Portuguese coach Leonardo Jardim (51), who worked at Brazilian club Cruzeiro since February, announced his resignation on Monday ten months after his arrival to preserve his “physical and mental health”.
“Coach Leonardo Jardim will not remain at the head of the team for the 2026 season,” writes the Belo Horizonte club in a press release on X, specifying that the Portuguese is leaving the club with his assistants. Linked to Raposa for another season with a renewal option, the former Monaco coach with whom he was crowned French champion in 2017, also had to deal with the health problems of a loved one.
“Warning signals”
“The reasons are personal,” explained the Lusitanian during a press briefing, referring to “red flags” which pushed him to decide. “Jardim, slow down a little, you have to take care of your physical and mental health,” he insisted, speaking in the third person.
His departure comes the day after the elimination of Cruzeiro by Corinthians in the semi-final of the Brazilian Cup. The former Olympiakos coach succeeded Fernando Diniz, short-lived Brazil coach in 2023, at the head of Cruzeiro. According to Brazilian media, another former coach of the five-time world champions, Tite, 64, should take over.
