View source for Milton Cruz

{{short description|Brazilian football manager and former player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Milton Cruz
| image = Milton Cruz (2010).JPG
| caption = Milton Cruz with [[São Paulo FC|São Paulo]] in 2010
| fullname = Milton da Cruz
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|8|1|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Cubatão]], Brazil
| height = {{height|m=1.79|precision=0}}
| position = [[Forward (association football)|Forward]]
| currentclub = [[São Paulo FC|São Paulo]] (assistant)
| youthyears1 = 1975–1977
| youthclubs1 = [[São Paulo FC|São Paulo]]
| years1 = 1977–1979
| clubs1 = [[São Paulo FC|São Paulo]]
| caps1 = 
| goals1 = 
| years2 = 1980–1982
| clubs2 = [[Estudiantes Tecos]]
| caps2 = 31
| goals2 = 3
| years3 = 1982–1983
| clubs3 = [[Club Nacional de Football|Nacional]]
| caps3 = 
| goals3 = 
| years4 = 1983–1985
| clubs4 = [[Sport Club Internacional|Internacional]]
| caps4 = 6
| goals4 = 2
| years5 = 1985–1986
| clubs5 = [[Sport Club do Recife|Sport Recife]]
| caps5 = 15
| goals5 = 2
| years6 = 1987
| clubs6 = [[Catuense Futebol|Catuense]]
| caps6 = 
| goals6 = 
| years7 = 1987
| clubs7 = [[Clube Náutico Capibaribe|Náutico]]
| caps7 = 
| goals7 = 
| years8 = 1988
| clubs8 = [[Tokyo Verdy|Yomiuri]]
| caps8 = 13
| goals8 = 4
| years9 = 1989
| clubs9 = [[Yokohama F. Marinos|Nissan Motors]]
| caps9 = 
| goals9 = 
| years10 = 1989–1990
| clubs10 = [[Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas|Botafogo]]
| caps10 = 12
| goals10 = 4
| years11 = 1990–1992
| clubs11 = [[Kashima Antlers]]
| caps11 = 48
| goals11 = 35
| years12 = 1993
| clubs12 = [[Oklahoma City Slickers]]
| caps12 = 16
| goals12 = 14
| nationalyears1 = 1984
| nationalteam1 = [[Brazil national under-23 football team|Brazil Olympic]]
| nationalcaps1 = 3
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| manageryears1 = 1996–2002
| managerclubs1 = [[São Paulo FC|São Paulo]] (assistant)
| manageryears2 = 1999
| managerclubs2 = [[São Paulo FC|São Paulo]] (interim)
| manageryears3 = 2002
| managerclubs3 = [[Ittihad FC|Ittihad]] (assistant)
| manageryears4 = 2003–2016
| managerclubs4 = [[São Paulo FC|São Paulo]] (assistant)
| manageryears5 = 2005
| managerclubs5 = [[São Paulo FC|São Paulo]] (interim)
| manageryears6 = 2009
| managerclubs6 = [[São Paulo FC|São Paulo]] (interim)
| manageryears7 = 2010
| managerclubs7 = [[São Paulo FC|São Paulo]] (interim)
| manageryears8 = 2011
| managerclubs8 = [[São Paulo FC|São Paulo]] (interim)
| manageryears9 = 2011
| managerclubs9 = [[São Paulo FC|São Paulo]] (interim)
| manageryears10 = 2012
| managerclubs10 = [[São Paulo FC|São Paulo]] (interim)
| manageryears11 = 2013
| managerclubs11 = [[São Paulo FC|São Paulo]] (interim)
| manageryears12 = 2015
| managerclubs12 = [[São Paulo FC|São Paulo]] (interim)
| manageryears13 = 2015
| managerclubs13 = [[São Paulo FC|São Paulo]] (interim)
| manageryears14 = 2017
| managerclubs14 = [[Clube Náutico Capibaribe|Náutico]]
| manageryears15 = 2017–2018
| managerclubs15 = [[Figueirense FC|Figueirense]]
| manageryears16 = 2019
| managerclubs16 = [[Sport Club do Recife|Sport Recife]]
| manageryears17 = 2021–
| managerclubs17 = [[São Paulo FC|São Paulo]] (assistant)
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport | Men's [[Football at the Summer Olympics|Football]]}}
{{MedalSilver | [[1984 Summer Olympics|1984 Los Angeles]] | [[football at the 1984 Summer Olympics|Team Competition]]}}
| pcupdate = 
| ntupdate = 
}}

