Nélson Rosa Martins (8 December 1937 – 16 May 2023), known as Nelsinho Rosa, was a Brazilian football coach and player who played as a midfielder.

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Nelsinho Rosa

Personal information
Full name	Nélson Rosa Martins
Date of birth	(1937-12-08)8 December 1937
Place of birth	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Date of death	16 May 2023(2023-05-16) (aged 85)
Place of death	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
1951–1957	Madureira
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1957–1962	Madureira
1962–1968	Flamengo
Managerial career
1977	Desportiva Ferroviária
1980–1981	Fluminense
1982–1984	Al Ain
1985–1986	Fluminense
1989	Vasco da Gama
1992	Vasco da Gama
1992	Saudi Arabia
1993	Fluminense
1995	Vasco da Gama
2002	Madureira
Medal record Men's football Representing  Saudi Arabia (as manager) AFC Asian Cup Runner-up 1992
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Close

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Rosa made his senior debut with Madureira before joining Flamengo in 1962. He retired in 1968, aged 31.^[1]

After retiring, Rosa worked as an assistant before being named manager of Desportiva Ferroviária in 1977. In 1980, he was appointed manager of Fluminense, leaving the club in the following year.^[2]

Rosa returned to Flu in 1985, leaving in the following year. In 1989, he took over Vasco da Gama, and led the side to a 1989 Série A winning campaign.^[2]

Rosa returned to Vasco in 1992, before moving abroad to take over the Saudi Arabia national team. He worked at the side in the 1992 King Fahd Cup and the 1992 AFC Asian Cup, before returning to his home country in 1993 to work at Fluminense for a third spell.^[2]

In 2002, Rosa was also a manager of first club Madureira for a brief period. In 2011, he returned to the side to work as a football consultant.^[3]

Rosa died on 16 May 2023, at the age of 85.^[4]