Former Atlético Madrid and Chelsea Left Back, Filipe Luis has decided to retire from professional soccer. The decorated Brazilian fullback will be saying goodbye to the sport and his fans in the next game of Flamengo, the final game of his career.
The 38-year-old defender moved back to Brazil with Flamengo in 2019 and has played 173 games for the Brazilian club. His final game of his career will be against Cuiaba on December 3 which is the penultimate game of the season. Luis might delay his retirement for one more game if Flamengo stays in the hunt for the league title. Currently, Flamengo is fourth in the table, only three points behind league leaders Palmeiras.
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Luis announced his decision by stating: “I promised to myself that I would make the decision to stop if I could not play in a high level. Flamengo deserves someone up to its standards, someone who can play 70 matches a year and fights for a place in the starting team in a fair way.” The defender was playing through injuries in the current season and has taken this step to give way to younger talent in Flamengo in the next season.
In his 20-year-long career, Luis has moved around Europe with lucrative spells in Spain and England. As per various reports, the net worth of the full-back falls within the range of $10 to $15 million region. Some reports estimate his net worth around $80 million, however, those estimate is likely to be overestimated.
Filipe Luis’ career trophies and statistics
Filipe Luis started his career in Brazil with Figueirense FC in 2004. He moved to La Liga in 2008 with Deportivo de La Coruña and in 2010, his first big move came with Atlético Madrid. The Brazilian exploded onto the scene in Madrid. In his first stint with Atlético Madrid, he won four major trophies, including a La Liga title and a Europa League title.
Four impressive seasons with Atlético Madrid earned him a big-money move with Chelsea in 2014. The Brazilian failed to make an impact in the José Mourinho side and was sold back to Atlético Madrid after only a season at Stamford Bridge. Even with 26 appearances for Chelsea, Luis walked away with a Premier League title in his single season in England.
Foi intenso, foi vitorioso, foi um torcedor dentro de campo.
Fili, Filipinho, Filipe.
Na voz da Maior Torcida do Mundo:
“FILIPE LUÍS!”
Um craque de leitura do futebol que é de outro planeta, que está nos livros de história de uma Nação.
QUE PRIVILÉGIO!
Com o Manto… pic.twitter.com/6KMT9wLZzZ
— Flamengo (@Flamengo) November 30, 2023
In his second stint with Atlético Madrid, he won two more European titles, including the Europa League in the 2017/18 season. Luis moved back to Brazil in 2019 with Flamengo after making 333 appearances for Atlético Madrid. With Flamengo, he has added eight more titles to his trophy cabinet, including two Brazilian championships and two Copa Libertadores.
With Brazil’s national team, Luis made 44 appearances and won a major title in Copa América in 2019. After 20 years, Filipe Luis’ is finally pulling the curtain on his career with 682 club appearances 25 goals 47 assists, and 18 titles. Truly, one of the greatest left back in Brazilian history.