Flamengo already has a new coach.
After dismissing Filipe Luís on Monday night (2), the Rubro-Negro confirmed the signing of Leonardo Jardim, who coached Cruzeiro last season.
He signed a contract with the club until December 2027.
The 51-year-old Portuguese coach left Cruzeiro at the end of 2025 to resolve personal matters, and there was an expectation that he would return to the market starting in March.
Advertisement
Even during his break, Jardim received inquiries from Brazilian football clubs.
In addition, Olympique de Marseille from France and Al-Wasl from the United Arab Emirates even made formal offers, which were declined by the coach.
Jardim’s Career
Leonardo Jardim’s career is marked by success in Europe, significant titles in the Arab world, and a recent and consistent spell in Brazilian football, where he coached Cruzeiro.
Although he is Portuguese, Jardim was born in Venezuela (to Portuguese parents) and moved to Madeira Island, the homeland of Cristiano Ronaldo, at a very young age.
Graduated in physical education, he was never a professional football player and began his coaching career quite early.
Advertisement
Rise in Portugal
Leonardo Jardim began his career at Camacha in 2003 and gained national attention by securing promotion to the Segunda Liga with Chaves (2007/08) and then to the Portuguese Primeira Liga with Beira-Mar (2009/10).
He managed Braga in the 2011/12 season, leading the team to third place in the national championship with an impressive winning streak.
In the 2013/14 season, he took charge of one of the country’s giants, Sporting Clube de Portugal.
Revealed Mbappé
After succeeding in Portugal, Leonardo Jardim had good spells with mid-level teams in Europe.
– Olympiacos (Greece): Won the Greek Championship and Greek Cup in the 2012/13 season.
Advertisement
– AS Monaco (France): It was at the French club that he reached his peak on the European stage. Jardim dethroned the powerful PSG and won the French Championship in the 2016/17 season, an achievement that earned him the award for best coach of the tournament.
Besides the title, he was responsible for launching striker Kylian Mbappé onto the world football stage.
Titles in the Arab World
With Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia), he established himself by winning the Asian Champions League in the 2021/2022 season, as well as the Saudi Championship and the Super Cup.
In the United Arab Emirates, he coached Shabab Al-Ahli and won the UAE Pro League in the 2022/2023 season.
Advertisement
He also had a stint at Al-Rayyan (Qatar) and a brief spell at Al Ain (United Arab Emirates) before coming to Brazil.
Recent Experience in Brazil (Cruzeiro)
In February 2025, Jardim was announced as Cruzeiro’s coach.
He had a very solid campaign in the Brasileirão, finishing the competition in third place with 70 points, securing a direct spot for the club in the 2026 Libertadores.
In 10 months of work, he accumulated 55 matches, with 26 wins, 18 draws, 11 losses, and a 58% success rate.
Since leaving the Minas Gerais team, Jardim had been without a club and turned down offers (including an inquiry from Flamengo itself and Olympique de Marseille) to take some time off and deal with personal matters.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.
Read the full article here