Paulo César Turra (born 14 November 1973), known as Paulo Turra, is a Brazilian football coach and former player who played as a central defender.
Playing career Born in Tuparendi, Rio Grande do Sul, Turra started playing football with local side Caxias, making his first team debut in 1991. In 1997, he moved on loan to Série A side Botafogo, but only featured rarely.
Back to Caxias, Turra helped his the side to win their first-ever Campeonato Gaúcho in 2000, under the management of Tite. On 5 July of that year, he joined Palmeiras in the top tier.
In July 2001, after winning the previous year's Copa dos Campeões and Copa Mercosur, Turra moved abroad and signed for Boavista in Portugal. He was runner-up of Primeira Liga once and played against young Cristiano Ronaldo, Sporting CP's player at that time; he also played for Boavista in a 2002–03 UEFA Cup semi-final against Celtic.
On 24 August 2004, Turra agreed to a one-year contract with Vitória de Guimarães, also in the Portuguese top tier. In January 2006, after falling down the pecking order, he went on a trial at Scottish side Hibernian, but nothing came of it.
In 2006, after his contract with Vitória expired, Turra returned to Brazil and joined Novo Hamburgo. Ahead of the 2007 season, he moved to Sertãozinho, but left the side for Avaí in March of that year.
Turra retired in December 2007, aged 34.
Coaching career After retiring, Turra returned to Novo Hamburgo in 2008, as an assistant coach. On 27 February 2009, after head coach Gilmar Iser left for Juventude, he was named head coach of the club.
Turra was sacked on 26 October 2009, after a 4–1 loss to Brasil de Pelotas. The following January, he replaced Celso Freitas at the helm of Esportivo, but was dismissed on 8 March, with the club in an eight-match losing run.
On 15 November 2010, Turra was appointed Brusque manager for the upcoming season, but was relieved from his duties the following 14 February. He then worked at Brasil de Farroupilha before being named in charge of Cianorte on 23 November 2011.
Turra was sacked from Cianorte on 18 February 2013, after a poor start of the season. He then took over Paraná state side Operário Ferroviário late in the month, before being moved to Marcílio Dias with his technical staff in May, as the club was playing in the Série D.
After a failed move to Daegu FC in February 2014, Turra returned to Avaí on the 14th of that month, replacing Emerson Nunes. On 7 March, however, after only three matches, he was sacked.
On 15 October 2014, Turra was appointed head coach of another club he represented as a player, Caxias. He was dismissed on 12 March of the following year, and returned to Cianorte on 19 November 2015.
Turra left Cianorte on 2 December 2016, to join Luiz Felipe Scolari (his head coach during his playing days at Palmeiras) at Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande, as his assistant. He followed Scolari under the same capacity in the following years, at Palmeiras, Cruzeiro, Grêmio and Athletico Paranaense.
On 13 November 2022, after Scolari announced his retirement from coaching and moved to a director role, Turra became the head coach of Athletico. He won the 2023 Campeonato Paranaense with the club with an unbeaten status, the club's second time in their history since 1936, but was dismissed on 16 June 2023.
On 23 June 2023, Turra was named head coach of Santos, replacing Odair Hellmann. On 6 August, after only one win in seven matches, he was sacked.
On 21 August 2023, Turra returned to Vitória de Guimarães, being named manager of the side on a two-year contract. On 3 October, following two wins in six matches, Turra was sacked and replaced by Álvaro Pacheco the following day.
On 3 August 2025, after more than a year without a club, Turra was named head coach of Vila Nova in his country's Série B. He was sacked on 24 September, after six winless matches in his eight games in charge.
Career statistics ClubSeasonLeagueState LeagueCupContinentalOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsCaxias1991Série B001000——101992Gaúcho—50———501993—30———301994—100———1001995Série C80120———200199670160——15Appearance(s) in Copa Daltro Menezes0380199700202———202199810090——8Appearance(s) in Copa Ênio Andrade0270199914017120—6Appearance(s) in Copa Sul03912000Copa João Havelange0024150——291Total390117470—2901924Botafogo (loan)1997Série A40————40Palmeiras2000Copa João Havelange160——7Appearance(s) in Copa Mercosur14Appearance(s) in Copa dos Campeões02712001Série A0092—3Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores01Appearance(s) in Torneio Rio–São Paulo0132Total16092—10150403Boavista2001–02Primeira Liga310—1010Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League0—4202002–03231—1012Three appearances and one goal in UEFA Champions League, nine appearances in UEFA Cup0—3622003–04181—10——1912004–05190—00——190Total911—30221—1162Vitória de Guimarães2005–06Primeira Liga190————190Novo Hamburgo2006Série C50———0050Sertãozinho2007Paulista—5020——70Avaí2007Série B120————120Career total186113161203223403959
Managerial statistics
+ Managerial record by team and tenureTeamNat.FromToRecordNovo Hamburgo27 February 200926 October 2009Esportivo23 January 20108 March 2010Brusque15 November 201014 February 2011Brasil de Farroupilha25 March 201111 July 2011Cianorte23 November 201118 February 2013Operário Ferroviário28 February 201320 May 2013Marcílio Dias20 May 201326 August 2013Avaí14 February 20147 March 2014Caxias15 October 201412 March 2015Cianorte19 November 20152 December 2016Athletico Paranaense13 November 202216 June 2023Santos23 June 20236 August 2023Vitória de Guimarães21 August 20233 October 2023Vila Nova3 August 202524 September 2025 Career total—
Honours Player Caxias Copa Daltro Menezes: 1996 Copa Ênio Andrade: 1998 Campeonato Gaúcho: 2000
Palmeiras Copa dos Campeões: 2000
Manager Cianorte Campeonato Paranaense Série Prata: 2016
Athletico Paranaense Campeonato Paranaense: 2023
References