FLAMENGO

Flamengo's current squad has 29 players, 22 of which have already played under the command of Filipe Luís, the interim coach of Rubro-Negro until December. After Tite's dismissal, Filipe takes over on a provisional basis, with the expectation of returning to his role as under-20 coach in 2025.

Filipe Luís played for Flamengo from 2019 until 2023, a period in which he was a teammate of practically the entire cast. The only exception is Alex Sandro, who, although he was a Brazilian teammate, did not play for Fla at the same time as the former full-back. The players who played with Filipe Luís are:

Agustín Rossi

Matheus Cunha

Léo Pereira

Fabrício Bruno

p>David Luiz

Cleiton

Ayrton Lucas

Wesley

Varela

Alex Sandro

Allan

Erick Pulgar

Gerson

Arrascaeta

Lorran

Bruno Henrique

Everton Cebolinha

Michael

Luiz Araújo

Matheus Gonçalves

Pedro

Gabigol

At the base, Filipe Luís won the Copa Rio U-17 and Club World Cup U-20 titles.

Filipe Luís' first game as Flamengo coach will take place this Wednesday (2), at 9:45 pm (Brasília time), against Corinthians, at Maracanã, in the first leg of the Copa do Brasil semi-final. The other semi-final will be between Atlético-MG and Vasco da Gama.

Filipe Luís arrives with the mission of winning the national knockout stage and bringing Flamengo closer to the Brasileirão leaders. In 2024, under Tite's management, Mengão already won the Campeonato Carioca undefeated, but was eliminated from the Libertadores. Now, the club is looking for a fresh start to the season.

Filipe Luís, idol and now interim coach of Flamengo, officially took command of the main team this Monday (30). The former player began preparing the squad with the aim of reorganizing the team for the sequence of games. The first training session led by Filipe took place at 3:30 pm (Brasília time) at CT Ninho do Urubu, and marks the beginning of his journey in the new role. The club is confident that his experience on the field will bring immediate benefits to the team.

The announcement of Filipe Luís as interim coach came after the dismissal of the previous coach, who left the position after a series of negative results. As a result, Flamengo's board opted for an internal and temporary solution, betting on a name that knows the squad and has a good relationship with the players. The former left-back, who built a solid and respected career in European and Brazilian football, now faces the challenge of guiding Flamengo to a recovery within the season.

During the first training session, Filipe prioritized tactical organization and defensive positioning, areas that he has always mastered as a player. Ninho do Urubu had an atmosphere of concentration and seriousness, with the athletes responding positively to the new commander's instructions. Filipe Luís also dedicated a significant part of his time to individual conversations with some players, seeking to understand their expectations and align the strategy for the upcoming games.

Filipe Luís' challenge in the Flamengo will not be easy, considering the pressure for results and the club's unstable moment . The board did not determine a specific deadline for the former full-back to remain as interim coach, but the expectation is that he will lead the team until the arrival of a new effective coach. Behind the scenes, it is said that the transition with a name already known internally can help minimize the impacts of drastic changes.

Filipe Luís is a big name in the Flamengo, with a winning record and respect earned on and off the field. The board's confidence in the former player's work is an indication that he will have the freedom to implement some of his tactical ideas, but always with the focus on maintaining the team's balance and competitiveness. According to sources linked to the club, Filipe has the full support of the players and the technical committee, who see in him a positive leadership for the group.

With the beginning of this new cycle, Flamengo hopes to return to the path of victories and stabilize performance within the championship. The fans, who have always been an important force for the club, are already mobilizing to support their idol in this challenge. For now, Filipe Luís' mission will be to organize the house and prepare the squad for the next commitments, while the board defines the team's future coach.

The possibility of Filipe Luís remaining in charge of the main squad of Flamengoin 2025 is being discussed behind the scenes. Although the current board sees the continuity of the work as positive, the scenario is not simple due to the club's electoral calendar. The current president, Rodolfo Landim, ends his term at the end of 2024, and the definition of who will lead the technical team will be the responsibility of his successor.

Filipe Luís, who ended his career as a player at the end of 2023, quickly assumed the position of coach of the first team, gaining the trust of the squad and the board. His early work was assessed as promising, especially in group management and the development of young talent. However, staying in the position will depend on who wins the election for the club's presidency. If the opposition wins, new plans can be designed for the football department.

Internally, there is already a consensus on the importance of maintaining stability in the technical command, even more so after a turbulent period in recent years, marked by successive changes of coaches. Filipe Luís is seen as a name that understands Flamengo's culture and has the respect of the squad, in addition to being a low-cost bet with great potential for evolution. However, any long-term decision about its future will be conditioned on the outcome of the election.

With the election year approaching, it is natural that the club will start discussing names for the next administration, both in the administrative area as in the football department. Even with the possible continuity of Filipe Luís being analyzed, the situation will only be defined after Landim's successor has been chosen. The current president, who will not be able to run for re-election, will have an influential role in the process, but it will be the new president who will decide the future of the technical command.

One of the main issues debated internally is whether Flamengo will maintain the current policy of betting on former athletes for management positions in football or whether to look for an outside name with proven experience. Filipe Luís, despite having demonstrated initial competence, is still an unknown as a head coach in high-level competitions. Flamengo's performance in the tournaments that remaining in the 2024 season could also influence the debate, with a possible classification for the Libertadores being a decisive factor for their permanence.