Carlos Alberto Parreira’s health worsens, and four-times 94 World Cup champion will undergo surgery in Rio
Carlos Alberto Parreira, iconic former coach of the Brazilian national team and four-time world champion, aged 83, had a deterioration in his health. The Samaritano Barra Hospital, located in the Southwest Zone of Rio de Janeiro, issued a medical bulletin this Saturday (27) confirming the coach’s worsening condition. He has been hospitalized at the institution since June 16 due to lung inflammation.
In the last few hours, the medical team chose to sedate Parreira, who now requires mechanical ventilation to breathe, according to information from the health unit. A surgical procedure on the former coach’s upper airway is scheduled for this Saturday.
Despite the setback in his condition, the current medical report indicates stability in the patient’s condition at this time. Parreira remains under the care of intensive care pulmonologist Arthur Vianna and a multidisciplinary team at the hospital, with no expected discharge from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Health complications and the fight against lymphoma
Since 2023, the former coach has been dealing with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a form of cancer that affects the lymphatic system, a vital structure for the body’s immune defense.
In 2025, there was a period in which Parreira achieved remission of the disease, but Hodgkin’s lymphoma relapsed, which required the resumption of oncological treatment. The condition demands increased attention, particularly in individuals in the technician’s age group, due to the challenges associated with age.
Carlos Alberto Parreira’s trajectory in Brazilian football is marked by great relevance and achievements. It was under his leadership that the Brazilian team secured the title of the 1994 World Cup, held in the United States, putting an end to a period of 24 years without the trophy.
His successful career included participation in six editions of the World Cup as head coach, in addition to serving on technical committees in other World Cups.
Parreira also left his mark on several clubs and international teams, with experiences in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and South Africa, consolidating himself as a figure of great respect in world football.