Guilherme de Cássio Alves

Guilherme de Cássio Alves (born 8 May 1974), known simply as Guilherme, is a Brazilian football coach and former player.

A former striker, Guilherme is best known for his time at Atlético Mineiro and also represented Brazil national team at the 2001 Copa América.

Club career Born in Marília, São Paulo, Guilherme started his professional career at age 18 with local Marília AC. After a few games, São Paulo FC manager Telê Santana signed him, and he played a relatively important part in the club's conquests in the following two years: the Supercopa Sudamericana, the Copa Libertadores, the Intercontinental Cup, the Copa CONMEBOL and the Recopa Sudamericana.

In January 1995, Guilherme left for Spain and joined Rayo Vallecano, scoring 14 goals in only 17 matches (half-a-season) as the team achieved promotion to La Liga. During the following two campaigns, he continued to net in double digits, but they returned to the second division at the end of the latter.

In 1997, Guilherme returned to his country with Grêmio. In the following year he moved to Vasco da Gama, where he was very rarely played, but also helped to the Torneio Rio – São Paulo conquest.

Still in 1999, Guilherme signed with Atlético Mineiro, where he experienced his best years as a professional. In the year's Série A, he was crowned top scorer by breaking the record which belonged to club legend Reinaldo, and led the team to the vice-championship.

Guilherme played one year on loan with Corinthians, scoring twice in his debut, a 3–2 home win against Internacional. However, his stay was marred by a serious car accident which resulted in the death of two persons. He never regained his previous form with Corinthians, and after leaving Atlético for good (with a total of 139 official goals), represented Al-Ittihad of Saudi Arabia.

In the year 2004, Guilherme signed for Cruzeiro, scoring 13 goals in 50 competitive games and helping the team to the Campeonato Mineiro. He finished his career in the following year, with Botafogo; he suffered a serious injury while at the service of the latter and, whilst recovering from his condition at Corinthians, severely hurt his thigh and decided to end his career, at 31.

International career Courtesy of his solid Atlético performances, Guilherme played a total of six matches with Brazil, his debut coming in 2000. He was called up for the squad which represented the nation in the following year's Copa América, scoring in a 2–0 group stage win against Peru in an eventual quarter-final exit.

Coaching career In the beginning of 2007, Guilherme served as first club Marília's director of football, with the side in the Série B, being later an assistant and interim coach. He subsequently joined another former team, Atlético Mineiro, being named assistant coach alongside Nei Pandolfo and Freddy Rincón.

On 21 February 2011, Guilherme was hired as Ipatinga's head coach. On 21 June 2013, after a successful spell back at Marília, he was named in charge of Grêmio Novorizontino, being crowned champions of the following year's Campeonato Paulista Série A3.

After achieving a first ever promotion to the Campeonato Paulista in 2015, Guilherme was appointed at the helm of Vila Nova on 14 June 2016. He departed the club in November, after being confirmed as head coach of Linense for the 2017 Campeonato Paulista.

Sacked by Linense on 20 February 2017, Guilherme agreed to become the head coach of Portuguesa on 23 November. He resigned from the latter on 6 February 2018, taking over Paysandu on 14 July but being dismissed on 25 August.

On 3 February 2020, after more than a year unemployed, Guilherme returned to Marília after being appointed head coach. He was sacked on 17 April 2023, after four seasons and nearly 50 matches in charge.

On 26 January 2024, Guilherme was named head coach of Velo Clube. He led the club to the year's Campeonato Paulista Série A2 title, and renewed his contract on 22 May before joining Água Santa on 10 June, in a temporary deal.

Back to Velo for the 2025 Campeonato Paulista, Guilherme avoided relegation with the club before agreeing to join Amazonas on 19 April of that year. On 6 July, he was sacked.

Career statistics Club

International

International goals DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition1. 15 July 2001 Pascual Guerrero, Cali, Colombia 1–0 2–0 2001 Copa América

Coaching statistics

Honours Player São Paulo Copa Libertadores: 1993 Supercopa Libertadores: 1993 Recopa Sudamericana: 1993, 1994 Copa CONMEBOL: 1994

Vasco da Gama Torneio Rio – São Paulo: 1999

Atlético Mineiro Campeonato Mineiro: 1999, 2000

Cruzeiro Campeonato Mineiro: 2004

Coach Novorizontino Campeonato Paulista Série A3: 2014

Velo Clube Campeonato Paulista Série A2: 2024