'''Milton da Cruz''' (born 1 August 1957) is a Brazilian professional [[Association football|football]] [[Coach (sport)|coach]] and former player who played as a [[Forward (association football)|forward]]. He is the current assistant manager of [[São Paulo FC|São Paulo]].

His career is widely related to [[São Paulo FC|São Paulo]], club he represented as a player and served as an interim manager on a number of occasions before leaving in 2016.

==Club career==
Known as '''Milton''' in his playing days, he joined [[São Paulo FC|São Paulo]]'s youth setup in 1975, being promoted to the first team in 1977.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ultimadivisao.com.br/milton-cruz-atacante-reserva-tecnico-interino/|title=Milton Cruz: atacante reserva, técnico interino|trans-title=Milton Cruz: reserve forward, interim manager|publisher=Úlitma Divisão|language=pt|date=16 April 2015|access-date=22 April 2015}}</ref> He subsequently represented [[Estudiantes Tecos]], [[Club Nacional de Football|Nacional Montevideo]], [[Sport Club Internacional|Internacional]], [[Sport Club do Recife|Sport Recife]], [[Catuense Futebol|Catuense]], [[Clube Náutico Capibaribe|Náutico]], [[Tokyo Verdy|Yomiuri FC]], [[Yokohama F. Marinos|Nissan Motors FC]], [[Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas|Botafogo]] and [[Kashima Antlers]].

In May 1993, Cruz joined [[Oklahoma City Slickers]] of the [[USISL]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newsok.com/osu-hires-a-second-sutton/article/2431289|title=OSU Hires a Second Sutton|publisher=NewsOK|date=22 May 1993|access-date=22 April 2015}}</ref> He was the club's topscorer, as his side finished third, and subsequently retired at the age of 36.

==International career==
Cruz appeared with [[Brazil national under-23 football team|Brazil under-23s]] at the [[Football at the 1984 Summer Olympics|1984 Summer Olympics]] in [[United States]], appearing in three matches only as a [[Substitute (association football)|substitute]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/cr/milton-cruz-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418032619/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/cr/milton-cruz-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 April 2020|title=Mílton Cruz Biography and Statistics|publisher=Sports Reference|access-date=28 October 2009}}</ref>

==Coaching career==
In 1997 Cruz returned to his first club São Paulo, as an assistant manager. In 1999, after [[Paulo César Carpegiani]]'s dismissal, he was named interim.

In 2002, Cruz left ''Tricolor'' to join [[Oscar (footballer, born 1954)|Oscar]]'s staff at [[Ittihad FC|Ittihad]], but returned to the club in the following year. Until his dismissal from the club in March 2016, he worked as an assistant coach, being an interim on nine further occasions.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://globoesporte.globo.com/futebol/times/sao-paulo/noticia/2016/03/milton-cruz-e-demitido-do-sao-paulo.html|title=Milton Cruz é demitido do São Paulo|trans-title=Milton Cruz is sacked from São Paulo|publisher=[[Grupo Globo|GloboEsporte.com]]|language=pt-BR|date=24 March 2016|accessdate=19 April 2023}}</ref>

