Former Brazil national team coach Carlos Alberto Silva, who spent time managing in Japan in the early 1990s, passed away Friday at age 77, Brazilian media reported.
Silva died at his home in the southeastern Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte. The cause of death was not revealed, but he had reportedly been recovering from heart surgery.
After managing several leading Brazilian clubs including Sao Paulo, Silva took over as national team coach and led Brazil to a runner-up finish at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
He was manager of Yomiuri FC in 1991 and led the team to the title in the Japan Soccer League, the forerunner to the J. League, which was launched in 1993.