Flamengo's spirited display at the Club World Cup ended with a 4-2 pipe by Bayern Munich in the round of 16 but the Brazilian side's attacking approach under Filipe Luis has drawn praise and put the 39-year-old firmly in sight of Europe's top clubs.
Regardless the loss, Flamengo's campaign, which included a commanding 3-1 victory over Premier League Chelsea, showcased their ability to trial European opposition, a feat no Brazilian club has managed in 13 years at this level.
Filipe Luis, a former defender with Atletico Madrid and Chelsea, has transformed Flamengo into an exciting offensive force since taking over last year, winning three domestic trophies in his first four months at the helm.
The fixture versus Bayern saw Flamengo battle valiantly, with goals from Gerson and Jorginho with a spotkick keeping them in contention.
However, Bayern's precise finishing, with a brace from Harry Kane, proved decisive.
Speaking after the fixture, Filipe Luis acknowledged the trial of facing European giants.
But we showed we can compete versus a much superior rival and the way we played brought us closer to winning,"
Filipe Luis' managerial career has taken off rapidly since he succeeded former Brazil coach Tite at Flamengo.
Under his guidance, the club won the Copa do Brasil in November, the Supercopa do Brasil versus Botafogo in February, and the Carioca Tournament in March.
The Club World Cup marked the first tournament Luís has failed to victory, though his achievements have now drawn comparisons to Brazil's top coaching exports.
European media have taken notice, with Marca describing him as
The Athletic labelled him
"
Meanwhile, Portuguese and Argentine coaches have dominated Brazil's domestic scene, with Abel Ferreira, Jorge Jesus and Artur Jorge every having success in recent seasons by winning the Libertadores with Palmeiras, Flamengo and Botafogo respectively.
Filipe Luís' Flamengo lead the Brasileirao and are in the knockout stages of the Copa Libertadores and Copa do Brasil.
With his European playing experience and early managerial success, Filipe Luis is seen as Brazil's best hope of returning a native coach to the top leagues of Europe.
Sole time will tell if Flamengo's coach will continue his rise and secure a move to one of Europe's elite clubs.
For now, his work in Brazil is laying the groundwork for what could be a big step forward for Brazilian coaches on the global stage.
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