A year on the bench Flamengo It has been enough for him to win three titles and reach a final of the Libertadores Cup. disciple of Diego the ‘Cholo’ Simeone, Filipe Luis He shines in his first experience as a coach. On Saturday he faces his first big test against Palmeiras for the continental title.
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At only 40 years old, the discreet left-footed ex-back has already established himself as one of the most prominent names on the current panorama of Brazilian coaches, orphan of a figure of international relevance since the Luxembourg, Scolari and company.
After succeeding as a player in the Deportivo de La Coruña, Chelsea, Atlético de Madridwhere he drank from the ‘Cholo’ philosophy, and Flamengohis coaching career is evolving at the speed of light.
If you lift the Liberatorsyour case would be similar to that of Pep Guardiola in it FC Barcelona either Zinedine Zidane in it Real Madrid, That is to say, great players who went up to the altars in their first test as professional trainers.
Hitting titles
The jump from the grass to the bench was almost automatic. Filipe Luis announced his retirement as a footballer on November 30, 2023, at the age of 38, and on January 18, 2024, he took over as coach of the U-17 team of the Flamengoclub where he hung up his boots.
In June of that same year he took the reins of the U-20 squad and won the Intercontinental Cup, and on September 30, after just a dozen games, he made the big leap to the first team, replacing the former Brazilian coach. tite. First as interim and then permanently.
It was a risky move, as it came at a difficult time, with the ‘Fla’ fans enraged by the stingy game of titealthough he soon fell into the favor of the fans.
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His blessing was accompanied by a well-recognizable style, protagonist with the ball and orderly without it, but above all titles. He won the first one a few weeks later: a Brazil Cup after defeating Atlético Mineiro in the two games of the final.
Once the anger of the red and black tide had calmed, he earned the trust of the board with two more trophies in the last preseason: the Carioca Championshipthe most important tournament in Rio de Janeiroand the Brazilian Super Cup before a Botafogo that came from winning League and Liberators.
He defines himself as an “ambitious worker.” One of their mottos is “live game by game”, coined by Simeone.
Manager without losing firmness
In just over a year he has demonstrated his skills in dealing with locker rooms with high egos, such as Flamengopacked with stars with experience in Europe, such as Danilo, Emerson Royal, Jorginho, Saul Niguez and Samuel Linothese last two coming from his Atlético de Madrid.
Natural of Jaraguá do Sul, in the south of Brazilland of strong character, the one who was champion of the America’s Cup with the Canarinha (2019) is sober in the press conference and tough in the technical area. He is almost always dressed in black and wears his hair in a bun.
He has no qualms about putting a player in his place in the middle of the game, as happened with the controversial Gabriel Barbosa ‘Gabigol’or make it evident in front of the media due to a lack of attitude or indiscipline.
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“Pedro’s behavior and attitude during the week were regrettable, bordering on ridiculous,” the coach said in a press conference about his starting forward at one point this season.
The ‘9’ channeled his situation with the club and Filipe Luis he recovered it for the final stretch of a season in which, in addition to playing the Liberatorsis in full fight for the Brazilian Championship with the Palmeirashis rival on Saturday in Lima.
