Émerson Leão (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈɛmeʁsõ leˈɐ̃w]; born 11 July 1949) is a Brazilian former football goalkeeper and manager.

Leão is often seen as a hardliner, since he demands perfect physical shape of his players, along with discipline and mutual respect.

He also became the first sitting coach to travel to Europe to assess his players' activities there, where he was asked by the Europeans to not release Rivaldo and Roberto Carlos for matches that were not crucial.

Leão was dismissed by Atlético Mineiro on 4 May 2009 following a defeat to arch-rivals Cruzeiro in the final of a regional championship.

On 24 October 2011, São Paulo announced it had hired Leão for a second managerial spell in charge of the club.

In 1997, after a game between his Atlético Mineiro and Argentine side Lanús in the Conmebol Cup final, Leão was involved in a massive fight with adversaries.

[citation needed] In 2002, when he coached Santos, and Peixe faced Paysandu, Leão was involved again in a fight.

[8][9] In 2013, in a research made by sports site UOL Esporte, Leão was elected the worst coach from Brazil.

[10] Again in 2013, Leão said that Juvenal Juvêncio, president of São Paulo, club that he coached for two times (between 2004 and 2005 and, after, between 2011 and 2012), should abdicate, for his age, of his position, making like pope Benedict XVI.