From Mariner to Mastermind: Ramirez Barreto’s Dream Start to Senior Team Coaching
Kolkata, February 3: From the passionate galleries of Mohun Bagan to the touchline in the Bengal Super League, Jose Ramirez Barreto’s relationship with Indian football continues to evolve, and once again, it is making headlines.
A name synonymous with goals, records and green and maroon glory, Barreto has now taken his first major step as a senior team head coach, and he couldn’t have asked for a better beginning. Guiding Howrah Hooghly Warriors in the franchise-based Bengal Super League’s debut season, the Brazilian legend lifted the trophy in his very first campaign, sealing the title with a dramatic Olympic goal in the final. A fairytale start to a new chapter.
The Making of a Coach!
After hanging up his boots, Barreto didn’t rush into the limelight as a head coach. One of the most important phases of his coaching education came in 2019, when he worked as the assistant coach at Atletico de Kolkata in the Indian Super League. Being part of a top-level ISL setup exposed him to elite environments.
That experience, combined with his coaching license and years of work in grassroots football with the Reliance Foundation Youth Championships (2014, 2015, 2024, 2025), quietly shaped Barreto into a more complete coach.
All those lessons came together when he finally got the opportunity to lead a senior team on his own with Howrah Hooghly Warriors in the Bengal Super League, and he made it count by lifting the title in his very first season.
Building Belief in a Young Team!
The Warriors’ journey to the title was not built on star power but belief, patience and growth. Barreto built up mostly young squad in this competitive league. Early in the tournament, he had openly spoken about how today’s players lacked the “old mentality.” But over time, his tune changed, not because the challenges disappeared, but because the players responded.
“As the competition went on, our confidence kept growing,” Barreto said.
“We had a very young team compared to our opponents in the final, who were much more mature. But my players stayed together. They believed in me, trusted me, and compromised a lot.”
The Warriors spent nearly two and a half months together in camp, away from families, matches happening elsewhere, sacrificing comfort for continuity. That bonding, Barreto believes, became the backbone of their success.
“They stayed away from their families for long. It’s not easy. But they trusted me, and that trust showed on the pitch.”
A Legacy That Commands Respect!
Barreto’s authority in Indian football doesn’t come from coaching badges alone. He remains arguably the most successful Brazilian to have played in India. A Mohun Bagan icon, he made close to 400 appearances for the Mariners across competitions, scored over 100 I-League goals, and still stands as the all-time top scorer in the Federation Cup. His name is etched into Kolkata football folklore.
Despite the fairytale ending to his first senior season, Barreto isn’t getting carried away. His immediate future is set to take him back into youth development, this time with the Indian U-14 women’s setup.
“I will be with the Indian U-14 women after this,” he confirmed.
“I still want to coach at the senior level, but I also have a few proposals to run some sports projects. I may do that for a few months and then wait for the next season for a better opportunity.”
From lifting trophies as a Mohun Bagan legend to doing the same as a coach with Howrah Hooghly Warriors, Ramirez Barreto’s Indian football story has come full circle, and yet, it feels like the beginning of something new.
The Bengal Super League title may be his first major silverware on the touchline, but if this debut season is any indication, Indian football might just be witnessing the rise of another long-term presence, not just a legend of the past, but a coach shaping the future.
Ramirez Barreto short interview after becoming BSL 2025-26 Champion
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