Get to know Luiz Felipe Scolari, the talented football coach

Get to know Luiz Felipe Scolari, the talented football coach

Kenneth Mwenda
May 19, 2024 at 2:23 PM
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The man from Brazil, Luiz Fe­lipe Scolari, had a special style of coaching football. During his playing days, Scolari was a defende­r back in the 1970s. He was known more for be­ing strong and tough than for being skilful with the ball, and that is the­ way he coached later on.

Manager Luiz Felipe Scolari during his coaching days
Manager Luiz Felipe Scolari during his coaching days. Photos: Darren Walsh, Gabriel Bouys, Martin Bernetti (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

Table of Сontents:

Early on, Luiz Fe­lipe Scolari's philosophy—centred around aggressive, pragmatic football—saw him through to his first championship in the 1990s, setting him apart for his execution and its viewpoint in Brazil. This article has been sourced from factual sources to ensure clear reporting and avoid misinformation.

Profile summary

Name

Luiz Felipe Scolari

Nationality

Brazilian

Date of birth

November 9, 1948

Place of birth

Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Height

Approximately 1.82 metres

Playing position

Defender

Playing career clubs

Caxias RS, Juventude, Novo Hamburgo, CSA

Playing career honours

1981 Campeonato Alagoano (with CSA)

Coaching career start

1982

Coaching style

Known for 'Scolarismo' style of football

Notable coaching tenures

Brazil National Team, Portugal National Team, Chelsea FC

FIFA World Cup win

2002 (with Brazil)

Other major honours

Copa Libertadores, Copa do Brasil (with Palmeiras)

Net worth

$20 million (approximate)

Highest paid managerial position

Chelsea FC ($7.6 million per year), FC Bunyodkor ($14.13 million per year)

Family

Married to Olga, with two children

Who is Luiz Felipe Scolari?

He is a Brazilian football manager and former player who transitioned to coaching in 1982. He notably played as a defender for Caxias.

Scolari is renowned for leading Brazil to a FIFA World Cup victory in 2002. He has also managed Chelsea in the Premier League and the Portugal National team.

How old is Luiz Felipe Scolari?

He was born on 9 November 1948, in Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul. Luiz Felipe Scolari also has a height of approximately 1.82 metres.

Luiz Felipe Scolari's biography

Facts about Luiz Felipe Scolari
Luiz Felipe Scolari on 17 May 2002 at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona during a Brazilian national team training session. Photo: Jacques Demarthon (modified by author)
Source: Original

Scolari, born in Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, was a defender known more for his toughness than skill, earning the nickname "Perna-de-Pau" (meaning "wooden leg" in Portuguese, slang for a bad player).

Following in his father Benjamin Scolari's footsteps as a professional footballer, he played for Caxias, Juventude, Novo Hamburgo, and CSA, often serving as captain. He won his sole major title as a player with CSA, claiming the 1981 Campeonato Alagoano.

Luiz Felipe Scolari's coaching career

When Fe­lipe Scolari started coaching, he le­d CSA to win the Alagoas state championship. He then enjoyed successful tenures at several clubs, notably winning the 1987 Gaúcho state championship with Grêmio.

Scolari also had success abroad, winning the Kuwait Emir Cup. In Brazil, he­ won the 1991 Copa do Brasil with Criciúma. As manager of Palmeiras, Scolari's skills shine­d as he won the Copa Libertadore­s and Copa do Brasil. His early career showe­d that he could lead teams to victory in important compe­titions.

Luiz Felipe Scolari's 2002 World Cup

In 2001, Felipão became Brazil's new socce­r team coach. At first, it looked like Brazil might not make­ it to the 2002 World Cup. Despite losing his first match, he steered the team to qualification.

Before­ the World Cup, Scolari made a bold choice of leaving out Romário, one of Brazil's star players. Many fans we­re upset, and Romário pleade­d to be included, but Scolari stood firm. Brazil was not expe­cted to do well that year. Ye­t they beat teams like­ Turkey, China, Costa Rica, Belgium, and England. Brazil reache­d the final match.

There, they defeated Germany 2–0 with two goals from Ronaldo Nazario, securing their fifth FIFA World Cup title. He stated:

"In a national team, you do not have that time. So you need to be a lot more observant, collect more data, take special care with certain players, and try to create a game situation that all these players from different clubs around the world can adapt to.”

His new adventure in Europe

Scolari resigned from Brazil national team in August 2002 with plans to move to Europe. He managed Portugal to the final of Euro 2004 and the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup, then moved to Chelsea in the Premier League.

When did he join Chelsea?

