About João Saldanha
João Alves Jobin Saldanha (3 July 1917 – 12 July 1990) was a Brazilian journalist and football manager. He coached the Brazil national football team during the South American Qualifying to the 1970 FIFA World Cup. Nicknamed João Sem Medo (Fearless João) by Nelson Rodrigues, Saldanha played for Botafogo. He then started a career in journalism and became one of Brazil's most prolific sports columnists. He often criticised players, managers and teams, and was a member of then-illegal Brazilian Communist Party (Partido Comunista Brasileiro – PCB). == Biography and career == In 1957, Botafogo appointed him as their coach, despite his lack of managerial experience. The club won the Rio state championship that season, but Saldanha resigned from the club in 1959. In 1969, he was invited to take charge of the national team, and led them to a perfect 6-0 record. It is alleged that football federation president João Havelange appointed him in the hope that journalists would be less critical of the national team if one of their own was in charge. Saldanha was publicly criticised by Dorival Yustrich, coach of Flamengo.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.