Former Coritiba and Londrina defender Dirceu Wiggers named São Joseense coach

Former defender Dirceu Wiggers will be the head coach of São Joseense for the 2027 season, the Paraná club has announced. The 38-year-old had been working as the club's football director since the end of 2025, the year he announced his retirement as a player.

Coaching staff named

Alongside Wiggers, São Joseense has confirmed two assistants. César Bueno, a former coach of Cascavel, will be part of the technical staff. Ricardo Ferreira, known as Ricardinho, is also joining; he is a former full-back for Coritiba and Atlético-MG.

São Joseense has a busy schedule ahead. The club is in the top division of the Campeonato Paranaense, which starts in January, and has guaranteed places in the Copa do Brasil and the Série D of the Brazilian championship.

A career across Brazil and abroad

Born in Ibaiti, in the interior of Paraná, Wiggers came through the Coritiba youth system from the age of ten. He made his professional debut for the club in 2008, at 20, and that year won the Campeonato Paranaense. He later won the state title and the 2010 Série B with Coritiba, before leaving the club later that same year.

He went on to play for a long list of clubs, including Avaí, América-MG, Botafogo-SP, Paysandu, Figueirense, Boa Esporte, São Bento, Paraná Clube, Operário-PR, Caxias, São Joseense and Patriotas-PR. His most significant spell, however, came at Londrina, where he became an idol to supporters.

With Londrina, he captained the team to the Campeonato Paranaense title in 2014, helped the club win promotion to Série C the same year, and later won the Primeira Liga in 2017. Outside Brazil, he played in Portugal and Thailand. He also agreed a move to Ukraine, but had to return to Brazil because of the war.