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Filipe Luis is earning his stripes after a swift transition to management

Filipe Luis is earning his stripes after a swift transition to management

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Filipe Luís is quickly earning himself a reputation as one of the game’s best young managers with Flamengo a dark horse at the 2025 Club World Cup.

By Graham Ruthven

In a tournament so defined by South American teams, Flamengo have made the most profound impact of any non-European side at the 2025 Club World Cup. This was encapsulated by their performance in the group stage dismantling of Chelsea when the Premier League outfit were made to look extremely ordinary by comparison.

Flamengo dominated the game. They controlled possession and played through Chelsea with ease, securing a 3-1 win that made the Rubro-Negro dark horses to win the first expanded Club World Cup. It was a performance that had the fingerprints of Filipe Luís, former Chelsea left back now Flamengo manager, all over it.

It was only 18 months ago that Luís finishing his playing career. The former Brazilian international started out coaching Flamengo’s under-17s in January 2024 before moving up to the under-20s only a few months later. Even at this early stage, it was clear to many within Flamengo that Luís was destined for big things.

Tite’s sacking in September 2024 opened the door for Luís to take over, first as interim head coach until the end of the season. Within just a few games, though, he had moulded Flamengo in his own image, favouring a possession-heavy style of play that quickly established his team as one of the best in Brazil.

Less than a year later, Flamengo are leading the way at the top of the Brasileirão. They have scored the most goals (24) in the division while conceding the fewest (four). Their underlying numbers are solid, boasting the highest Expected Goals For (18.4) and the lowest Expected Goals Against (6.4).

Brasileirão 2025 table – as it stands

Luís’ team also have the highest average possession share 60.6%, highlighting how the former Atlético Madrid and Chelsea defender wants his side to play. This is a team that is extremely comfortable on the ball. They are even more adept in possession now that Jorginho has arrived following the end of his Arsenal contract.

When Flamengo don’t have the ball, they work hard to win it back as quickly as possible. This was something Chelsea struggled to handle in their meeting with the Brasileirão leaders at the Club World Cup with Gerson particularly effective at winning possession back high up the pitch – he won eight duels.

In midfield, Flamengo’s positional rotations are just as intricate and difficult to track as anything seen at the elite level of European football. Against Chelsea, this prevented the Brazilians’ possession play from becoming predictable and allowed them to consistently create chances to find the back of the net – Flamengo generated five Big Chances and an xG of 2.61.

Luís sets up Flamengo to be narrow in order to create space in the wide areas, primarily for Wesley and Gerson down the right side. Adventurous right back Wesley has been so eye-catching at the Club World Cup that he has been linked with a summer switch to Brighton who apparently admire the 21-year-old.

The trade route from Brazil to Europe for players is well-established. Barely a transfer window goes by without a European giant dipping its hand into the Brazilian talent pool for a teenage prodigy – see Neymar, Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo and many others. For managers, though, the path isn’t so well trodden.

On his current trajectory, Luís could change this. The 39-year-old’s coaching style surely has European clubs monitoring his progress with Flamengo’s proactive game overlapping with that of many teams at the top of the Big Five leagues. Further success at the Club World Cup would make Luís even more attractive.

There’s still plenty for the 39-year-old to achieve in Brazil before he moves on. Luís has publicly targeted a third Copa Libertadores crown in six years to further strengthen Flamengo’s standing as the dominant force of this era of South American club football. Ending a five-year league title drought is also a priority.

A deep run at the 2025 Club World Cup is on the cards too – albeit they will face Bayern Munich in the Round of 16. Flamengo are much closer to being the finished article than many of the European teams at the competition with Inter Milan, Manchester City and Real Madrid all in the middle of a transition. Two of those three teams have introduced new managers this summer.

As a player, Luís operated under some of the best managers in the world. At Atlético Madrid, he worked under Diego Simeone over two spells. At Chelsea, the left back played for José Mourinho. Luís clearly picked up many lessons that have served him well as a coach, but the Flamengo manager is now implanting his own ideas. It won’t be long until he’s back in Europe.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Club World Cup with FotMob this summer – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Filipe Luis is earning his stripes after a swift transition to management

Filipe Luís is quickly earning himself a reputation as one of the game’s best young managers with Flamengo a dark horse at the 2025 Club World Cup.

