This ex-Arsenal and Man City star looks unrecognisable suited and booted… can YOU guess who he is?
This ex-Arsenal and Man City star looks unrecognisable as he shows his skills on the touchline while suited and booted… but can YOU guess who the player-turned-manager is?
- He became the first Brazilian player to turn out in an Arsenal shirt for Wenger
- The player fell out of favour, moving to Celta Vigo before a new dawn at Barca
- The former left-back has taken charge at Albania, with Pablo Zabaleta his No 2
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Years on from his storied playing career, this former Arsenal man was no less able to take control after a ball came his way on the touchline on Monday night.
The 48-year-old has trod a familiar path in the world of international football and transitioned into international management after a stint in charge of his boyhood club Corinthians.
Now in charge of the Albanian national team, this former left-back made history when he became the first Brazilian to sign with Arsenal.
After a stint at the North London club which saw him quickly lose out with the rise of Ashley Cole in Arsene Wenger‘s ascendant side, he jetted to Celta Vigo.
It wasn’t long before he rediscovered his form, and lined up a move to Barcelona which saw him win LaLiga three times, the Copa del Rey, notch two Supercopa victories and claim the Champions League twice.
The former left-back showed no loss of technical control on the sidelines as Albania faced Poland in their opening Euro 2024 qualifying match
The head coach previously managed at Lyon and his boyhood club Corinthians
But only after calling time on a fabled playing career at clubs such as Barcelona and Man City
He called time on his career following a one-year spell at Manchester City, joining the club a year after their blockbuster takeover by the Abu Dhabi United Group.
The former player and manager in question is Sylvinho, and the Brazil international has been in charge of Albania since January of this year.
His coaching team features assistance from his former City team-mate, Argentine international Pablo Zabaleta, who steps in as Sylvinho’s number two.
The pair oversaw their first match in charge of the Red and Blacks at the National Stadium in Warsaw, where Albanian kicked off their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with 1-0 defeat against the home side.
The national team’s hierarchy will be watching the campaign with interest, after appointing the former Lyon and Corinthians manager with the express goal of qualification for next year’s tournament in Germany.
Albanian have previously only qualified for one European Championship, in 2016, which saw them fail to make it past the group stage after defeats against Switzerland and France.
Sylvinho (right) turned out for the Gunners for two years after becoming the first Brazilian player to start for the north London club
Falling out of favour at Arsenal, the Brazil international moved to Spain, and eventually landed at the Camp Nou
In his first managerial role at the helm of a club, Sylvinho lasted just five months at Lyon
They currently sit bottom of Group E after their opening match.
Despite this, there were reasons to believe the new coach started his reign positively away from home, with the Albanian side successful at keeping Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski under wraps.
The visitors gave the home side a scare in the final minutes of the match with a shot Mytro Uzuni flying just wide of the mark.
But after opening their campaign with a loss against Czech Republic, Poland – who were also playing under new management, in the form of Fernandos Santos – secured a win to move into the second automatic qualifying place in the group.
