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Luiz Felipe Scolari (; born 9 November 1948), also known as Felipão ("Big Phil"), is a Brazilian
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
manager and former player who currently serves as the technical director of Grêmio. Considered to be one of the greatest and most successful managers of all time by several pundits, Scolari was a defender during his playing days, and notably represented Caxias before moving to a managerial role in 1982. After leading the Brazil national team to a
FIFA World Cup The FIFA World Cup, often called the World Cup, is an international association football competition among the senior List of men's national association football teams, men's national teams of the members of the FIFA, Fédération Internatio ...
win in
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, he was manager of the Portugal national team from July 2003 to June 2008. He led Portugal to the
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of
UEFA Euro 2004 The 2004 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as Euro 2004, was the 12th edition of the UEFA European Championship, a quadrennial association football, football competition contested by the List of men's national associatio ...
, which they lost 0–1 to
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, and to a fourth-place finish in the 2006 World Cup. Scolari also managed Portugal through
UEFA Euro 2008 The 2008 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2008 or simply Euro 2008, was the 13th UEFA European Championship, a quadrennial association football, football tournament contested by the member nations of UEFA ( ...
, but resigned after a 2–3 loss to
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in the second round. After a return to club management at Chelsea in the
Premier League The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
, Scolari was hired again as manager of the Brazil national team in 2012. He led them to victory at the 2013 Confederations Cup, and to the semi-final in the 2014 World Cup. After the Brazil national team finished fourth overall in an upset 1–7 loss to Germany in the semi-finals, and a 0–3 loss to the
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in the third-place playoff, the
Brazilian Football Confederation The Brazilian Football Confederation (, CBF) is the governing body of football in Brazil. It was founded on Monday, 8 June 1914, as , and renamed Confederação Brasileira de Desportos in 1916. The football confederation, as known today, sepa ...
decided not to renew his contract. In 2015, he started work at Guangzhou Evergrande and went on to claim both the 2015 Chinese Super League and
2015 AFC Champions League The 2015 AFC Champions League was the 34th edition of Asia's premier club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the 13th under the current AFC Champions League title. Guangzhou Evergrande won the tourna ...
in his first season with the club. He returned to Palmeiras in 2018, winning his second Brazilian league title that year. Scolari is a
dual citizen Multiple citizenship (or multiple nationality) is a person's legal status in which a person is at the same time recognized by more than one sovereign state, country under its nationality law, nationality and citizenship law as a national or cit ...
of Brazil and Italy, as he is descended from Italian immigrants.


Playing career

Scolari was born in Passo Fundo,
Rio Grande do Sul Rio Grande do Sul (, ; ; "Great River of the South") is a Federative units of Brazil, state in the South Region, Brazil, southern region of Brazil. It is the Federative units of Brazil#List, fifth-most populous state and the List of Brazilian s ...
. A defender regarded as more uncompromising than skillful, he was known among his contemporaries as "Perna-de-Pau" (literally translated as "wooden leg" in Portuguese, a Brazilian slang for a bad player), Scolari followed in the footsteps of his father, Benjamin Scolari, who was also a professional footballer. His playing career encompassed spells with Caxias, Juventude, Novo Hamburgo, and CSA; he often captained his sides. It was with CSA that he won his only major title as a player – the 1981 Campeonato Alagoano.


Style of play

A central defender, Scolari described himself as a player who was tough, physically strong, and who had a good positional sense and leadership qualities, despite not being a particularly skilful player, which made him a useful player for his teams. Throughout his career he was nicknamed "Perna-de-Pau," or "Wooden Leg," in Portuguese, due to his perceived lack of class on the ball.


