Men's football

Representing Brazil (as manager)
FIFA World Cup
Winner	2002 Korea/Japan
FIFA Confederations Cup
Winner	2013 Brazil
Representing Portugal (as manager)
UEFA European Championship
Runner-up	2004 Portugal

Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

† Appearances (Goals).

Luiz Felipe Scolari (born November 9, 1948), also known as Felipão ("Big Phil"), is a famous Brazilian football manager and former player. Many experts think he is one of the best and most successful football managers ever.

Scolari played as a defender. He was known for being tough rather than super skillful. After playing for teams like Caxias, he became a manager in 1982. He became very famous for leading the Brazilian national team to win the FIFA World Cup in 2002.

After that, he managed the Portugal national team from 2003 to 2008. He helped Portugal reach the final of UEFA Euro 2004, where they lost to Greece. He also led them to fourth place in the 2006 World Cup.

Scolari later returned to manage the Brazil national team in 2012. He guided them to win the 2013 Confederations Cup. In the 2014 World Cup, Brazil reached the semi-finals. After the World Cup, he continued to manage different clubs, winning more titles.

Playing Days: A Tough Defender

Luiz Felipe Scolari was born in Passo Fundo, Brazil. He played as a defender, which is a player who tries to stop the other team from scoring. People sometimes called him "Perna-de-Pau," which means "wooden leg" in Portuguese. This was a funny nickname for a player who was tough but not always super graceful with the ball.

Scolari followed his father, Benjamin Scolari, who was also a professional footballer. He played for several teams, including Caxias and CSA. As a player, he won his only major title with CSA, the 1981 Campeonato Alagoano, which is a state championship.

What Kind of Player Was He?

Scolari described himself as a strong and tough player. He was good at being in the right place on the field. He also had good leadership skills. Even though he wasn't known for fancy moves, he was a useful player for his teams.

Scolari's Coaching Journey

Starting as a Coach

After he stopped playing in 1982, Scolari became a coach. His first job was with CSA, his old club. He quickly won the Alagoas state championship in his first year.

He then coached several other teams in Brazil and even in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. In Kuwait, he won the Kuwait Emir Cup in 1989. He also coached the Kuwait national team and won the Gulf Cup.

Back to Grêmio: Winning Big

In 1993, Scolari returned to coach Grêmio, a big club in Brazil. He was very successful there, winning six titles in just three years. This included the 1995 Copa Libertadores, which is like the Champions League for South America. His team also won the Brazilian Championship in 1996.

His teams at Grêmio were known for being strong and hard-working. They didn't have many famous superstars. Instead, they relied on players who worked together, like Francisco Arce and Mário Jardel.

Winning the Copa Libertadores with Palmeiras

After a short time in Japan, Scolari became the manager of Palmeiras in Brazil. In three years, he led Palmeiras to win the Copa do Brasil and the Copa Mercosur. Most importantly, they won their first ever Copa Libertadores title in 1999. They beat a team from Colombia in a penalty shootout.

Leading Brazil to World Cup Glory

In June 2001, Scolari became the coach of the Brazilian national team. The team was struggling to qualify for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Despite a rocky start, Scolari guided Brazil to qualify for the tournament.

Before the World Cup, he made a tough decision not to include famous striker Romário in his team. Many people disagreed, but Scolari stuck to his choice. Brazil went into the World Cup not as favorites. But they played incredibly well, winning every match. They beat Germany 2–0 in the final with two goals from Ronaldo. This win gave Brazil their fifth World Cup title! Scolari left the team in August 2002.

Scolari in 2003

Coaching Portugal: Euro Final and World Cup Semis

In November 2002, Scolari became the coach of Portugal. Portugal was hosting UEFA Euro 2004. Scolari led them all the way to the final. However, they lost 1–0 to Greece, which was a big surprise.

He also coached Portugal in the 2006 World Cup in Germany. They reached the semi-finals but lost to France. After this, Scolari was considered for the England manager job, but he decided to stay with Portugal. He also led Portugal in UEFA Euro 2008, where they reached the quarter-finals.

A Short Time at Chelsea

Scolari with Chelsea in 2008

Scolari became the manager of Chelsea in England on July 1, 2008. He was the first World Cup-winning manager to coach a team in the English Premier League. He signed Deco, a player he knew from the Portugal team. Chelsea started well under him, even winning 5–0 away from home. However, after a few months of difficult results, Scolari was let go by Chelsea in February 2009.