On 19 February 2017, Cruz had his first experience as a head coach, being named in charge of Náutico.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://globoesporte.globo.com/pe/futebol/times/nautico/noticia/2017/02/sob-nova-chefia-milton-cruz-e-o-novo-treinador-do-nautico-para-temporada.html|title=Sob nova chefia: Milton Cruz é o novo treinador do Náutico para a temporada|trans-title=Under new management: Milton Cruz is the new head coach of Náutico for the season|publisher=[[Grupo Globo|GloboEsporte.com]]|language=pt-BR|date=19 February 2017|accessdate=19 April 2023}}</ref> He was sacked on 7 May, despite having only three defeats in 12 matches.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.com.br/noticia/692742_apos-12-jogos-milton-cruz-e-demitido-no-nautico-e-dispara-o-clube-vive-um-drama-financeiro|title=Após 12 jogos, Milton Cruz é demitido no Náutico e dispara: 'O clube vive um drama financeiro'|trans-title=After 12 matches, Milton Cruz is sacked at Náutico: 'The club lives a financial drama'|publisher=[[ESPN Brasil]]|language=pt-BR|date=7 May 2017|accessdate=19 April 2023}}</ref>

On 8 August 2017, Cruz was appointed head coach of [[Figueirense FC|Figueirense]] in the [[Campeonato Brasileiro Série B|Série B]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://esportes.r7.com/futebol/milton-cruz-e-anunciado-como-novo-tecnico-do-figueirense-na-serie-b-29062022|title=Milton Cruz é anunciado como novo técnico do Figueirense na Série B|trans-title=Milton Cruz is announced as new head coach of Figueirense in the Série B|publisher=[[R7.com]]|language=pt-BR|date=8 August 2017|accessdate=19 April 2023}}</ref> but left on 10 September of the following year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ge.globo.com/sc/futebol/times/figueirense/noticia/apos-pedido-do-tecnico-figueirense-anuncia-a-saida-de-milton-cruz.ghtml|title=Após reunião, Figueirense anuncia que Milton Cruz não é mais técnico do clube|trans-title=After meeting, Figueirense announce that Milton Cruz is no longer head coach of the club|publisher=[[Grupo Globo|ge]]|language=pt-BR|date=10 September 2018|accessdate=19 April 2023}}</ref> On 18 December 2018, he was named at the helm of [[Sport Club do Recife|Sport Recife]] for the upcoming season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ge.globo.com/pe/futebol/times/sport/noticia/milton-cruz-e-confirmado-como-novo-tecnico-do-sport-para-2019.ghtml|title=Milton Cruz é confirmado como novo técnico do Sport para 2019|trans-title=Milton Cruz is confirmed as new head coach of Sport for 2019|publisher=[[Grupo Globo|ge]]|language=pt-BR|date=18 December 2018|accessdate=19 April 2023}}</ref>

On 18 February 2019, after just seven matches, Cruz resigned from Sport.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ge.globo.com/pe/futebol/times/sport/noticia/depois-de-sete-jogos-milton-cruz-pede-demissao-e-deixa-o-sport.ghtml|title=Depois de sete jogos, Milton Cruz pede demissão e deixa Sport|trans-title=After seven matches, Milton Cruz resigns and leaves Sport|publisher=[[Grupo Globo|ge]]|language=pt-BR|date=18 February 2019|accessdate=19 April 2023}}</ref> He returned to São Paulo on 9 March 2021, as a technical consultant,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.saopaulofc.net/noticias/noticias/sao-paulo-fc/2021/3/9/milton-cruz-retorna-ao-sao-paulo-como-assessor-tecnico|title=Milton Cruz retorna ao São Paulo como assessor técnico|trans-title=Milton Cruz returns to São Paulo as a technical consultant|publisher=São Paulo FC|language=pt-BR|date=9 March 2021|accessdate=19 April 2023}}</ref> being later named [[Rogério Ceni]]'s assistant on 19 October.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ge.globo.com/futebol/times/sao-paulo/noticia/noticias-spfc-sao-paulo-milton-cruz.ghtml|title=Milton Cruz deixa Cotia para ser auxiliar de Rogério Ceni no São Paulo|trans-title=Milton Cruz leaves Cotia to become an assistant of Rogério Ceni at São Paulo|publisher=[[Grupo Globo|ge]]|language=pt-BR|date=19 October 2021|accessdate=19 April 2023}}</ref>

