but 2023 began with uncertainty. The departures of Gustavo Scarpa and Danilo had left real gaps, and performances had been rough around the edges. "We're starting from zero again," he said plainly.
To address the holes, Ferreira used his platform to define what Palmeiras needed: quality and ambition, regardless of age or pedigree. He pushed back against suggestions that he had resisted signing experienced names, insisting the only criterion was the level of the player and their desire to compete. The club was pursuing Matheus Henrique for midfield as one concrete step forward.
The immediate horizon was a Choque-Rei — the São Paulo derby — on Sunday at Allianz Parque. Palmeiras sat fourth in their group with four points. The pressure to show progress was real. For Ferreira, the path was clear: rebuild, refocus, and prove that what had been constructed could last. The national team question could wait.
The question came up again after Palmeiras beat Botafogo in Ribeirão Preto, as it had come up many times before in the coach's press conferences. Would Abel Ferreira take the Brazil national team job? His answer, delivered with the weight of repetition, was the same as always: no. "I don't speak in 'ifs'," he said. "My focus is here, at Palmeiras. This is where I like to be, where I want to be, where I feel good, and where I want to keep winning with my players."
For months, Ferreira had been fielding this question with consistent deflection. Early on, he'd said he was too young to manage a national team. Then he'd insisted he had no intention whatsoever of becoming Brazil's coach. As the domestic season wound down, he'd argued he would only leave Palmeiras if the club forced him out—and that he was happy where he was, at the reigning national champions. Now, in January, he was being emphatic: he wanted to stay, and he wanted to keep the club winning titles.
The speculation made sense from one angle. The Brazilian Football Confederation was hunting for Tite's successor, and they were looking for someone with a winning record and a connection to Brazilian football's identity. Ferreira, the Portuguese coach who had delivered six titles to Palmeiras in his time there, fit the mold. But according to reporting by the Estadão, he wasn't actually at the top of their list. That distinction belonged to Carlo Ancelotti, the Italian with a résumé thick with European trophies. The CBF was aiming to announce their new coach by early February at the latest.
What occupied Ferreira's mind more immediately was the challenge of sustaining what Palmeiras had built. The club had won in his first year, won in his second, and now, as 2023 began, the picture was murkier. The team hadn't lost yet, but the performances had been ragged. Two key departures—Gustavo Scarpa and Danilo—had left gaps that needed filling, and the squad was struggling to find its footing. "We won in the first year, in the second, and this year I don't know if we'll do everything new to keep winning," Ferreira said. "We're starting from zero again."
The need for reinforcements was urgent, and Ferreira used his platform to shape the conversation around what Palmeiras should be buying. He pushed back against the notion that he'd blocked the signing of established names—the kind of players with long careers and international recognition. That wasn't the issue, he argued. What mattered was quality, whether a player was twenty or forty, whether they came with accolades or without them. "The profile Palmeiras is looking for is players with quality," he said. "Quality and ambition. I know the club is working hard to bring quality players. We want quality. If they're twenty, thirty, forty years old, if they have many medals or not—we want quality. That's what counts. Players with quality who want to come here." The club was actively pursuing Matheus Henrique for midfield, trying to address the holes left by Scarpa and Danilo's exits.
Palmeiras' next test was a São Paulo derby—the Choque-Rei, the first state championship classic of 2023. The match was set for Sunday at four in the afternoon at the Allianz Parque. The team sat in fourth place in their group with four points, and the pressure to show improvement was mounting. For Ferreira, the immediate work was clear: rebuild, refocus, and prove that what had been built could be sustained. The Brazil job could wait. There was work to do here.
Notable Quotes
My focus is here, at Palmeiras. This is where I like to be, where I want to be, where I feel good, and where I want to keep winning with my players.— Abel Ferreira
The profile Palmeiras is looking for is players with quality. Quality and ambition.— Abel Ferreira
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does the Brazil job keep coming up if he's made it clear he doesn't want it?
Because he's successful, and Brazil always looks at successful coaches. But also because the question itself is a way of testing him—seeing if his commitment is real or if he's just waiting for something bigger.
Is he actually in contention for the Brazil role?
Not really. Ancelotti is the preference. But Ferreira fits the profile they say they want—a winner with an understanding of Brazilian football. The fact that he's not first choice probably makes it easier for him to say no.
What's the real problem at Palmeiras right now?
They lost two important players and haven't replaced them yet. The team is playing poorly even though they haven't lost. That's the dangerous space—when results hide the cracks.
Does Ferreira sound worried?
Not worried exactly. More aware. He's saying we have to rebuild, and he's being specific about what he needs—quality players who actually want to be there. That's honest.
What happens if they keep playing badly?
Then the pressure builds, and suddenly the Brazil job becomes more tempting, or the club becomes less patient with him. Right now he's controlling the narrative. That won't last if results don't improve.