Coaching in Uzbekistan and Back to Palmeiras

After Chelsea, Scolari coached Bunyodkor in Uzbekistan. He was reportedly the highest-paid football manager in the world at that time. He left after about a year. In 2010, he returned to manage Palmeiras in Brazil for a second time. He led them to win the 2012 Copa do Brasil.

Second Time with Brazil: Confederations Cup Win

Scolari overseeing a training session at the 2014 FIFA World Cup

In November 2012, Scolari returned to coach the Brazilian national team again. His main goal was to win the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which Brazil was hosting.

Under his leadership, Brazil won the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. They played very well, beating Japan, Mexico, and Uruguay. In the final, they defeated Spain 3–0, which was a big victory.

Scolari with Brazilian forward Neymar at a press conference at the 2014 FIFA World Cup

In the 2014 World Cup, Brazil reached the semi-finals. However, they faced a very tough match against Germany. Brazil lost 7–1, which was a very surprising and difficult defeat for the team and the country. Scolari took responsibility for the loss. After losing the third-place match as well, Scolari resigned from his role as Brazil's manager.

Coaching in China and Recent Club Roles

Scolari then moved to China in 2015 to coach Guangzhou Evergrande. He had great success there, winning the 2015 Chinese Super League and the 2015 AFC Champions League in his first season. He won the Chinese league three times in a row from 2015 to 2017.

He returned to Palmeiras for a third time in 2018 and won another Brazilian league title. Since then, he has also coached Cruzeiro, Grêmio (for a fourth time), Athletico Paranaense, and Atlético Mineiro. With Athletico Paranaense, he led them to the 2022 Copa Libertadores final.

Personal Life

Scolari has both Brazilian and Italian citizenship because his family came from Italy. He is a big fan of the Brazilian club Grêmio. He is also a Roman Catholic.

People sometimes say Scolari looks like the actor Gene Hackman. In Brazil, he is known as "Felipão," and in English, he was sometimes called "Big Phil."

Scolari managing Brazil at the 2014 FIFA World Cup

Scolari's Coaching Style

Many football experts see Scolari as one of the best and most successful managers ever. His coaching style is often described as unique and inspiring. He is known for motivating his players very well.

Early in his career, he was known for a very direct and tough style of football. But in the 1990s, his teams started playing a more attractive and attacking game. He was also good at building a strong team spirit. He often used motivational talks, sometimes inspired by religion, to get his players ready.

Scolari was known for being flexible with his tactics. He used different formations like 4–3–2–1, 3–4–1–2, and 4–3–3. He often gave his players freedom on the field. Midfielders were very important in his attacking plans, making runs through the middle. His wingers also played a key role, often switching positions to create different attacks.

When he coached Grêmio and Palmeiras, he often used a 4–4–2 formation. This made his teams strong in defense and good at quick counter-attacks. During his first time coaching Brazil, he started with a more defensive style. But for the 2002 World Cup, he used a more attacking 3–5–2 formation. This allowed players like Cafu and Roberto Carlos to attack from the sides. It also helped his talented forwards like Ronaldo, Rivaldo, and Ronaldinho shine.

With Portugal, Scolari's teams played an entertaining passing game. This showed off his players' skills. But he also focused on smart tactics and the mental side of the game. Former Portugal player Deco praised Scolari for how well he motivated the team during the 2006 World Cup.

In his second time coaching Brazil, Scolari used a flexible 4–2–3–1 formation. In the 2013 Confederations Cup final, his team pressed hard to stop Spain's passing game. He also used a strong defense and hard-working midfielders. Players like Oscar and Neymar were given roles that allowed them to attack while also helping with defense.

