Former Brazil and Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe Scolari announces his retirement from football

Former Brazil and Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has announced his retirement from football. Scolari was the coach when Brazil won their last FIFA World Cup in 2002 and took Portugal to the final of the European Championship in 2004.

The 74-year-old Brazilian made the retirement announcement after Athletico Paranaense’s 3-0 home win against Botafogo in the final round of the Brazilian championship. The victory secured his team’s spot in next year’s Copa Libertadores.

Scolari was visibly emotional after Athetico’s game, and said football has been his life and he will be ending that chapter very well.

“This has been my life. I end this chapter very well. I lived everything I never expected to live in soccer. And I finish it today,” said Scolari.

The Brazilian said he expects to return to Athletico in an executive position next year but will no longer be in charge of the team.

At club level, Scolari won the Copa Libertadores with Gremio back in 1995 and Palmeiras in 1999, as well as the Brazilian Serie A title with both of those sides, in 1996 and 2018, respectively.

Earlier, Scolari had reflected on his time in the Premier League coaching Chelsea, appreciating the fact that coaches meet and talk after games in England.

“I used to call Cristiano a lot, so Ferguson used to talk to me about how he was doing at Manchester United, the hard work he was putting in, all that. I faced him in the Premier League when I went to Chelsea. There is something very nice in England where coaches meet and talk after games. There aren’t fights, there is friendship. It’s very beautiful,” said Scolari.