Managerial career


Early career

Upon retiring as a player in 1982, he was appointed manager of CSA, his former club, and would go on to win the Alagoas state championship in his first season. After spells with Juventude (twice), Brasil de Pelotas and
Pelotas Pelotas () is a Brazilian city and Municipalities of Brazil, municipality (''município''), the fourth Largest cities in Rio Grande do Sul by population, most populous in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, after Porto Alegre, Caxias do Su ...
and
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...
n side Al Shabab, he moved to Grêmio, where he won the 1987 Gaúcho state championship. After managing
Goiás Goiás () is a Brazilian States of Brazil, state located in the Central-West Region, Brazil, Central-West region. Goiás borders the Federal District (Brazil), Federal District and the states of (from north clockwise) Tocantins, Bahia, Minas Ge ...
, Scolari had a two-year stint in charge of
Kuwait Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...
i side Qadsia, with whom he won the prestigious Kuwait Emir Cup in 1989. This was followed by a brief period as manager of the Kuwait national team, winning the 10th Gulf Cup in Kuwait. Scolari returned to Brazil to coach Coritiba. He stayed for just three matches, losing all of them. After the last loss, he abandoned the club by boarding the winning team's bus back to his hometown; and did not return even to collect his wages. Scolari coached Criciúma to their first major national title, in the 1991 Copa do Brasil. He returned to club management in the Middle East, managing Al-Ahli and a second spell at Qadsia.


Return to Grêmio

In 1993, Scolari returned to Grêmio, where, albeit leading the team to historic victories, he was criticized by the Brazilian media for playing a pragmatic style of football regarded as "un-Brazilian". He claimed six titles in only three years, including the 1995 Copa Libertadores, which qualified Grêmio for the Intercontinental Cup, which they lost to Dutch side
Ajax Ajax may refer to: Greek mythology and tragedy * Ajax the Great, a Greek mythological hero, son of King Telamon and Periboea * Ajax the Lesser, a Greek mythological hero, son of Oileus, the king of Locris * Ajax (play), ''Ajax'' (play), by the an ...
on penalties. The following year, they won the Brazilian Championship. His team featured no real superstar and depended on workman-like players such as Paraguayan right back Francisco Arce, tough-tackling
midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...
Dinho, Paulo Nunes, and centre forward Mário Jardel.


Júbilo Iwata

In 1997, Scolari became manager of J. League side Júbilo Iwata, but left after eleven games and shortly afterwards took charge of Palmeiras back in Brazil.


Palmeiras

In three years as manager, Scolari led Palmeiras to the
Copa do Brasil The Copa do Brasil () is a knockout football competition played by 92 teams, representing all 26 Brazilian states plus the Federal District. It is the Brazilian domestic cup and it is the Brazilian equivalent of the FA Cup, Taça de Portugal, ...
, the Mercosur Cup, and their first
Copa Libertadores The CONMEBOL Libertadores, also known as Copa Libertadores de América (), is an annual continental club football competition organized by CONMEBOL since 1960. It is the highest level of competition in South American club football. The tournam ...
title with a win on penalties over Deportivo Cali of
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. They were also runners-up to
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in the 1999 Intercontinental Cup. He was named South American Coach of the Year for 1999.


Cruzeiro

In 2000, Scolari was appointed to manage
Minas Gerais Minas Gerais () is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil, being the fourth largest state by area and the second largest in number of inhabitants with a population of 20,539,989 according to the 2022 Brazilian census, 2022 census. Located in ...
club Cruzeiro, coaching them for a year.


Brazil

In June 2001, Scolari was appointed manager of his native
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
, the team's third coach in the space of a year. With five qualifying matches ahead, the team were in jeopardy of not qualifying for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, which would be a first in the Brazilian competitive record. Despite losing his first match 1–0 to
Uruguay Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...
, and also suffering a 2–1 defeat to rivals
Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
in September, Scolari eventually guided the team to qualification for the tournament. He also led the team through the 2001 Copa América, where they were unexpectedly eliminated in the quarter-finals by
Honduras Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca, ...
following a 2–0 defeat. After the match, Scolari commented: "I will go down in history as the Brazil coach who lost to Honduras – it's horrible. But Honduras played better, they deserved their win." In the build-up to the 2002 World Cup finals, Scolari refused to include veteran striker
Romário Romário de Souza Faria (born 29 January 1966), known simply as Romário (), is a Brazilian politician and former professional association football, footballer who is currently a Senator for Rio de Janeiro (state), Rio de Janeiro and the presi ...
in his squad, despite public pressure and a tearful appeal from the player himself. Brazil entered the tournament unfancied, but wins over
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,
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,
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,
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,
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and Turkey again took them to the final, where they beat
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2–0 with two goals from Ronaldo to win their fifth
FIFA World Cup The FIFA World Cup, often called the World Cup, is an international association football competition among the senior List of men's national association football teams, men's national teams of the members of the FIFA, Fédération Internatio ...
title. Scolari resigned in August 2002, intending to move to Europe.


