When in the heat of Brazilian national soccer, he won the Campeonato Carioca of 1995 and won the prize given by the press for being the MVP in the championship and giving the title to Fluminense when beating some of the best Brazilian players of all time, Romário (Flamengo), Túlio Maravilha (Botafogo), Valdir Bigode (Vasco).

Born in Guaporé, Rio Grande do Sul, Renato started his career in Esportivo in Bento Gonçalves where he grew up.

He was later signed with Grêmio, where in 1983 he won the Copa Libertadores, beating Peñarol of Uruguay, and the Intercontinental Cup, beating Hamburger SV of Germany, and scoring twice, this way consolidating Grêmio as one of the giants of Brazilian soccer, when they won their first and only world title.

However, he failed to settle in Italy and returned to Flamengo after one disappointing season, in time to win one more trophy, the Copa do Brasil in 1990.

[3] In 1986, while preparing for the FIFA World Cup Finals in Mexico, Renato was dropped from the squad by coach Telê Santana for disciplinary reasons when he and his friend, who also played at Brazil's national team Leandro got in the hotel after the scheduled time.

However, he failed to win the Copa Libertadores as Fluminense was defeated in a penalty shootout to underdogs LDU from Ecuador in the final.

[7] On 10 August 2008, Renato was sacked as manager of Flu, following a 2–1 defeat to the Brasileirão's bottom side, Ipatinga which left them joint-bottom of the table.

He tried to start a good season, but in his debut, the team lost to Goiás and was eliminated from the 2010 Copa Sudamericana on the Second Stage.

Grêmio was also eliminated from the 2011 Copa Libertadores in the Round of 16, losing to Chilean club Universidad Católica.

[23] On 15 April 2021, after being knocked out in the first stages of the 2021 Copa Libertadores, he was sacked by the club after more than four years in charge; he was the longest-serving manager in all the four divisions of Brazilian football.

[24] Following his sacking by Grêmio, Flamengo hired Renato on July 10, 2021, having previously played for them as a player across four separate stints.

[26] On September 29, he helped his side to reach the 2021 Copa Libertadores Final, after defeating Barcelona SC 4–0 on aggregate.

[28] He won two more Campeonato Gaúcho during his fourth spell, being the coach for five of the team's historical seven-year title streak through 2018 to 2024.