Big Phil is back in Brazil. After two and a half years exiled in China, Luiz Felipe Scolari, the manager who won the World Cup in 2002 and led the Selecao to a 7-1 drubbing at the hands of Germany in 2014, is back in his homeland, having taken the reins at Palmeiras.
It is a bold move for both the club and the man himself, as the ex-Chelsea boss looks to rebuild a reputation that was severely damaged by that home World Cup catastrophe.
The mission now is clear, he must repeat the historic feat he managed during his first spell as manager of the Sao Paulo-based side and win the Copa Libertadores, South America’s Champions League.
Palmeiras is an institution Scolari knows well, having previously racked up 408 games as manager over two spells. Only the legendary Oswaldo Brandao, who coached the team on five occasions between 1945 and 1980, has had more matches at the helm.
During Felipao’s first stint in charge, from 1997-2000, he led Palmeiras to the Copa do Brasil, Copa Mercosul and Torneio Rio-Sao Paulo, as well as the aforementioned Libertadores, which was the club’s long-awaited first continental crown.
His second passage as manager lasted for two years from 2010 and he once again won the Copa do Brasil in July 2012. Palmeiras, however, were relegated at the end of the same year, Felipao having left the club by mutual consent just a few months earlier with his team 19th in the league.
Luiz Felipe Scolari is back managing in Brazil and ready to erase those 7-1 nightmares
Luiz Felipe Scolari is back in Brazil and ready to prove the doubters wrong