Edmundo Was Not Elected in the 2026 Elections
Former Vasco and Palmeiras striker gathers 35,725 votes and stays out of the Chamber
The end of the first‑round count of the 2026 elections highlighted the performance of former athletes who tried to move from the field to Congress. Among them, Edmundo, a Vasco idol who also played for Palmeiras and the national team, was one of the most discussed names.
Edmundo's result at the polls
Running for federal deputy for Rio de Janeiro with the PSDB, Edmundo received 35,725 votes, which corresponds to 0.40% of the total electorate in the race. With that number, the former striker did not secure a seat in the Chamber of Deputies.
Overall performance of former athletes
Besides Edmundo, other football names also missed out on legislative seats. Former striker Luís Fabiano (MDB) garnered just over nine thousand votes and was not elected federal deputy for São Paulo. Marcelinho Carioca (Republicanos) obtained a little more than 2,400 votes in the Federal District and also left without a mandate.
Former coaches and former executives
Vanderlei Luxemburgo, a former coach who ran for the Senate in Tocantins (Podemos), received 67,987 votes – 4.11% of the total – and finished seventh, failing to be elected. Former Flamengo executives Eduardo Bandeira de Mello (PV) and Marcos Braz (PSDB) amassed, respectively, 37,535 and 18,305 votes, but also stayed out of the Chamber.
Who got elected among the sports figures
The only former athlete who succeeded was MMA fighter Felipe Sertanejo (PL), who captured 138,277 votes and secured a seat in the São Paulo State Assembly. In Rio Grande do Sul, former goalkeeper Danrlei was re‑elected as federal deputy for the PSD, surpassing the 105‑thousand‑vote mark.
Context of sports participation in politics
Candidacies of former players, coaches and executives reinforced the presence of sport on the ballot, but most did not reach the threshold needed to assume legislative offices. The voting showed that, despite their sporting notoriety, electoral support was insufficient to turn popularity into a mandate.
With information from O GLOBO, UOL, Estadão.
Source: O GLOBO, UOL, Estadão