Flamengo have parted company with head coach Filipe Luís in remarkable circumstances, announcing his dismissal immediately after an emphatic 8–0 victory over Madureira, İdman.Biz reports.
Despite the dominant display, Brazilian media report that the decision had already been taken by the club’s board before kick-off. President Rodolfo Landim is said to have approved the move regardless of the result, with defeats in the finals of the Brazilian Super Cup and the Recopa Sudamericana at the start of 2026 cited as the primary reasons. Luís was reportedly earning around two million Brazilian reals per month, a figure that added financial pressure amid the absence of silverware this season.
In a striking twist, Luís conducted his post-match press conference unaware that he had been dismissed. Assistant coach Ivan Palanco and fitness coach Diogo Linhares will also leave the club. Portuguese manager Leonardo Jardim has been named in Brazilian reports as the leading candidate to replace him.
The decision marks a dramatic end to what had been a hugely successful spell. Since taking charge in September 2024, Luís guided the Rio de Janeiro side to the 2024 Copa do Brasil, the 2025 Campeonato Carioca, the 2025 Super Cup and the Copa Libertadores in 2025. He became the first person in the club’s history to win South America’s premier club competition both as a player and as a manager. Flamengo won more than 65 per cent of their matches under his stewardship.
Last season the squad also featured former Qarabag striker Olavio Juninho, who moved to Mexico in January this year. His departure formed part of wider squad changes during a period of transition for the club.
Although Luís leaves as a club legend with five trophies in 15 months, Flamengo’s hierarchy have decided that a recent dip in performances justified a change in direction at one of South America’s most demanding institutions.
