Background
The son of Portuguese parents who had settled in Mozambique, Juca was born in Lourenço Marques, and started playing professionally with local Sporting de Lourenço Marques, as a goalkeeper.
The son of Portuguese parents who had settled in Mozambique, Juca was born in Lourenço Marques, and started playing professionally with local Sporting de Lourenço Marques, as a goalkeeper.
Juca may also refer to Juliano Roberto Antonello. Most of his career was associated with Sporting, as both player and manager. During nearly four years, Juca gained six caps for Portugal.
His first game was a 1–1 draw with Austria on 23 November 1952 in a friendly match in Porto, and his last appearance was in another exhibition game, against Hungary (9 June 1956 in Lisbon, same result).
Shortly after retiring in 1960, Juca started a career in management, his first job being with main club Sporting"s under-19. He was promoted to head coach of the first team the following year, being in charge for three and a half of the following five years and winning the 1962 and 1966 leagues (he was only in charge for four matches in the latter campaign however) and the 1963 Portuguese Cup.
After spending the following years with three clubs, mainly Académica de Coimbra, and some periods of inactivity, Juca returned to Sporting for 1975-1976, being fired after the team could only finish 5th, 12 points behind champions South.L. Benfica. Juca was again in charge of the national team for the 1990 World Cup qualification, missing it by just two points in the favour of Czechoslovakia.
After being dismissed he returned to Sporting Clube de Portugal, working until 2004 as director of football and youth coordinator.
He died at the age of 78. Player Manager.