João Saldanha

João Saldanha
Saldanha in 1973
Personal information
Full name João Alves Jobin Saldanha
Date of birth (1917-07-03)3 July 1917
Place of birth Alegrete, Brazil
Date of death 12 July 1990(1990-07-12) (aged 73)
Place of death Rome, Italy
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Botafogo
Managerial career
19571959 Botafogo
19691970 Brazil
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

João Alves Jobin Saldanha (3 July 1917 12 July 1990) was a Brazilian journalist and football manager. He coached the Brazil national football team during the South American Qualifying to the 1970 FIFA World Cup. Nicknamed João Sem Medo (Fearless João) by Nelson Rodrigues, Saldanha played for Botafogo. He then started a career in journalism and became one of Brazil's most prolific sports columnists. He often criticised players, managers and teams, and was a member of then-illegal Brazilian Communist Party (Partido Comunista Brasileiro PCB).