Portugal

In November 2002 Scolari was appointed coach of
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
, who would be the host nation for
UEFA Euro 2004 The 2004 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as Euro 2004, was the 12th edition of the UEFA European Championship, a quadrennial association football, football competition contested by the List of men's national associatio ...
. The appointment was controversial as Scolari was highly paid, and was the first foreigner to coach Portugal since Otto Glória. Scolari caused more controversy by calling up Brazil-born Deco, who had only recently become eligible for Portuguese citizenship. At Euro 2004, Portugal got through the group stages and saw off England in the quarter-finals on penalties before beating the Netherlands in the semi-finals. In the
final Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...
, however, they were beaten in a 1–0 upset by tournament
underdog An underdog is a person or group in a competition, usually in sports and creative works, who is largely expected to lose. The party, team, or individual expected to win is called the favorite or wikt:top dog, top dog. In the case where an under ...
s
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. Scolari managed Portugal through the 2006 World Cup in Germany, where they reached the semi-finals, again coming out victorious in the quarterfinals against England. But they did not reach the final due to a
semifinal A single-elimination knockout, or sudden-death tournament is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of a match-up is immediately eliminated from the tournament. Each winner will play another in the next round, until the final match-up, w ...
defeat against eventual runners-up
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. Following the tournament, Scolari was strongly linked with the job of England manager, but chose to see out his contract with Portugal. Scolari took Portugal to Euro 2008, where they reached the knock-out stages by placing first in Group A before being eliminated by Germany in the quarter-finals. During the tournament, he announced that he would be joining English
Premier League The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
side Chelsea for the 2008–09 season.


Chelsea

Scolari took over as manager of Chelsea on 1 July 2008. This was announced shortly after Portugal's Euro 2008 match against the
Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...
on 11 June. With this appointment, Scolari became the first World Cup-winning manager to manage in the Premier League. In previous press conferences, Scolari had talked about "tantrums" and "triumphs" and had a reputation as a tough and unpredictable person. When asked whether his decision to join Chelsea was financial, he responded, "Yes, that is one of the reasons," but also added, "I'm 59 and I don't want to work as a coach until I'm 70. I want to retire in four or five years, so it was a financial matter but there are other things." He also said, "I could offer my son the opportunity to study elsewhere. You only get this kind of opportunity once so you take it or leave it, but it was not only financial." Scolari later said that he had turned down an offer to manage Manchester City. Scolari's first match in charge of Chelsea was a
friendly match An exhibition game (also known as a friendly, scrimmage, demonstration, training match, pre-season game, warmup match, or preparation match, depending at least in part on the sport) is a sport, sporting event whose prize money and impact on th ...
against Chinese side Guangzhou Pharmaceutical, a 4–0 victory. He made
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midfielder Deco, a player he was familiar with on the Portugal national team, his first signing for a fee of around £8 million, but was subsequently frustrated in his attempts to sign Brazilian international Robinho from
Real Madrid Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (), commonly referred to as Real Madrid, is a Spanish professional Football club (association football), football club based in Madrid. The club competes in La Liga, th ...
. Under Scolari, Chelsea had the biggest away win of the club in five years in which Chelsea won 5–0 at the Riverside Stadium in October 2008. It was also the club's biggest win ever at
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. Scolari was sacked as Chelsea manager on 9 February 2009 after a run of poor form culminating in a 2–0 defeat at
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followed by frustrating 0–0 home draw with Hull City. The club's stated reason for his removal was that "the results and performances of the team appeared to be deteriorating at a key time in the season". Scolari's replacement at Chelsea for the remainder of the 2008–09 season was Dutch manager Guus Hiddink, who simultaneously managed the Russia national team.


