Francisco replaced the then common WM-formation, introduced to Brazil in the late 1930s by the Hungarian Izidor Kürschner and developed further by Flávio Costa, with the 4–2–4-system, which means the tactical line-up of the team consisted of four defenders, two midfielders and four attackers.

This concept is widely regarded an invention of Martim Francisco - at least he is credited with being the first one to having deliberately deployed it - and was used by the Brazilian national side when it won the World Cups of 1958 and 1962, albeit in the latter tournament evolved largely to a 4–3–3.

[2][3][4] Martim Francisco found the inspiration to the system by observing the final of the Copa Rio in July 1951 in the Maracanã Stadium, where SE Palmeiras of São Paulo overwhelmed Juventus FC of Turin in Italy.

With this tactic he led Villa Nova, with some aid of Prão, a former player of the club who also held coaching responsibilities, to the State Championship of 1951, decided in matches against Atlético Mineiro in January 1952.

His new club was America FC in the then national capital Rio de Janeiro where he succeeded by the end of March 1954 Otto Glória, who should later rise to fame in Europe with SL Benfica.

In the ensuing Rio-São Paulo Tournament between the leading clubs of both cities America finished only eighth in a field of ten participants, but he could raise the team to second place in the Rio State Championship, behind CR Flamengo.

Leônidas da Silva, the ageing top scorer of the 1938 World Cup, Canário who later played for Real Madrid, and the Argentine Martín Alarcón were amongst the best known players of America in these years.

With the glamorous defender Hilderaldo Bellini, Orlando Peçanha and Vavá, all players that would feature in Brazil's World Cup winning side of 1958, Vasco won its first State Championship since 1952.

In the final of the Trofeo Teresa Herrera Vasco defeated Athletic Bilbao 4–2 and at the Tournoi de Paris the European Champions Real Madrid with 4–3.

[6] At Vasco he was succeeded in 1958 by Francisco de Souza Ferreira "Gradim" who brought new success to the club, winning both, the Rio-São Paulo and the state title.

Ahead of the 1957 South American Championship Martim Francisco was discussed as potential coach of the Brazilian national side, a job Osvaldo Brandão eventually would obtain with Vicente Feola as his assistant.

[7] 1958 Martim Francisco started with SC Internacional in Porto Alegre, taking the club to the second place in the metropolitan championship, behind arch-rivals Grêmio FBPA.

In the ensuing two seasons he led the team around star defender Jesús Garay to two third places in the league and into the semifinals of the Spanish Cup, the Copa del Rey of 1960, losing there after a 3–0 home win spectacularly in the second leg with 1-8 to Real Madrid.

Thus, a 2–2 draw was considered a success, unlike the campaign of the club, with Bellini as the last reminder of more glorious days, in the Torneio Rio-São Paulo in March and April, where Vasco finished third, behind cross-town rivals Flamengo and Botafogo.

Eventually, in May he took on a job with hinterland Club Comercial FC of Ribeirão Preto which by the end of the year would finish 9th out of the 16 sides taking part in the São Paulo Championship.

In 1963 he returned to Villa Nova AC, but during the course of the State Championship of Minas Gerais he switched to the top club Cruzeiro EC of Belo Horizonte around the star-player Tostão.

Early July 1964, on matchday two of the Rio Championship, Martim Francisco replaced Denoni Alves on the bench of Bangu AC, a club of the west of the metropolis, then well in ascendancy.

Martim Francisco followed an offer of Spanish first division club Elche CF, fifth after the previous season and then under coach Rosendo Hernández after eight matches on place 13, relegation territory.

In March the championship match against Atlético Mineiro also served as the decider for the Torneio dos Campeões, a cup for the state champions of 1966 of Rio, São Paulo and Minas Gerais, in which Bangu won 1–0 in the Mineirão Stadium of Belo Horizonte.

Bangu disappointed in the national championship – won by the top team of the era, SE Palmeiras – finishing only 9th, albeit being best side from Rio in the competition.

In May and June 1967 Bangu participated as Houston Stars in the championship of the United Soccer Association of the US, alongside eleven other teams like US Cagliari from Italy and English side Wolverhampton Wanderers, which traded as Chicago Mustangs and Los Angeles Wolves.

Life style issues came to the fore, and after some months in danger of death due to a severe cirrhosis he returned to Villa Nova in 1971, leading them to the first championship of the Brazilian second division, then trading as Campeonato Nacional da Primeira Divisão, which then operated without ascension or relegation.

[20] Later in 1976 he once more coached Villa Nova, with which he won, with Arizona, goalkeeper of Villa Nova's 1951 title-winning side, as joint coach, in April 1977 the state cup, the Taça Minas Gerais with a 2–1 win over América FC in Belo Horizonte, before moving on to lowly Guarani of Divinópolis, 120 kilometres west of Belo Horizonte for a monthly salary of 5000 cruzeiros.

By August he won the competition with Gama through a 2–1 with two goals by Péricles, the star of the team and even in this semi-professional environment better paid then Francisco, over title holders Brasília EC - the first great success of the club.

In 1981 Martim Francesco was coach of Grêmio Esportivo Tiradentes in the Taça de Bronze, the tournament to establish the participant of the Federal District for the national third level championship of that year.