Luiz Felipe Scolari
A World Cup-winning manager whose gruff exterior and tactical pragmatism brought ultimate glory to Brazil and unexpected success to Portugal.
Born 1948 (age 78)·Brazilian football manager·Birthday: November 9·Baby Boomers
Biography
Luiz Felipe Scolari, 'Big Phil,' built a managerial persona as formidable as his nickname suggests—a tough, passionate, and often controversial figure who commands locker rooms through sheer force of personality. His playing career was modest, but his coaching mind was sharp, honed in the demanding football culture of South America. Scolari's crowning moment came in 2002, when he masterminded Brazil's fifth World Cup victory, melding individual genius like Ronaldo's into a cohesive, resilient unit. He then repeated the trick of unifying a nation by taking Portugal to their first major final at Euro 2004 and a World Cup semi-final. His club career has seen him hop continents, from winning the Copa Libertadores with Grêmio to a tumultuous spell at Chelsea. Scolari's legacy is that of a tournament specialist, a man whose methods, while not always pretty, have delivered the most coveted prize of all.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Luiz was born in 1948, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Luiz Was Born
The biggest hits of 1948
#1 Movie
The Red Shoes
Best Picture
Hamlet
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Luiz's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1948Born
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1953Started school
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1961Became a teenager
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Could drive
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1966Could vote
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1969Turned 21
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1978Turned 30
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 40
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 50
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 60
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 70
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 78 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Led the Brazilian national team to victory in the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan and South Korea.
- Guided Portugal to the final of UEFA Euro 2004 and the semi-finals of the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
- Won the Copa Libertadores, South America's premier club competition, with Grêmio in 1995 and Palmeiras in 1999.
Did You Know?
He is of Italian descent, with his grandfather having emigrated from Rome to Brazil.
During the 2002 World Cup, he famously consulted a psychic for team selection advice.
He once substituted a player just 36 minutes into a match while managing Chelsea, citing a lack of tactical discipline.
“The pressure is the same for everyone. It's about who can handle it.”
