Legendary Ricardo to coach Carambula & Rossi towards Paris 2024

He has the formula to build a winning team, says Mr. Skyball

Published 02:01, 03 Nov 2021

Adrian Carambula and Enrico Rossi told Volleyball World that legendary Brazilian beach volleyball star Ricardo Santos will take on coaching the Italian pair at the start of 2022, targeting the Paris 2024 Olympics.

“We’ve been talking for a while. I know that he had a couple of other offers on the table, but I think that he really believes in our team and that he can guide us through a successful project,” Carambula said.

Carambula and Ricardo the only time they met on the World Tour in 2015

“He was a winner as a player, so I know that he has the formula to build a winning team. He has a lot of experience and, for us, it’s an honour,” Mr. Skyball added. “The first time I googled a beach volleyball match, the first video that I clicked on was of him and Emanuel playing the Athens 2004 Olympic final against Spain. So to have him as our coach now is a privilege and an honour, and as soon as we made it official it gave us so much energy and we can’t wait to get this started.”

During his amazing career as a player, Ricardo played at four Olympic Games, winning gold at Athens 2004, silver at Sydney 2000 and bronze at Beijing 2008. In addition to his world title in 2003, he claimed three FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship silvers. Earning multiple medals on the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour, he also won the season title as many as six times. He last played on the World Tour in March 2019, but has not completely retired as an athlete. The 46-year-old Brazilian still competes successfully on USA’s AVP Tour.

Ricardo at his last World Tour event, Doha 2019, with partner Alvaro Filho

“I only want to say that I’m very happy to have Ricardo as a coach, because for me, and for everyone, he is a legend,” said Rossi. “My mother is from Brazil, so I’m actually half-Brazilian, and when I was younger I saw some of his matches with my father (I played football at the time) and now it’s incredible that after 15 years or so I have Ricardo as a coach. I can’t wait to begin.”

The team and their new coach will start working together in January.

Rossi & Carambula in action at the 2021 World Tour Finals

“After New Year’s, we'll go to Joao Pessoa in Brazil, where Ricardo lives. He has his own staff and all the facilities, so we are going to have a lot of good guidance. I believe that we are going to be speaking mostly in Portuguese and that’s another thing we are excited about. I speak it a little bit, Enrico speaks it a lot more, so it will be another opportunity to speak in a different language and hopefully learn it to the point that we can communicate with each other fluently.”

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Coach Ricardo is also excited about what lies ahead.

“Carambula invited me to be part of this adventure, targeting Paris 2024. I have been coaching in the United States and the opportunity to return to the international level in a new capacity really touched me,” the esteemed Brazilian told Volleyball World. “I’m sure it will be an incredible experience and I’ll do my best to make an even stronger team of them. I think the challenge of improving as a coach is what motivates me the most. I believe I can have a successful career as a coach, especially with this team. I have heard nothing but great things about the players and that just made me more confident and excited about this opportunity.”