Managerial Statistics

Team	Nat	From	To	Record
Team	Nat	From	To	G	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %
CSA		1 January 1982	30 April 1982	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09	&&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013	−4	&&&&&&&&&&&&&012.50000012.50
Juventude		1 May 1982	31 May 1983	&&&&&&&&&&&&&022.&&&&&022	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07	&&&&&&&&&&&&&014.&&&&&014	&&&&&&&&&&&&&027.&&&&&027	−13	&&&&&&&&&&&&&027.27000027.27
Brasil de Pelotas		1 June 1983	31 December 1983	&&&&&&&&&&&&&038.&&&&&038	&&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013	&&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09	&&&&&&&&&&&&&033.&&&&&033	&&&&&&&&&&&&&029.&&&&&029	+4	&&&&&&&&&&&&&034.21000034.21
Al Shabab		1984	1985	&&&&&&&&&&&&&043.&&&&&043	&&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016	&&&&&&&&&&&&&018.&&&&&018	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09	&&&&&&&&&&&&&052.&&&&&052	&&&&&&&&&&&&&042.&&&&&042	+10	&&&&&&&&&&&&&037.21000037.21
Pelotas		1 January 1986	31 August 1986	&&&&&&&&&&&&&026.&&&&&026	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09	&&&&&&&&&&&&&021.&&&&&021	&&&&&&&&&&&&&036.&&&&&036	−15	&&&&&&&&&&&&&019.23000019.23
Juventude		1 September 1986	31 May 1987	&&&&&&&&&&&&&034.&&&&&034	&&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010	&&&&&&&&&&&&&019.&&&&&019	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&043.&&&&&043	&&&&&&&&&&&&&030.&&&&&030	+13	&&&&&&&&&&&&&029.41000029.41
Gremio		1 June 1987	29 February 1988	&&&&&&&&&&&&&030.&&&&&030	&&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016	&&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&040.&&&&&040	&&&&&&&&&&&&&019.&&&&&019	+21	&&&&&&&&&&&&&053.33000053.33
Goiás		1 March 1988	30 June 1988	&&&&&&&&&&&&&034.&&&&&034	&&&&&&&&&&&&&024.&&&&&024	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&062.&&&&&062	&&&&&&&&&&&&&014.&&&&&014	+48	&&&&&&&&&&&&&070.59000070.59
Qadsia		1988	1990	&&&&&&&&&&&&&041.&&&&&041	&&&&&&&&&&&&&017.&&&&&017	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	&&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016	&&&&&&&&&&&&&046.&&&&&046	&&&&&&&&&&&&&039.&&&&&039	+7	&&&&&&&&&&&&&041.46000041.46
Kuwait		16 July 1990	10 December 1990	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	−2	&&&&&&&&&&&&&050.&&&&&050.00
Coritiba		10 December 1990	31 December 1990	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06	−5	&0&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00.00
Criciúma		1 January 1991	31 July 1991	&&&&&&&&&&&&&024.&&&&&024	&&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06	&&&&&&&&&&&&&032.&&&&&032	&&&&&&&&&&&&&020.&&&&&020	+12	&&&&&&&&&&&&&045.83000045.83
Al-Ahli		1 August 1991	31 December 1991	&&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	+7	&&&&&&&&&&&&&063.64000063.64
Qadsia		1992	1992	&&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&024.&&&&&024	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09	+15	&&&&&&&&&&&&&053.33000053.33
Gremio		1 January 1993	31 December 1996	&&&&&&&&&&&&0222.&&&&&0222	&&&&&&&&&&&&&099.&&&&&099	&&&&&&&&&&&&&056.&&&&&056	&&&&&&&&&&&&&067.&&&&&067	&&&&&&&&&&&&0432.&&&&&0432	&&&&&&&&&&&&0272.&&&&&0272	+160	&&&&&&&&&&&&&044.59000044.59
Júbilo Iwata		1 February 1997	29 May 1997	&&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016	&&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&028.&&&&&028	&&&&&&&&&&&&&018.&&&&&018	+10	&&&&&&&&&&&&&062.50000062.50
Palmeiras		1 January 1998	30 June 2000	&&&&&&&&&&&&0254.&&&&&0254	&&&&&&&&&&&&0127.&&&&&0127	&&&&&&&&&&&&&064.&&&&&064	&&&&&&&&&&&&&063.&&&&&063	&&&&&&&&&&&&0356.&&&&&0356	&&&&&&&&&&&&0244.&&&&&0244	+112	&&&&&&&&&&&&&050.&&&&&050.00
