Glória was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but had his greatest successes with Benfica in Portugal, guiding the club to nine national trophies.

In his second tenure with Benfica he had continuous success on the national level, winning two more championships and cups.

At the 1966 FIFA World Cup in England he led the Portugal national team, pushed by Eusébio's goals (the tournament's top scorer), to an historical third place.

In 1979, he became with CR Vasco da Gama of Rio de Janeiro runner-up in the Brazilian championship, losing in the final 1–2 against SC Internacional Porto Alegre, which remained undefeated throughout the competition.

In the year thereafter he guided Nigeria through the 1980 African Nations Cup, which the team won in the final in Lagos with 3–0 against Algeria,[2] and the Olympics in 1980 in Moscow.