José
Roberto Guimarães was born in Quintana, a city 500Km away from São Paulo. With
a great international experience, Ze Roberto speaks three languages:
Portuguese, Italian and English. His
career as a player started in 1967 playing for Randi Esporte in Santo André.
This team changed its name for Aramaçan and later to Pirelli, where Zé Roberto
played as a setter from 1979 to 1982.
“Maybe
that was the reason why I became a coach. The setter is that player that keeps
contact with all the team. It is easier for him to get used to the attack style
of other players, who gives him a better vision of the game and creates a
closer relationship between the setter and the coach”, explained Zé Roberto.
After
Pirelli, the Brazilian head coach played for Olímpico (1982), Atlético Mineiro
(1983), Paulistano (1984), Banespa (85/86), Transbrasil (87) and ended up his
career playing for Asbac (1988).
As
a National Team player, Zé Roberto won the gold medal in the South American
Championship twice (73 and 75) and finished in seventh place in the Olympic
Games of Montreal (1976).
In
1988, Zé Roberto started his career as a coach, training Eletropaulo women’s
team. In the following three years, he worked for Pão de Açúcar. Meanwhile
(89/90), Mr. Guimarães was the assistant coach of Mr. Bebeto de Freitas at the
Men’s Brazilian National team. In 1991, he started to coach the Youth and
Junior categories, winning the silver medal in the Women’s World Championship.
In
1992, he achieved the most important title of his career: the gold medal in the
Olympic Games of Barcelona, with the Brazilian Men’s Team. After that, he kept
on winning medals and good results: first place in the Top Four (Japan/1991);
first place in the World League (Brasil/1993) and first in the South American
Championship (1993); bronze medal in the World League (1994) and 5th place in
the World Championship (Greece/1994); silver medal in the World League (1995),
gold in the South American Championship (1995) and bronze in the World Cup (Japan/1995);
third place in the World League (1996) and 5th in the Olympic Games of Atlanta
(1996).
After
finishing his cycle in the National team, Zé Roberto started to coach Banespa
men’s team, where he won the gold medal at the Superliga 96/97 – the Brazilian
Championship. After that, he coached Dayvit, a women’s team, ending Superliga
in 5th place. In the following season he left the courts and worked as a
volleyball and football manager.
Zé
Roberto was back at volleyball in 2001 to coach BCN/Osasco, and during this
season he was second place at the Superliga Championship.
In
2003, Zé Roberto started to work as the head of the Brazilian Women’s National
Team. At the same year he won the South American Championship and was became
second place at the World Cup.
In
2004, the team won the gold medal in the Grand Prix, and finished in fourth
place in the Olympic Games. At the Superliga, José Roberto Guimarães conquered
the gold medal coaching Finasa/Osasco.
During
the 2005 season, the Brazilian National female team conquered all its
tournaments. The first gold came in the Courmayeur Championship, in Italy.
After that, the first place in the Montreux Volley Masters, in Switzerland. The
main title was the Grand Prix: the team won its fifth title, and Paula was
chosen the best player. Brazil also won the Qualification Tournament to the
2006 World Championship, the South American Championship and the World Grand
Champions Cup.
In
2006, Mr. Guimarães’ team kept winning. Brazil was first place in the Courmayeur
Championship, the Montreux Volley Masters, the Pan-American Cup, and the Grand
Prix. After that, he was second place in the World Championship in
Japan.
In
2007, the Brazilian team was silver medal in Pan-American Games, in Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil, and in the World Cup, in Japan. After this competition, the
team went to Grand Prix and finished it in the fifth place and won the South
American Championship. In the ending of the season took the team to the second
place finishing in the World Cup.
The
coach had an unforgettable year in 2008. In Japan, Zé Roberto leaded the team
on its 7th victory of FIVB Grand Prix. Following this, he achieved
an amazing victory. In Pequim, the coach entered for the history of Brazilian
Sport. With the gold medal, he became the only coach Olympic champion coaching
a men and a women team. After this in Fortaleza, in Brazil, he was champion of
the Final Four. In the end of the year he was elected coach of the year for
team sports in Brazil by the Brazilian Olympic Federation.
The
year of 2009 started a new Olympic cycle with the coach commanding the Women
Brazilian national team. The team played six competitions and won five of them.
In the first semester, Zé Roberto coached Brazil in the win of Montreux Volley
Masters, of Pan American Cup and of the Competition that qualified the teams
for the 2010 World Championship in Japan.
Following
this, the national team won the 8th title of FIVB Grand Prix and
also kept the continental hegemony wining the South American title in Porto
Alegre. The Champions Cup was the last tournament of the year. However, Brazil
lost to Italy winning the silver medal.
In
2010, Zé Roberto leaded the Brazilian team that won the silver medal in the
FIVB World Championship in Japan. In the FIVB World Prix, the team also
finished second.
In
2011, Brazil had impressive performances. The team headed by Jose Roberto won
the Pan American Cup for the third time and won the South American team for the
17th time. With the victory in the South American Championship,
Brazil secured a place at the World Cup where the team finished in the fifth
place.
In
2012, José Roberto Guimarães had an amazing year with the Brazilian national
team. He leaded Brazil to the second Olympic gold medal in London. The head
coach became the first Brazilian with three Olympic gold medals and received a
set of awards in Brazil. He was elected the Brazilian head coach of the year.
In
2013 José Roberto Guimarães leaded Brazil in an amazing season winning five
competitions the World Grand Prix, the South American Championship, the Alassio
Cup the Montreaux Tournament and the World Grand Champions Cup.
In
2014 José Roberto Guimarães guided the team to win the World Grand Prix for the
10th time and to achieve the bronze medal in World Championship in
Italy.
In
2015 José Roberto Guimarães leaded Brazil in three important competitions.
Under his leadership Brazil won the South American Games in Cartagena,
Colombia. Also the national team finished in third at World Grand Prix and
second at the Pan-American Games.
In
2016 José Roberto Guimarães guided Brazil to win the FIVB World Grand Prix for
the 11th time and leaded the National Brazilian team in the campaign
that ended in fifth place in 2016 Rio Olympic Games.