Gentil Cardoso (5 July 1906 – 8 September 1970), was a Brazilian footballer and manager.
As a player, Gentil Cardoso had little renown, playing for minor football teams in Rio de Janeiro during the 1920s, most notably for São Cristóvão.
He won the Campeonato Carioca twice (in 1946 with Fluminense and 1952 with Vasco da Gama), in addition to being the coach of the Brazil national team in the 1959 South American Championship, held in Ecuador, and which included football representatives from Pernambuco state in the dispute.
He also coached Sporting CP, winning the Taça de Honor and scoring the biggest defeat in European competitions, with a 16–0 victory over APOEL.
[1][2][3] Gentil ran away from home at the age of 13 to try his luck in Rio de Janeiro, working various odd jobs before becoming a player.