Bunyodkor

On 6 June 2009, Scolari was spotted in attendance at
Uzbekistan , image_flag = Flag of Uzbekistan.svg , image_coat = Emblem of Uzbekistan.svg , symbol_type = Emblem of Uzbekistan, Emblem , national_anthem = "State Anthem of Uzbekistan, State Anthem of the Republ ...
's World Cup qualifier against
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
; on 8 June 2009, Scolari revealed that he had signed an 18-month contract with the Uzbekistani champions FC Bunyodkor. The contract made Scolari the highest paid
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
manager in the world, earning €13 million a year. He left by mutual consent on 29 May 2010 after failing to guide Bunyodkor past the last 16 in the
AFC Champions League The AFC Champions League Elite (abbreviated as the ACL Elite) is an annual continental club association football, football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation, and contested by Asia's List of top-division football clubs i ...
, although he cited concern regarding his son's education as the key reason.


Return to Palmeiras

On 13 June 2010, Scolari was announced as Palmeiras' new manager. He signed a -year contract. Palmeiras were 2012
Copa do Brasil The Copa do Brasil () is a knockout football competition played by 92 teams, representing all 26 Brazilian states plus the Federal District. It is the Brazilian domestic cup and it is the Brazilian equivalent of the FA Cup, Taça de Portugal, ...
champions under his management. In September 2012, Scolari left by mutual consent after an unsatisfying result in the Campeonato Brasileiro.


Return to Brazil

In November 2012, after two months without a club, Scolari returned to managing the Brazil national team, replacing the outgoing Mano Menezes. He was tasked with securing a win in the
2014 FIFA World Cup The 2014 FIFA World Cup was the 20th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for list of men's national association football teams, men's national Association football, football teams organised by FIFA. It took place in Brazil fr ...
, in which Brazil would be hosts. Scolari had previously won the 2002 FIFA World Cup as manager of Brazil. Under Scolari, Brazil beat
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
3–0 in the opening game of the
2013 FIFA Confederations Cup The 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup was the ninth FIFA Confederations Cup, which was held in Brazil from 15 to 30 June 2013 as a prelude to the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The most recent winners of the six continental championships appeared in the tourn ...
, with goals from
Neymar Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior (; born 5 February 1992), also known as Neymar Júnior or simply Neymar, is a Brazilian professional Association football, footballer who plays as a left winger, attacking midfielder or Forward (association foo ...
in the third minute, Paulinho in the 48th minute and on the 90th minute. Three days later, his team won 2–0 over
Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
, with Neymar scoring again in the ninth minute. Brazil defeated Uruguay 2–1 in the semi-final match of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in a tough draw, with goals from
Fred Fred or FRED may refer to: People * Fred (name), including a list of people and characters with the name Mononym * Fred (cartoonist) (1931–2013), pen name of Fred Othon Aristidès, French * Fred (footballer, born 1949) (1949–2022), Fred ...
in the 41st minute paired with a late goal from Paulinho in the 86th minute. In the
final Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...
, Brazil defeated Spain 3–0 with two goals from Fred and one from Neymar. After a successful campaign which earned them a semi-final spot in the
2014 FIFA World Cup The 2014 FIFA World Cup was the 20th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for list of men's national association football teams, men's national Association football, football teams organised by FIFA. It took place in Brazil fr ...
, Brazil were defeated 7–1 in an upset loss against Germany at the semi-final stage, which became their biggest-ever defeat at the World Cup (their largest margin of defeat was previously losing 3-0 to France in the 1998 final), the record for most goals conceded in their World Cup track record and its first home loss in a competitive match since 1975. Scolari described the match as "the worst day of islife", and took responsibility for the loss. On 14 July 2014, following a further 3–0 defeat in the third place playoff match against the Netherlands, Scolari resigned from his position as Brazilian manager.


