Vanderlei Luxemburgo and Edmundo Lose 2026 Elections as Brazilian Football Figures Face Ballots
Former Brazil national team coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo and former striker Edmundo failed to secure public office in the 2026 elections, according to results published by O Globo. Luxemburgo finished seventh in his Senate bid for Tocantins with 67,987 votes, while Edmundo garnered 35,725 votes in his run for federal deputy in Rio de Janeiro.
Vanderlei Luxemburgo Finishes Seventh in Tocantins Senate Race
Vanderlei Luxemburgo made his debut in electoral politics by running for one of two Senate seats for Tocantins under the Podemos party, as reported by O Globo. With 100% of the ballots tallied, Luxemburgo secured 4.11% of the vote, totaling 67,987 votes to finish seventh in a field of 13 candidates. Official campaign records listed his occupation as a professional training instructor and teacher, alongside a declared asset total of approximately R$ 3.77 million. Eduardo Gomes of the PL won the race with 27.35% (394,434 votes), and Alexandre Guimarães of the MDB secured the second seat with 19.16% (316,786 votes).
Edmundo and Other Former Strikers Fall Short in Federal Deputy Bids
Edmundo, a former forward for Vasco da Gama, Palmeiras, and the Brazil national team, ran for federal deputy in Rio de Janeiro under the PSDB ticket. O Globo reported that he received 35,725 votes, representing 0.40% of the total, which left him outside the winning threshold. Several other prominent former forwards also missed out on seats in the Chamber of Deputies. Luís Fabiano contested a federal deputy seat for São Paulo with the MDB and finished with pouco amis de 9 mil votes. Alexandre Finazzi, who played for clubs including Corinthians and Ponte Preta, ran on the same MDB ticket in São Paulo and was not elected. Washington Coração Valente, a former international forward who represented Fluminense and Athletico-PR, stood for federal deputy in the Distrito Federal under the MDB and similarly failed to secure a seat.
Danrlei Renews Federal Mandate in Rio Grande do Sul
While high-profile attacking names missed out, former Gremio goalkeeper Danrlei successfully renewed his mandate as a federal deputy for Rio Grande do Sul, according to O Globo. Having served in parliament since 2011 under the PSD, he gathered 105 mil votes to retain his seat in Brasília.
State Assemblies and District Races See Defeats for Football Figures
Other athletes seeking legislative positions at state and district levels also fell short of election. Cleo Hickmann, a former midfielder with Internacional and Palmeiras, ran for federal deputy in Rio Grande do Sul for the PDT and was not elected. In Bahia, Marcone Amaral contested a state deputy seat after serving as an assembly substitute from January 2025 to April 2026; he collected 8,159 votes on the PSD ticket and missed out. Daniela Sibila Alberton, known as Dani Pato, a former professional player and sitting city council member, ran for state deputy in Paraná for the MDB and received 4,154 votes without winning election. Sérgio Luiz de Araújo, the former Palmeiras goalkeeper known as Goleiro Sérgio, secured 9,565 votes for a state deputy seat in São Paulo under Solidariedade. Marcelinho Carioca, the former Corinthians midfielder, ran for district deputy in the Distrito Federal under the Republicans party and finished with 2,494 votes.
Questions Remain Over Future Political Ambitions for Defeated Candidates
It remains unconfirmed whether figures such as Luxemburgo or Edmundo intend to pursue future electoral campaigns following their defeats, or if political parties will continue to recruit retired football personalities for upcoming legislative cycles.
