Just hours after beating Madureira 8-0 and qualifying for thefinal of the Rio de Janeiro championship, Flamengo surprised to announce thedeparture of Filipe Luís as coach of the first team. The decision was made official through a statement in which the club also confirmed the games of its closest collaborators.
“The Flamengo Regatta Club reports that,starting this Tuesday(3),Filipe Luís will not continue as coach of the professional team. With him,Ivan Palanco(technical assistant) and Diogo Linhares (physical trainer)also leave the club,” the institution
said.
The 40-year-old former full-back had taken office on September 30, 2024 to replace Tite, just a year after retiring as a soccer player at the club itself. In a short time, he built a successful cycle, winning seven titles, including the Copa Libertadores 2025. That achievement allowed him to renew his contractfor two years in December, although the relationship was interrupted just two months later
. Filipe Luis led Flamengo to their fourth Copa Libertadores
Even globally it left its mark. In the Intercontinental Cup, he beat Cruz Azul and Pyramids FC before falling on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain in the final. In the 2025 Club World Cup, held in the United States, he led his group ahead of Chelsea, then champion, although he was eliminated in the round of 16 by Bayern
Munich.
However, the beginning of 2026 marked a break. Flamengo had the worst start to the season in a decade, with five losses in twelve games and two lost finals (Brazilian Super Cup to Corinthians and Recopa Sudamericana to Lanús). The wear and tear with the fans became evident in several matches and ended up precipitating the
management decision.
Before the news broke, the coach himself had left a farewell message: “Whatever happens, if I'm not here tomorrow, my love for Flamengo will always exist. I have no doubt that here I have lived the best years of my life.”
Filipe Luis had a bad start to the year With no confirmed successor, names such as Leonardo Jardim, who left Cruzeiro in December, and even that of Marcelo Gallardo, who recently rejected an offer from Vasco da Gama after his departure from
River, as possible replacements to face the rest of the season
.
Filipe Luis' numbers at Flamengo
Since his arrival at Mengao in mid-2024, the Jaraguá do Sul native has led exactly 100 games, of which he won 63, drew 21 and lost 16.
In terms of titles, the now former coach of Fla won seven: 2024 Brazil Cup, 2025 Brazilian Super Cup, 2025 Carioca Championship, 2025 Copa Libertadores, Brasileirão 2025, Derby of the Americas 2025 and Challenger Cup2025.