Third return to Grêmio

On 29 July 2014, Scolari signed with Grêmio. He was officially unveiled by the club the following day at the Arena do Grêmio. On 19 May 2015, Scolari resigned from his position after a poor start to the season.


Guangzhou Evergrande

On 4 June 2015, Scolari was appointed head coach of Chinese Super League champions Guangzhou Evergrande, signing a one-and-a-half plus one-year contract. After four months in charge, Scolari led the club to victory in the 2015 Chinese Super League and
AFC Champions League The AFC Champions League Elite (abbreviated as the ACL Elite) is an annual continental club association football, football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation, and contested by Asia's List of top-division football clubs i ...
, defeating Cosmin Olăroiu's Al-Ahli side with a 1–0 aggregate win in the final. He extended his contract for one year on 24 October 2016 after his potential successor Marcello Lippi was appointed as the manager of China national team. Scolari led Guangzhou win three consecutive league titles from 2015 to 2017. He refused to extend his contract again by the end of 2017 season.


Third return to Palmeiras

On 27 July 2018, Scolari returned to Brazilian side Palmeiras for a third time. On 2 September 2019, Scolari would be fired by club, that is under a poor performance after 2019 Copa America; in this period, Scolari gained only 23.8% of points played by Palmeiras.


Return to Cruzeiro

On 15 October 2020, Scolari returned to manage the football team of Cruzeiro. On 25 January 2021, Scolari and Cruzeiro parted ways by mutual agreement.


Fourth return to Grêmio

On 7 July 2021, Scolari returned to Grêmio for the fourth time, with the goal of moving the team out of the last place in the Brasileiro Série A and fighting for the Copa Sudamericana. He left on a mutual agreement on 11 October, with the club second bottom of the league.


Athletico Paranaense

On 4 May 2022, Scolari was hired by Athletico Paranaense as a technical director, being also a manager of the first team "until new definitions". With favorable results, he ended up coaching the side for the remainder of the season, leading them to the 2022 Copa Libertadores final, lost 1–0 to Flamengo. He stepped down as head coach and continued at the club solely as a director in the 2023 season, appointing his assistant Paulo Turra as his successor.


Atlético Mineiro

On 16 June 2023, Scolari accepted an offer to resume his coaching career at Atlético Mineiro, signing a one-and-a-half-year deal. He led the club to an impressive run in the 2023 Série A, but left on a mutual agreement on 20 March 2024, despite the club being in the 2024 Campeonato Mineiro finals.


Personal life

Scolari also holds Italian citizenship, since his family emigrated from
Veneto Veneto, officially the Region of Veneto, is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the Northeast Italy, north-east of the country. It is the fourth most populous region in Italy, with a population of 4,851,851 as of 2025. Venice is t ...
. He is a fan of Grêmio, and was reported to be a fan of
Nottingham Forest Nottingham Forest Football Club is a professional association football club based in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. Founde ...
, having watched their successes under Brian Clough in the 1970s. Scolari is a
Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
. During his career, the media has been fond of pointing out Scolari's facial resemblance to actor Gene Hackman and
Marlon Brando Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Widely regarded as one of the greatest cinema actors of the 20th century,''Movies in American History: An Encyclopedia''
's portrayal of Don Vito Corleone in the film ''
The Godfather ''The Godfather'' is a 1972 American Epic film, epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who co-wrote the screenplay with Mario Puzo, based on Puzo's best-selling The Godfather (novel), 1969 novel. The film stars an ensemble cast inc ...
''. In Brazil, Scolari is also known as "Felipão", and during his stint with Chelsea, he was sometimes referred by the English translation, Big Phil.