==Club statistics==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! colspan=3 | Club performance
! colspan=2 | League
! colspan=2 | Cup
! colspan=2 | League Cup
! colspan=2 | Total
|-
! Season
! Club
! League
! Apps !! Goals
! Apps !! Goals
! Apps !! Goals
! Apps !! Goals
|-
! colspan=3 |Japan
! colspan=2 | League
! colspan=2 | [[Emperor's Cup]]
! colspan=2 | [[J.League Cup]]
! colspan=2 | Total
|-
|[[1987–88 Japan Soccer League|1987/88]]||rowspan="2"|[[Tokyo Verdy|Yomiuri]]||rowspan="2"|[[Japan Soccer League|JSL Division 1]]||8||4||0||0||0||0||8||4
|-
|[[1988–89 Japan Soccer League|1988/89]]||5||0||0||0||0||0||5||0
|-
|[[1990–91 Japan Soccer League|1990/91]]||rowspan="2"|[[Kashima Antlers|Sumitomo Metal]]||rowspan="2"|[[Japan Soccer League|JSL Division 2]]||24||22||colspan="2"|-||2||1||26||23
|-
|[[1991–92 Japan Soccer League|1991/92]]||24||13||colspan="2"|-||1||0||25||13
|-
|[[1992 Kashima Antlers season|1992]]||[[Kashima Antlers]]||[[J1 League]]||colspan="2"|-||0||0||9||2||9||2
|-
!rowspan=1| Country !!colspan=2| Japan
!61||39||0||0||12||3||73||42
|-
!colspan=3|Total
!61||39||0||0||12||3||73||42
|}

==Honours==
;Figueirense
* [[Campeonato Catarinense]]: 2018

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{MedioTiempo|milton-da-cruz}}
* {{Soccerway coach|milton-cruz/140549}}
* {{J.League player}}

{{Brazil Squad 1984 Summer Olympics}}
{{Navboxes
|title=Milton Cruz managerial positions
|list1=
{{São Paulo FC managers}}
{{Clube Náutico Capibaribe managers}}
{{Figueirense Futebol Clube managers}}
{{Sport Club do Recife managers}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cruz, Milton}}
[[Category:1957 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Cubatão]]
[[Category:Footballers from São Paulo (state)]]
[[Category:Brazilian men's footballers]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:Campeonato Brasileiro Série A players]]
[[Category:São Paulo state football team players]]
[[Category:São Paulo FC players]]
[[Category:SC Internacional players]]
[[Category:Sport Club do Recife players]]
[[Category:Clube Náutico Capibaribe players]]
[[Category:Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas players]]
[[Category:Liga MX players]]
[[Category:Tecos F.C. footballers]]
[[Category:Club Nacional de Football players]]
[[Category:Japan Soccer League players]]
[[Category:J1 League players]]
[[Category:Tokyo Verdy players]]
[[Category:Kashima Antlers players]]
[[Category:USISL players]]
[[Category:Oklahoma City Slickers (USISL) players]]
[[Category:Olympic footballers for Brazil]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 1984 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for Brazil]]
[[Category:Olympic medalists in football]]
[[Category:Brazilian expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in Mexico]]
[[Category:Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in Uruguay]]
[[Category:Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in Japan]]
[[Category:Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in the United States]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Mexico]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Uruguay]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Japan]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States]]
[[Category:Brazilian football managers]]
[[Category:São Paulo FC managers]]
[[Category:Clube Náutico Capibaribe managers]]
[[Category:Campeonato Brasileiro Série A managers]]
[[Category:Campeonato Brasileiro Série B managers]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1984 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Figueirense FC managers]]
[[Category:Sport Club do Recife managers]]
[[Category:São Paulo FC non-playing staff]]
[[Category:20th-century Brazilian sportsmen]]