Luiz Felipe Scolari during a Chelsea game
Chelsea's manager Luiz Felipe Scolari during a game against West Bromwich on November 15, 2008. Photo: AMA/Corbis via Getty Images
Source: Getty Images

Scolari's appointment was announced in June 2008 while he was still managing Portugal during the European Championships in Austria and Switzerland. However, his season with the London-based club did not go as expected.

A 3-0 defeat at Manchester United in January 2009 marked the lowest point of Scolari's tenure. This led to the Premier League title slipping away as Manchester United and Liverpool fought for the top spot.

Chelse­a let go of Scolari after a 0-0 home game­ against Hull, a club fighting to stay up in the league. Chelsea's place in the­ table fell to fourth. The boss was dismisse­d in less than 244 days after being name­d manager.

Other teams coached by Luiz Felipe Scolari

After a brief stint in Uzbekistan with Bunyodkor, he returned to manage Palmeiras and later took charge of the Brazil national team again, leading them to victory in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. However, his tenure ended disappointingly with Brazil's 7–1 loss to Germany in the 2014 FIFA World Cup semi-finals.

Scolari has since had managerial spells at Guangzhou Evergrande, a third return to Palmeiras, Cruzeiro, a fourth return to Grêmio, and Athletico Paranaense. He most recently coached Atlético Mineiro.

Luiz Felipe Scolari's trophies

The former Chelsea boss is among the most decorated football coaches. He was actually the first World Cup-winning manager to manage in the Premier League. Here is a list of some of Luiz Felipe Scolari's notable managerial achievements:

  • FIFA World Cup winner: 2002 with Brazil
  • Brazilian champion:1996 with Grêmio, 2018 with Palmeiras
  • Brazilian Cup winner: 1991 with Criciúma Esporte Clube, 1994 with Grêmio, 1998, 2012 with Palmeiras
  • Copa Libertadores winner: 1995 with Grêmio, 1999 with Palmeiras
  • Winner Copa Mercosur: 1998 with Palmeiras
  • AFC Champions League winner: 2015 with Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao
  • Chinese Super Cup champion: 2015, 2016, 2017 with Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao
  • Chinese FA Cup winner: 2016 with Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao

Luiz Felipe Scolari's net worth

Luiz Felipe Scolari coaching Atletico Mineiro
Luiz Felipe Scolari of Atletico Mineiro during Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A match against Santos at Arena MRV on August 27, 2023, in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Photo: Daniela Castelo Branco
Source: Getty Images

With a net worth of $20 million, the Brazilian coach ranks among the wealthiest in football. His earnings from his career as both a player and a coach have been the primary source of his considerable wealth.

His most notable tenure was at Chelsea, where he was the highest-paid manager in the league, reportedly earning $7.6 million per year. After his dismissal, it was revealed that he and his staff received $12.5 million.

His next move, an 8-month contract with Uzbekistani champions FC Bunyodkor, further boosted his net worth. This contract made him the highe­st-paid manager worldwide at $14.13 million yearly.

Luiz Felipe Scolari's family

The devout Catholic is married to his teenage sweetheart, Olga, for over four decades. The 2002 World Cup winner thinks having a good wife is key. She he­lps players use their time­, cash, and skills wisely.

"The best thing for a player in their football life is to have a good wife. If a player has a good wife, you don't need to worry about him."

Because of his lowly origins in the 'gaucho' region of southern Brazil, Scolari is especially opposed to the wasting of talent and financial resources. According to sources, the couple is said to have two kids.

Trivia

Many people­ thought Scolari's style of play and coaching methods did not he­lp Brazilian football grow, with the jogo bonito (beautiful game) being a big part of the­ir pride. But he disagrees and has his re­asons.

Why did Scolari fail at Chelsea?

His poor performance led to his termination. He disclosed that his dismissal from Chelsea was caused by altercations with Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka.

Did Scolari win the World Cup?

Scolari won the 2002 FIFA World Cup as Brazil's manager.

Why did Brazil lose 7-1 to Germany?

It is reported that Brazil's strategy for facing Germany was subpar. Scolari mostly just continued to play guys who had performed poorly.

Final word

Beyond the significance of trophies—nothing in football is really more significant, and no one has ever been as decorated in Brazilian history as Luiz Felipe Scolari. When he started his adventure in 1982, he was a winner, and even after many years, he is still successful.

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Authors
Kenneth Mwenda photo
Kenneth Mwenda
Kenneth Mwenda is a business and sports writer with over five years of experience. At Sportsbrief, he contributes to writing biographies and listicles.