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Flamengo hot seat 'decoder'
As a player, Filipe Luis was coached by some of the most outstanding coaches in modern football: Diego Simeone, Jose Mourinho, Jorge Jesus. Each leaves a strong mark on the journey of shaping the Brazilian strategist's coaching mindset.
But if there is one motto that sticks in his mind, it is the famous quote from Luis Aragones, former coach of Atletico Madrid and the Spanish national team: “Win, win and win again”, a philosophy that is not a philosophy at all. No rigid beliefs, no lofty ideals. Just finding a way to win and then winning again.
“It's the only way in football,” Filipe Luis told FIFA.com earlier this month. “I'm not a philosophical person. I'm pragmatic. I don't like to set big goals other than winning the next game.”
At that point, his Flamengo team had not yet begun their FIFA Club World Cup campaign. They had not yet beaten Esperance, they had not yet dominated Chelsea, they had not yet finished top of Group D. For Flamengo fans, it was a dream. But for Filipe Luis, he simply said: don't look too far ahead.
And that approach has paid off since he took over the Flamengo first team eight months ago, a notoriously hot spot in Brazilian football. Flamengo has the country's biggest fan base, but it is also one of the most demanding. Many talented coaches have come and gone in frustration.
Filipe Luis, a Flamengo fan since childhood, played 175 games for the team between 2019 and 2023, winning two league titles and two Copa Libertadores, but also experienced his fair share of bitterness. He knew what he was facing, knew that defeat could overshadow past glory. But he accepted the challenge.
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Filipe Luis puts his trust in Barbosa. |
A unique personality, a unique path
A left-back famous for his elegant style, Filipe Luis was a mainstay for Atletico Madrid, who twice lost to Real Madrid in the Champions League final. He made 44 appearances for Brazil, playing in the 2018 World Cup and winning the 2019 Copa America.
Off the pitch, Filipe Luis is a strategist with a rare personality. He prefers to discuss current politics , entertainment culture and astrophysics, rather than complain about refereeing controversies.
“Cinema shaped my personality,” Filipe Luis told The Guardian in 2021. In an interview with El Mundo in 2017, he even shared his views on Catalan secession, state ownership of football and his passion for space: “I am passionate about astrophysics,” Filipe Luis said. “I need to understand, even though I know that there are things that humans will never fully understand.”
Filipe Luis had dreamed of becoming a coach since his playing days. That dream became even more evident when he returned to Flamengo and became the right-hand man under coach Jorge Jesus. He volunteered to study opponents and sent video analysis to colleagues and players. “He was always in the room, watching videos and sending them to us,” recalls striker Gabriel Barbosa.
After retiring at the end of 2023, Filipe Luis started coaching Flamengo's U17 team, then was promoted to the U20 team. When Tite, who had led Brazil, was fired in September, he was quickly appointed as first-team coach.
Filipe Luis took over a squad that had quality but lacking identity. “I want the team to press and attack relentlessly,” he declared at his unveiling. “That is non-negotiable.”
The Brazilian tactician brought about subtle but effective changes: pressing higher, increasing the tempo, changing a few positions, trusting Barbosa and young talent Wesley. After just nine games, he led Flamengo to the Brazilian Cup.
The first impressions couldn't have been better. Assistant coach Vinicius Bergantin described: “He always wants to go deeper players, explains every decision to the. Nothing is by chance.” Sporting director Jose Boto stressed: “He has an extraordinary tactical understanding for someone who is new to coaching.”
On the training pitch, Filipe Luis is dynamic and approachable. The players see him as a companion. “He doesn't see himself as the only truth,” midfielder Michael shared. “He listens,” added Bergantin. “And always tries to get the best out of each player.”
Flamengo then went on a 16-match unbeaten run (13 wins) and won the Rio state championship. The style of play reminds many of the golden age of the 1980s.
“It's been a long time since we've seen football like this,” Andrade, who helped Flamengo beat Liverpool in the 1981 Intercontinental Cup, told Globo Esporte. “They always play high, always attack. This is the kind of football that Flamengo fans have always wanted.”
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Filipe Luis could lead the Brazilian national team. |
From Flamengo to the future of the Selecao?
When Brazil parted ways with coach Dorival Junior in March, many saw Filipe Luis as the top candidate. “The fans want to see Brazil as Brazil, just as we want to see Flamengo as Flamengo,” said president Luiz Eduardo Baptista.
“I believe he will coach the national team one day. But I know Filipe. I would be surprised if he accepted now.”
And Filipe Luis refused. Then the difficulties came, two lackluster matches against Central de Cordoba put Flamengo at risk of being eliminated from the Copa Libertadores. "The chaos only comes from the outside," he affirmed. "But the team is still confident, still training and learning every day. I have complete faith in my work."
Then the results improved. Flamengo won two games to advance to the Copa Libertadores, making a strong start to the league. When the tournament was suspended for the FIFA Club World Cup, they topped the group on goal difference: most goals scored, fewest conceded.
But for Filipe Luis, everything is in the past. He affirmed: "I am not a coach of memories. I like to erase everything and move on to the next challenge". Although Flamengo stopped in the 1/8 round of the FIFA Club World Cup against Bayern, Filipe Luis' future will go even further.
And for those who know Filipe Luis, no one will doubt that he will land at the "giants", maybe Europe, maybe Selecao. But surely, that is the wide open sky.
Source: https://tienphong.vn/filipe-luis-nguoi-bien-thu-thach-thanh-nghe-thuat-don-gian-post1758127.tpo
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