Soccer-Coach Cuca leaves Atletico Mineiro after triumphant season

The club said the team handling the transition to Ronaldo's ownership had reviewed all contracts and decided not to "renew the deals of the current technical staff" for budgetary reasons. "A new team will be announced in the coming days," Cruzeiro added in a statement.

Brazilian coach Cuca who guided Atletico Mineiro to their first league title in half a century has resigned in order to deal with personal issues, the club said on Tuesday. "Cuca alleged family reasons and said his decision is final," the club said, adding that the 58-year old had promised not to coach another team in 2022.

Cuca departs Belo Horizonte as a local hero having steered Atletico to arguably the greatest season in their history. Under his tutelage in 2021 they won the Minas Gerais state championship, the Copa do Brasil and the Serie A.

It was the first time they had won three major titles in the one season and their first league flag since 1971. It also put Cuca alongside Luiz Felipe Scolari as the only Brazilian to coach the same team to the Serie A, the Copa do Brasil and the Copa Libertadores.

Cuca took Atletico to the Libertadores, South America's equivalent of the Champions League, in 2013 during a previous spell at the club. The announcement came the same day that Vanderlei Luxemburgo left city rivals and sleeping giants Cruzeiro.

Second division Cruzeiro were bought this month by Ronaldo, the former Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Corinthians striker. The club said the team handling the transition to Ronaldo's ownership had reviewed all contracts and decided not to "renew the deals of the current technical staff" for budgetary reasons.

"A new team will be announced in the coming days," Cruzeiro added in a statement.

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