Cruzeiro		1 July 2000	10 June 2001	&&&&&&&&&&&&&075.&&&&&075	&&&&&&&&&&&&&040.&&&&&040	&&&&&&&&&&&&&023.&&&&&023	&&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012	&&&&&&&&&&&&0108.&&&&&0108	&&&&&&&&&&&&&062.&&&&&062	+46	&&&&&&&&&&&&&053.33000053.33
Brazil		11 June 2001	9 August 2002	&&&&&&&&&&&&&026.&&&&&026	&&&&&&&&&&&&&019.&&&&&019	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06	&&&&&&&&&&&&&056.&&&&&056	&&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016	+40	&&&&&&&&&&&&&073.&8000073.08
Portugal		28 November 2003	30 June 2008	&&&&&&&&&&&&&074.&&&&&074	&&&&&&&&&&&&&042.&&&&&042	&&&&&&&&&&&&&018.&&&&&018	&&&&&&&&&&&&&014.&&&&&014	&&&&&&&&&&&&0129.&&&&&0129	&&&&&&&&&&&&&053.&&&&&053	+76	&&&&&&&&&&&&&056.76000056.76
Chelsea		1 July 2008	9 February 2009	&&&&&&&&&&&&&036.&&&&&036	&&&&&&&&&&&&&020.&&&&&020	&&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&066.&&&&&066	&&&&&&&&&&&&&024.&&&&&024	+42	&&&&&&&&&&&&&055.56000055.56
Bunyodkor		8 June 2009	28 May 2010	&&&&&&&&&&&&&044.&&&&&044	&&&&&&&&&&&&&033.&&&&&033	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06	&&&&&&&&&&&&0101.&&&&&0101	&&&&&&&&&&&&&033.&&&&&033	+68	&&&&&&&&&&&&&075.&&&&&075.00
Palmeiras		13 June 2010	13 September 2012	&&&&&&&&&&&&0154.&&&&&0154	&&&&&&&&&&&&&065.&&&&&065	&&&&&&&&&&&&&047.&&&&&047	&&&&&&&&&&&&&042.&&&&&042	&&&&&&&&&&&&0230.&&&&&0230	&&&&&&&&&&&&0174.&&&&&0174	+56	&&&&&&&&&&&&&042.21000042.21
Brazil		28 November 2012	14 July 2014	&&&&&&&&&&&&&029.&&&&&029	&&&&&&&&&&&&&019.&&&&&019	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&069.&&&&&069	&&&&&&&&&&&&&026.&&&&&026	+43	&&&&&&&&&&&&&065.52000065.52
Gremio		29 July 2014	19 May 2015	&&&&&&&&&&&&&051.&&&&&051	&&&&&&&&&&&&&026.&&&&&026	&&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012	&&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013	&&&&&&&&&&&&&061.&&&&&061	&&&&&&&&&&&&&036.&&&&&036	+25	&&&&&&&&&&&&&050.98000050.98
Guangzhou Evergrande		4 June 2015	9 November 2017	&&&&&&&&&&&&0123.&&&&&0123	&&&&&&&&&&&&&074.&&&&&074	&&&&&&&&&&&&&030.&&&&&030	&&&&&&&&&&&&&019.&&&&&019	&&&&&&&&&&&&0247.&&&&&0247	&&&&&&&&&&&&0119.&&&&&0119	+128	&&&&&&&&&&&&&060.16000060.16
Palmeiras		26 July 2018	3 September 2019	&&&&&&&&&&&&&077.&&&&&077	&&&&&&&&&&&&&046.&&&&&046	&&&&&&&&&&&&&021.&&&&&021	&&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010	&&&&&&&&&&&&0123.&&&&&0123	&&&&&&&&&&&&&043.&&&&&043	+80	&&&&&&&&&&&&&059.74000059.74
Cruzeiro		19 October 2020	25 January 2021	&&&&&&&&&&&&&021.&&&&&021	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&024.&&&&&024	&&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016	+8	&&&&&&&&&&&&&042.86000042.86
Gremio		7 July 2021	10 October 2021	&&&&&&&&&&&&&021.&&&&&021	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&09.&&&&&09	&&&&&&&&&&&&&022.&&&&&022	&&&&&&&&&&&&&022.&&&&&022	+0	&&&&&&&&&&&&&042.86000042.86
Athletico Paranaense		4 May 2022	13 November 2022	&&&&&&&&&&&&&047.&&&&&047	&&&&&&&&&&&&&022.&&&&&022	&&&&&&&&&&&&&014.&&&&&014	&&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011	&&&&&&&&&&&&&068.&&&&&068	&&&&&&&&&&&&&051.&&&&&051	+17	&&&&&&&&&&&&&046.81000046.81
Atlético Mineiro		16 June 2023	20 March 2024	&&&&&&&&&&&&&041.&&&&&041	&&&&&&&&&&&&&019.&&&&&019	&&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010	&&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012	&&&&&&&&&&&&&056.&&&&&056	&&&&&&&&&&&&&034.&&&&&034	+22	&&&&&&&&&&&&&046.34000046.34
Total				&&&&&&&&&&&01647.&&&&&01,647	&&&&&&&&&&&&0817.&&&&&0817	&&&&&&&&&&&&0450.&&&&&0450	&&&&&&&&&&&&0380.&&&&&0380	&&&&&&&&&&&02494.&&&&&02,494	&&&&&&&&&&&01506.&&&&&01,506	+988	&&&&&&&&&&&&&049.61000049.61