BotafogoBrazilian and Copa Libertadores champion in 2024, announced this Monday the hiring of the Argentine coach Martin Rodrigo Anselmi to replace Italian Davide Ancelottison of Brazilian coach Carlo Ancelotti and who resigned from the position last week due to disagreements with the management.
The Rio team reported in a statement that it offered Anselmi a two-year contract until the end of 2027, and that the coach, who until recently was on the bench of the Porto Portuguese, is expected in Rio de Janeiro next January.
On January 4, the Argentine will assume command of Botafogo’s preseason work, which next year will compete in the Brazilian Championship, the Copa Libertadores (in the preliminary phase), the Copa do Brasil and the Carioca Championship.
Anselmi will lead the Rio de Janeiro team along with his team, made up of assistants Luis Piedrahita and Pablo De Muner, physical trainer Diego Bottaioli and goalkeeping coach Darío Herrera.
Botafogo He recalled in the statement Anselmi’s outstanding work as coach of the Ecuadorian Independiente del Valle, a club with which he won the Copa Sudamericana and the Ecuador Cup in 2022.
The feat made the 40-year-old coach the first of this club, and one of the youngest, to win both titles in the same season.
Anselmi He repeated the feat a year later as coach of the team that won the Recopa Sudamericana and the Ecuadorian Super Cup.
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In addition to Porto (2025) and Independiente del Valle (2022-2023), the Argentine coach has also commanded the Mexican Cruz Azul (2024-2025) and the Chilean Unión La Calera (2022).
Anselmi only managed to be on the Porto bench for six months and his departure began to be demanded after the Portuguese team’s elimination in the group stage of the last FIFA Club World Cup.
His hiring was announced just five days after Davide Anceolotti announced his resignation from the position he held for five months due to his disagreements with the Botafogo leaders.
The Italian joined the list of coaches who have lost their position for disagreeing with American businessman John Textor, owner of Botafogo.
Ancelotti, 36, left the bench of the Rio team with a record of 14 wins, 11 draws and 7 losses in 32 games played.
Under his direction, Botafogo managed to reverse an irregular start to the year until reaching sixth position in the Brazilian Championship, which guaranteed it a place in the qualifying phase of the 2026 Copa Libertadores.