Style of management

Considered to be one of the greatest and successful managers of all time by several pundits, in 2024 '' 90min.com'' attributed Scolari's success to his unpredictable, authoritarian, and "enigmatic style, with his ability to inspire his players proving to be as important as his tactical prowess." Nicknamed "Felipão," or "Big Phil," in Portuguese, in the early part of his coaching career, he was known for his no-nonsense style of football. However, in the 1990s, he adopted a more attractive style of play, and his teams became more clinical offensively. He was also known for fostering a team spirit and for using religion-inspired motivational techniques, and attempted to shelter his teams from the media. His relationship with the press was often complicated, however, due to his passionate and temperamental style, which saw him involved in conflicts with journalists. He was also known for his intensity on the sidelines. Throughout his career, Scolari was known for his balanced tactical approach defensively and offensively, as well as his flexibility, adopting several different formations, including the 4–3–2–1, 3–4–1–2, and 4–3–3. He often gave his players lots of freedom on the pitch. The midfielders were paramount to his sides' offensive strategy, as they were required to make funs through central areas. The gameplay of his wingers was also an important part of his tactical approach, as he often had them switch positions in order to provide a diverse range of attacking plays for his team. With Grêmio and Palmeiras, he often used a 4–4–2 formation, which was solid defensively, and which made use of quick transitions and counter-attacks. During his first stint as Brazil's manager, he initially played a more defensive style, but took a more attacking approach during the 2002 World Cup, using a 3–5–2, 3–4–1–2, or 3–4–2–1 formation with Cafu and Roberto Carlos as attacking wing-backs supporting the front line, which complemented the ability of his team's talented forwards – Ronaldo, Rivaldo, and Ronaldinho, as well as the passing ability of his midfielders. His side also made use of quick transitions and counter-attacks. With Portugal, Scolari also adopted an entertaining playing style based on passing, which highlighted the skill of his players, but also placed an emphasis on tactical preparation, pragmatism, and the psychological aspect of the game. Former Portugal midfielder Deco praised Scolari for his ability to motivate the team during the 2006 World Cup. During the latter tournament, Scolari used a 4–2–3–1 formation with wingers
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and Luís Figo on the left and right flanks respectively, often switching sides and running at opposing defenders. During his second stint with Brazil, Scolari instead adopted a flexible 4–2–3–1 and successfully stifled Spain's possession during the 2013 Confederations Cup final through the use of heavy pressing, in particular on the opposing team's holding midfielder Sergio Busquets. He also made use of a solid defence, who played a high line, hard-working box-to-box midfielders, and used
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as an
attacking midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. ...
, who was given defensive responsibilities but also the freedom to join the attack, while
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played as a left winger, supporting a genuine lone centre-forward upfront.


Managerial statistics


Honours as Player

; Caxias do Sul * Campeonato do Interior Gaúcho: 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978 ; Novo Hamburgo * Campeonato do Interior Gaúcho: 1980 ; CSA * Campeonato Alagoano: 1981