By Graham Ruthven

In a tournament so defined by South American teams, Flamengo have made the most profound impact of any non-European side at the 2025 Club World Cup. This was encapsulated by their performance in the group stage dismantling of Chelsea when the Premier League outfit were made to look extremely ordinary by comparison.

Flamengo dominated the game. They controlled possession and played through Chelsea with ease, securing a 3-1 win that made the Rubro-Negro dark horses to win the first expanded Club World Cup. It was a performance that had the fingerprints of Filipe Luís, former Chelsea left back now Flamengo manager, all over it.

It was only 18 months ago that Luís finishing his playing career. The former Brazilian international started out coaching Flamengo’s under-17s in January 2024 before moving up to the under-20s only a few months later. Even at this early stage, it was clear to many within Flamengo that Luís was destined for big things.

Tite’s sacking in September 2024 opened the door for Luís to take over, first as interim head coach until the end of the season. Within just a few games, though, he had moulded Flamengo in his own image, favouring a possession-heavy style of play that quickly established his team as one of the best in Brazil.

Less than a year later, Flamengo are leading the way at the top of the Brasileirão. They have scored the most goals (24) in the division while conceding the fewest (four). Their underlying numbers are solid, boasting the highest Expected Goals For (18.4) and the lowest Expected Goals Against (6.4).

Brasileirão 2025 table – as it stands

Luís’ team also have the highest average possession share 60.6%, highlighting how the former Atlético Madrid and Chelsea defender wants his side to play. This is a team that is extremely comfortable on the ball. They are even more adept in possession now that Jorginho has arrived following the end of his Arsenal contract.

When Flamengo don’t have the ball, they work hard to win it back as quickly as possible. This was something Chelsea struggled to handle in their meeting with the Brasileirão leaders at the Club World Cup with Gerson particularly effective at winning possession back high up the pitch – he won eight duels.

In midfield, Flamengo’s positional rotations are just as intricate and difficult to track as anything seen at the elite level of European football. Against Chelsea, this prevented the Brazilians’ possession play from becoming predictable and allowed them to consistently create chances to find the back of the net – Flamengo generated five Big Chances and an xG of 2.61.

Luís sets up Flamengo to be narrow in order to create space in the wide areas, primarily for Wesley and Gerson down the right side. Adventurous right back Wesley has been so eye-catching at the Club World Cup that he has been linked with a summer switch to Brighton who apparently admire the 21-year-old.

The trade route from Brazil to Europe for players is well-established. Barely a transfer window goes by without a European giant dipping its hand into the Brazilian talent pool for a teenage prodigy – see Neymar, Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo and many others. For managers, though, the path isn’t so well trodden.

On his current trajectory, Luís could change this. The 39-year-old’s coaching style surely has European clubs monitoring his progress with Flamengo’s proactive game overlapping with that of many teams at the top of the Big Five leagues. Further success at the Club World Cup would make Luís even more attractive.

There’s still plenty for the 39-year-old to achieve in Brazil before he moves on. Luís has publicly targeted a third Copa Libertadores crown in six years to further strengthen Flamengo’s standing as the dominant force of this era of South American club football. Ending a five-year league title drought is also a priority.

A deep run at the 2025 Club World Cup is on the cards too – albeit they will face Bayern Munich in the Round of 16. Flamengo are much closer to being the finished article than many of the European teams at the competition with Inter Milan, Manchester City and Real Madrid all in the middle of a transition. Two of those three teams have introduced new managers this summer.

As a player, Luís operated under some of the best managers in the world. At Atlético Madrid, he worked under Diego Simeone over two spells. At Chelsea, the left back played for José Mourinho. Luís clearly picked up many lessons that have served him well as a coach, but the Flamengo manager is now implanting his own ideas. It won’t be long until he’s back in Europe.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Club World Cup with FotMob this summer – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.