Luiz Felipe Scolari, former Chelsea, Brazil boss, announces retirement

Luiz Felipe Scolari, who managed Brazil to the World Cup in 2002, announced his retirement on Monday. The Brazilian recently managed Athletico Paranense to the Copa Libertadores Final. Scolari and his club lost to Flamengo, 1-0, missing out on the club’s first continental crown.

Luiz Felipe Scolari enters retirement as one of the most experienced managers in history. Perhaps more remarkably, he coached at a plethora of clubs, often over a number of tenures.

In total, he coached from 1982 to 2022. That started at Centro Sportivo Alagoano, a club currently in the third tier of Brazilian soccer. He broke onto the headlines at Gremio. There, Brazilian reporters called his style “un-Brazilian,” as it was more structured and less driven by flair. However, success ensued, including the 1995 Copa Libertadores. He matched that feat as manager of Palmeiras soon after.

Yet, the crowning success of Luiz Felipe Scolari prior to retirement came in 2002. Success in tournaments at the club level yielded him the head coach position of Brazil. With a vastly talented squad including Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Cafu and Roberto Carlos, Brazil won its fifth World Cup. He followed that up by managing Portugal to the European Championship Final in 2004.

Luiz Felipe Scolari announces retirement

Yet, Scolari’s managerial career is not full of success. He managed Chelsea for half of a season before being sacked. That Chelsea team of 2008/09 was fourth in the table upon his sacking. It later finished third in the league and reached the Champions League semifinals.

After flipping between more clubs, Scolari landed back at the helm of Brazil for the 2014 World Cup. As the host nation, Brazil had mounting pressure to perform. Once it reached the semifinals, Brazil suffered its most embarrassing defeat in history. Germany thrashed the hosts 7-1 before winning the tournament. After losing to the Netherlands in the third place match, 3-0, Scolari resigned from the role.

At the end of his career, Scolari reached 30 different coaching positions. Of course, a number of these were with the same team. He managed Gremio, Brazil, Palmeiras, Cruzeiro and more on several occasions.

PHOTO: IMAGO / Photosport