Alexi Stival (born 7 June 1963), known as Cuca (Portuguese pronunciation: [kukɐ]), is a Brazilian professional football coach and former player.

Cuca played as a forward, winning Campeonato Gaúcho titles for Grêmio and Internacional, while also featuring for Palmeiras and Santos, among others.

He has led nine of the Big 12, winning the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A with Palmeiras in 2016 and Atlético Mineiro in 2021, and also lifting the 2013 Copa Libertadores with the latter.

Born in Curitiba, Paraná, Cuca started playing football to help covering the expenses of a heart surgery for his father Dirceu.

[10] Two of the players admitted to having sex with the girl, but claimed that the encounter was consensual and that they were unaware that she was underaged; Cuca and the other teammate denied participating.

[11] Forensic examination found traces of semen from Cuca and Eduardo on the girl's body,[12] but no evidence of violence, and the four were released on bail and allowed to return to Brazil.

[13] Despite Cuca not being initially identified by the accuser as one of the offenders,[14] he was convicted in absentia two years later by a Swiss court to 15 months imprisonment for "engaging in sexual act with a minor and coercion".

[20] He moved abroad for the first time in his career in August 1990, spending six months at La Liga side Real Valladolid.

[32] Eight days after leaving São Paulo, he was named Grêmio head coach,[33] but could not avoid the club's first-ever relegation.

[53] On 21 December 2013, just three days after being sacked by Galo, Cuca was appointed at the helm of Chinese Super League side Shandong Luneng.

[61] On 14 February 2019, Cuca agreed to a two-year contract with São Paulo, effective as of 15 April due to his heart condition.

In February 2021, shortly after losing the Libertadores final, Cuca announced his departure from Santos at the end of the season when his contract expired, alleging 'mental exhaustion'.

[67] He led the side to one of the most successful seasons in their history, winning the domestic treble and ending a 50-year streak since their last Campeonato Brasileiro title.

His hiring was almost immediately criticized by pundits, fans, and even the Corinthians women's team, citing the 1987 incident as inadmissible behavior by any member of the club.