Honours as manager


Club

;CSA * Campeonato Alagoano: 1982 ;Brasil de Pelotas * Campeonato do Interior Gaúcho: 1983 ;Qadsia * Kuwait Emir Cup: 1989 ;Criciúma *
Copa do Brasil The Copa do Brasil () is a knockout football competition played by 92 teams, representing all 26 Brazilian states plus the Federal District. It is the Brazilian domestic cup and it is the Brazilian equivalent of the FA Cup, Taça de Portugal, ...
:
1991 It was the final year of the Cold War, which had begun in 1947. During the year, the Soviet Union Dissolution of the Soviet Union, collapsed, leaving Post-soviet states, fifteen sovereign republics and the Commonwealth of Independent State ...
* Campeonato Catarinense: 1991 ;Grêmio * Campeonato Gaúcho:
1987 Events January * January 1 – Bolivia reintroduces the Boliviano currency. * January 2 – Chadian–Libyan conflict – Battle of Fada: The Military of Chad, Chadian army destroys a Libyan armoured brigade. * January 3 – Afghan leader ...
,
1995 1995 was designated as: * United Nations Year for Tolerance * World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War This was the first year that the Internet was entirely privatized, with the United States government ...
,
1996 1996 was designated as: * International Year for the Eradication of Poverty Events January * January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...
*
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A The Campeonato Brasileiro Série A (; English: "Brazilian Championship A Series"), commonly referred to as the Brasileirão (; English: "Big Brazilian" or "Great Brazilian"), the Série A or the Brazilian Série A (to distinguish it from the I ...
:
1996 1996 was designated as: * International Year for the Eradication of Poverty Events January * January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...
*
Copa do Brasil The Copa do Brasil () is a knockout football competition played by 92 teams, representing all 26 Brazilian states plus the Federal District. It is the Brazilian domestic cup and it is the Brazilian equivalent of the FA Cup, Taça de Portugal, ...
:
1994 The year 1994 was designated as the " International Year of the Family" and the "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal" by the United Nations. In the Line Islands and Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, 1994 had only 364 days, omitti ...
*
Copa Libertadores The CONMEBOL Libertadores, also known as Copa Libertadores de América (), is an annual continental club football competition organized by CONMEBOL since 1960. It is the highest level of competition in South American club football. The tournam ...
:
1995 1995 was designated as: * United Nations Year for Tolerance * World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War This was the first year that the Internet was entirely privatized, with the United States government ...
*
Recopa Sudamericana The CONMEBOL Recopa Sudamericana (), also known as Recopa Sudamericana or CONMEBOL Recopa, and simply as Recopa (, ; "Winners' Cup"), is an annual international club Association football, football competition organized by CONMEBOL since 1988. It ...
:
1996 1996 was designated as: * International Year for the Eradication of Poverty Events January * January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...
* Intercontinental Cup runner-up:
1995 1995 was designated as: * United Nations Year for Tolerance * World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War This was the first year that the Internet was entirely privatized, with the United States government ...
;Palmeiras *
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A The Campeonato Brasileiro Série A (; English: "Brazilian Championship A Series"), commonly referred to as the Brasileirão (; English: "Big Brazilian" or "Great Brazilian"), the Série A or the Brazilian Série A (to distinguish it from the I ...
:
2018 Events January * January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency. * January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...
*
Copa do Brasil The Copa do Brasil () is a knockout football competition played by 92 teams, representing all 26 Brazilian states plus the Federal District. It is the Brazilian domestic cup and it is the Brazilian equivalent of the FA Cup, Taça de Portugal, ...
:
1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...
,
2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...
* Copa Mercosur:
1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for Lunar water, frozen water, in soil i ...
*
Copa Libertadores The CONMEBOL Libertadores, also known as Copa Libertadores de América (), is an annual continental club football competition organized by CONMEBOL since 1960. It is the highest level of competition in South American club football. The tournam ...
:
1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...
* Torneio Rio-São Paulo: 2000 * Intercontinental Cup runner-up:
1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...
;Júbilo Iwata *
J1 League The , the J.League or the for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Japan and the highest level of the Japanese football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation ...
:
1997 Events January * January 1 – The Emergency Alert System is introduced in the United States. * January 11 – Turkey threatens Cyprus on account of a deal to buy Russian S-300 missiles, prompting the Cypriot Missile Crisis. * January 1 ...
;Cruzeiro * Copa Sul-Minas: 2001 ;Bunyodkor * Uzbek League:
2009 2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...
;Guangzhou Evergrande * Chinese Super League:
2015 2015 was designated by the United Nations as: * International Year of Light * International Year of Soil __TOC__ Events January * January 1 – Lithuania officially adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the litas, and becomes ...
,
2016 2016 was designated as: * International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly. * International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...
,
2017 2017 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly. Events January * January 1 – Istanbul nightclub shooting: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus opens fire at the ...
*
AFC Champions League The AFC Champions League Elite (abbreviated as the ACL Elite) is an annual continental club association football, football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation, and contested by Asia's List of top-division football clubs i ...
:
2015 2015 was designated by the United Nations as: * International Year of Light * International Year of Soil __TOC__ Events January * January 1 – Lithuania officially adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the litas, and becomes ...
* Chinese FA Cup:
2016 2016 was designated as: * International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly. * International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...
* Chinese FA Super Cup:
2016 2016 was designated as: * International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly. * International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...
,
2017 2017 was designated as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations General Assembly. Events January * January 1 – Istanbul nightclub shooting: A gunman dressed as Santa Claus opens fire at the ...


