Football Daily | Sacked after an 8-0 win? The curious case of Filipe Luís and Flamengo

Guardian Sport

by Rob Smyth

March 3, 2026

Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now! In 2021, during a wide-ranging interview with the Guardian, Flamengo’s veteran defender Filipe Luís described his employers as “probably the most demanding club on earth”. In the early hours on Tuesday, he dropped the probably. Filipe Luís, by now the highly successful manager of Flamengo, had just watched his team win 8 [E-I-G-H-T – Football Daily Vidiprinter] -0 against Madureira to reach another Campeonato Carioca final. Despite that, and the fact he won seven [S-E-V-E-N – FDV] different competitions in 18 months at the club, he was unceremoniously bundled through the door marked Do One. “Clube de Regatas do Flamengo informs that Filipe Luís will no longer be in charge of the professional team,” began an official statement that put the “tory” in “perfunctory”. “Flamengo thanks former player and coach Filipe Luís for everything that was achieved and shared during this journey. The club wishes him success and the best of luck in the continuation of his professional career.” I don’t drive, but I get around with a driver. I prefer not to drive here. I don’t have a car, but I can drive. I don’t like how they drive here. They follow the rules too much and are a bit slow. Sometimes you see these big traffic jams for no reason. Unfortunately, that’s just how it is here. Everyone has their ways” – Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori appears to be no fan of London’s traffic calming measures. I read with interest your mention of a ‘lukewarm stroopwafel’ with regards to the Premier League’s current stylings (yesterday’s Football Daily). I remember when the Wenger/Fàbregas/Van Persie Arsenal served a delightfully sugared, strawberries and cream stroopwafel that met with withering critique for having no spine, for not tasting good away at Stoke on a Tuesday night. I also remember José Mourinho’s Chelsea teams showing up with a borderline anti-stroopwafel, covered in dirt and sour intention, and hearing that this was a ‘pragmatic’ stroopwafel, full of ‘pace’ and ‘toughness’ and various other bits of hidden post-Imperial delight. I would also note that when playing in Europe, where one’s stroopwafel jersey isn’t tugged all match long and the other side feels compelled to at least attempt to lay out a decent stroopwafel of their own, Arsenal seem capable and delighted to plate up a delicious, crispy-on-the-outside and chewy-on-the-inside version. In light of all of this. Lukewarm? Piping hot? Out of the freezer? Covered in grime? I couldn’t care less which stroopwafel Mikel Arteta puts on the menu this year, as long as the table has the trophy as the centrepiece” – Thad Brown. Loved the Ken Muir letter (yesterday’s Football Daily letters). Loyalty!” – Paula Adamson (and others). Real Madrid were reminded on Monday that, when the going gets tough, Getafe get going” – Peter Oh. This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions. Continue reading...

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Originally published on Guardian Sport on 3/3/2026