March 3 : Flamengo sacked manager Filipe Luis just hours after an 8-0 victory over Madureira secured a place in the Rio de Janeiro state championship final in one of the most startling decisions in recent Brazilian football history.
The 40-year-old, a former defender with Atletico Madrid and Chelsea, leaves despite presiding over one of the top-flight club’s most successful ever spells.
However, his dismissal follows Flamengo’s worst start to a season in a decade, including defeat by Corinthians in the Brazilian Super Cup and a loss to Lanus of Argentina in the South American Recopa last month.
Filipe took charge late in 2024 and leaves as Flamengo’s second most successful coach, collecting five titles in little over a year. His haul included the Brazilian Cup in 2024 followed by a Copa Libertadores and Brazilian Championship double the following season.
Two months ago, Flamengo came close to ending 13 years of European dominance when they forced a shootout against Paris St Germain in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final in Qatar.
PSG led through Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s goal before Jorginho’s spot kick levelled for Flamengo and the match finished 1-1 after extra time in mid-December.
PSG goalkeeper Matvei Safonov saved four penalties as the French side edged the penalty shootout.
Filipe’s bold, attacking approach in a remarkable 2025 season drew widespread praise and placed him on the radar of Europe’s leading clubs.
He leaves after 101 matches – 63 wins, 23 draws and 15 defeats — a 69.9 per cent success rate — although five of those losses have come in 2026.
SKY HIGH EXPECTATIONS
Pressure mounted with sky high expectations after a record-breaking deal to sign 28-year-old Lucas Paqueta for nearly 50 million euros ($57.99 million) from Premier League club West Ham United five weeks ago, with the Brazil midfielder having an underwhelming start back at his childhood club.
“Flamengo thanks former player and coach Filipe Luis for everything he has achieved and shared during his time with the club. The club wishes him success and good luck in his future professional endeavours,” Flamengo said in a short statement.
Among his standout results was a 3-1 win over Premier League club Chelsea at the Club World Cup in July 2025, underlining Flamengo’s ability to compete with European sides in a tournament where they went out in the last 16 to Bayern Munich.
Filipe Luis’s exit may also dent Brazil’s hopes of seeing one of their own managers return to Europe’s elite leagues.
Brazilian coaches have struggled to gain a foothold abroad in recent years, with Sylvinho’s brief spell at Olympique Lyonnais more than six years ago the last prominent example.
Meanwhile, Portuguese and Argentine managers have flourished in Brazil, with Abel Ferreira, Jorge Jesus and Artur Jorge winning the Copa Libertadores with Palmeiras, Flamengo and Botafogo respectively.
According to local media, the favourite to replace Filipe Luis is another Portuguese manager, Leonardo Jardim, who won the League 1 title a decade ago with Monaco.
With his European playing pedigree and early managerial success, Filipe Luis was viewed as a leading candidate to one day join an elite club in Europe. Whether his abrupt sacking halts or merely delays that prospect remains to be seen.
($1 = 0.8622 euros)