International

;Kuwait * Arabian Gulf Cup: 1990 ;Brazil *
FIFA World Cup The FIFA World Cup, often called the World Cup, is an international association football competition among the senior List of men's national association football teams, men's national teams of the members of the FIFA, Fédération Internatio ...
:
2002 The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...
*
FIFA Confederations Cup The FIFA Confederations Cup was an international association football tournament for men's national teams, held every four years by FIFA. It was contested by the holders of each of the six continental championships ( AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONMEBO ...
:
2013 2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years). 2013 was designated as: *International Year of Water Cooperation *International Year of Quinoa Events January * January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...
;Portugal *
UEFA European Championship The UEFA European Football Championship, less formally the European Championship and informally the Euro or Euros, is the primary association football tournament organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). The competition ...
runner-up:
2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...


Individual

* Best Football Coach in Brazil: 2018 * Brasileirão Coach of the Year:
2018 Events January * January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency. * January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...
* South American Coach of the Year: 1999, 2002 * IFFHS World's Best National Coach: 2002 * Chinese Super League Coach of the Year: 2015, 2016


Orders

* Commander of the
Order of Prince Henry The Order of Prince Henry () is a Portuguese order of knighthood created on 2 June 1960, to commemorate the quincentenary of the death of the Portuguese ''infante'' Prince Henry the Navigator, one of the main initiators of the Age of Discovery. M ...
* Medal of Merit, Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa ( House of Braganza)


See also

*
List of Brazil national football team managers The following is a list of Brazil national football team managers. Managers Following is the list with all Brazil national team managers. The list includes unofficial matches: Records Mário Zagallo became the first person to win the FIFA W ...


References


External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Scolari, Luiz Felipe 1948 births Living people Brazilian people of Italian descent People from Passo Fundo Brazilian Roman Catholics Brazilian men's footballers Men's association football defenders Clube Esportivo Aimoré players Sociedade Esportiva e Recreativa Caxias do Sul players Esporte Clube Juventude players Esporte Clube Novo Hamburgo players Centro Sportivo Alagoano players Campeonato Brasileiro Série B players Brazilian football managers Centro Sportivo Alagoano managers Esporte Clube Juventude managers Al Shabab FC (Riyadh) managers Grêmio Esportivo Brasil managers Esporte Clube Pelotas managers Grêmio FBPA managers Goiás Esporte Clube managers Qadsia SC managers Kuwait national football team managers Coritiba Foot Ball Club managers Criciúma Esporte Clube managers Al-Ahli Saudi FC managers J1 League managers Júbilo Iwata managers SE Palmeiras managers Cruzeiro Esporte Clube managers Brazil national football team managers Portugal national football team managers Chelsea F.C. managers FC Bunyodkor managers Guangzhou F.C. managers Club Athletico Paranaense managers Clube Atlético Mineiro managers Campeonato Brasileiro Série A managers Campeonato Brasileiro Série B managers Saudi Pro League managers Kuwait Premier League managers Premier League managers Uzbekistan Super League managers Chinese Super League managers 2001 Copa América managers 2002 FIFA World Cup managers UEFA Euro 2004 managers 2006 FIFA World Cup managers UEFA Euro 2008 managers 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup managers 2014 FIFA World Cup managers FIFA World Cup–winning managers FIFA Confederations Cup–winning managers Brazilian expatriate football managers Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in Saudi Arabia Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in Kuwait Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in Japan Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in Portugal Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in England Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in Uzbekistan Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in China Expatriate football managers in Saudi Arabia Expatriate football managers in Kuwait Expatriate football managers in Japan Expatriate football managers in Portugal Expatriate football managers in England Expatriate football managers in Uzbekistan Expatriate football managers in China Footballers from Rio Grande do Sul Copa Libertadores–winning managers 20th-century Brazilian sportsmen