Levir Culpi
Full nameLevir Culpi
Birth date28 February 1953 (age 73)
Birth placeCuritiba, Brazil
PositionCentre-back
Youthclubs 1Coritiba
Years 11972–1973
Clubs 1Coritiba
Caps 120
Goals 10
Years 21973
Clubs 2→ Botafogo (loan)
Caps 21
Goals 20
Years 31974–1978
Clubs 3Santa Cruz
Caps 357
Goals 30
Years 41978–1979
Clubs 4Colorado
Years 51979–1980
Clubs 5Atlante
Caps 532
Goals 51
Years 61980
Clubs 6Vila Nova
Years 71980–1981
Clubs 7Colorado
Caps 75
Goals 70
Years 81982–1983
Clubs 8Figueirense
Years 91984–1985
Clubs 9Juventude
Nationalyears 11972
Nationalteam 1Brazil U20
Manageryears 11986
Managerclubs 1Juventude
Manageryears 21986
Managerclubs 2Caxias
Manageryears 31986–1987
Managerclubs 3Atlético Paranaense
Manageryears 41988
Managerclubs 4Marcílio Dias
Manageryears 51988
Managerclubs 5Inter de Limeira
Manageryears 61989
Managerclubs 6Inter de Limeira
Manageryears 71989–1990
Managerclubs 7Criciúma
Manageryears 81990
Managerclubs 8Inter de Limeira
Manageryears 91991
Managerclubs 9Coritiba
Manageryears 101991
Managerclubs 10Inter de Limeira
Manageryears 111992
Managerclubs 11Criciúma
Manageryears 121992
Managerclubs 12Al-Ittifaq
Manageryears 131993
Managerclubs 13Paraná Clube
Manageryears 141994
Managerclubs 14Guarani
Manageryears 151994–1995
Managerclubs 15Atlético Mineiro
Manageryears 161995
Managerclubs 16Portuguesa
Manageryears 171996
Managerclubs 17Cruzeiro
Manageryears 181997
Managerclubs 18Cerezo Osaka
Manageryears 191998–1999
Managerclubs 19Cruzeiro
Manageryears 202000
Managerclubs 20São Paulo
Manageryears 212001
Managerclubs 21Sport
Manageryears 222001
Managerclubs 22Atlético Mineiro
Manageryears 232002

Levir Culpi (born 28 February 1953) is a Brazilian professional football coach and former player who played as a centre-back.

Playing career

Known as Levir during his playing days, he was born in Curitiba, Paraná, and started his career with hometown club Coritiba, in 1972. After spending a six-month loan deal at Botafogo the following year, he signed for Santa Cruz in 1974.[1]

Levir subsequently represented Colorado (two stints), Atlante, Vila Nova, Figueirense and Juventude, retiring with the latter in 1985.[2][3]

Coaching career

Immediately after retiring Culpi took up coaching, starting with his last club Juventude. After a stint at Caxias he was named Atlético Paranaense head coach in 1986, but left the club in the following year.

After a period in charge of Marcílio Dias,[4] Culpi took Internacional de Limeira to their second national title, a Campeonato Brasileiro Série B in 1988. He subsequently managed Criciúma, Internacional and Coritiba before returning to Criciúma in 1992 and taking the club to the quarterfinals of the 1992 Copa Libertadores (being knocked out by eventual champions São Paulo).

In the following years Culpi rarely settled into a club, being in charge of Al-Ittifaq, Paraná Clube, Guarani, Atlético Mineiro, Portuguesa and Cruzeiro before moving abroad to manage Cerezo Osaka in 1997. He returned to Cruzeiro in 1998, notably winning the year's Recopa Sudamericana with a 5–0 aggregate success over River Plate.

In January 2000 Culpi took over São Paulo, but was sacked in November. After spells at Sport and Atlético Mineiro in 2001, he replaced Flávio Murtosa at the helm of Palmeiras on 3 September 2002,[5] but could not avoid the club's first-ever relegation from the top tier.

In December 2002 Culpi was appointed head coach of Botafogo,[6] taking the club back to the main category after finishing second. On 27 April 2004 he returned to Atlético Paranaense, after resigning with Bota.[7]

Culpi again managed Cruzeiro during the 2005 campaign, but was relieved from his duties in July of that year. He subsequently managed São Caetano[8] before achieving another promotion with Atlético Mineiro in 2006.[9]

In May 2007, J. League Division 2 side Cerezo Osaka sacked Satoshi Tsunami and appointed Culpi as head coach. During his spell in charge of the team, he discovered Shinji Kagawa, who then played as a defensive midfielder, and used him as an attacking midfielder. Kagawa combined well with Takashi Inui, another talented young player, and the team under Culpi were promoted to the J. League Division 1 in 2010. He continued to display his ability to develop young players and construct an attacking team. With such players as Kagawa, Inui, Akihiro Ienaga, Hiroshi Kiyotake, Adriano, and Martinez, the team finished 3rd in 2010 and qualified for the AFC Champions League.

In November 2011, Culpi decided not to extend his contract, saying "I've come to the conclusion that now is the time to return to the far distant Brazil and spend time with my family."[10] The following 26 August, however, he returned to the club after replacing compatriot Sérgio Soares.[11]

In April 2014, Levir Culpi was announced as Atlético Mineiro coach for the fourth time in his career.[12] He managed to perform a double in 2014, winning both the Recopa Sudamericana and the Copa do Brasil. In 2015, in the first official match of the season, Atlético defeated Tupi 2-0 and he reached his 228th match ahead of the team, becoming the third coach with more games for the club, only behind Telê Santana (434), and Procópio Cardoso (328).[13]

On 3 May 2015, Culpi lifted the Campeonato Mineiro trophy for the fifth time in his career, becoming the fifth coach to do so.[14] He left Atlético Mineiro on 26 November, exactly one year after winning the Copa do Brasil. He was dismissed after a total of 288 matches, with 154 wins, 60 draws and 74 defeats, with 493 goals scored 184 goals conceded.[15]

On 4 March 2016, Culpi was announced as new coach of Fluminense.[16] He won the inaugural Primeira Liga, but was relieved from his duties on 6 November.[17]

On 6 June 2017, Culpi agreed to a six-month contract with Santos, replacing fired Dorival Júnior.[18] On 28 October, he was himself dismissed after a 2–1 loss against São Paulo.[19]

On 17 October 2018, Culpi returned to Galo for his fifth spell, replacing dismissed Thiago Larghi.[20] He was sacked the following 11 April, after a 4–1 loss against Cerro Porteño.

Coaching statistics

TeamFromToRecordRefs
GWDLWin %
Cerezo Osaka1 February 199731 December 1997[21]
Cerezo Osaka20072011[21]
Cerezo Osaka20122013[21]
Fluminense4 March 20166 November 2016[17]
Gamba Osaka20182018[21]
Cerezo Osaka20212021[21]
Total

Honours

Player

Coritiba

Santa Cruz

Manager

Inter de Limeira

Criciúma

Paraná

Cruzeiro

São Paulo

Atlético Mineiro

Fluminense

References

  1. ^ "Levir Culpi… um "negócio da China" para o Santa Cruz" [Levir Culpi... a "big business" for Santa Cruz] (in Portuguese). Tardes de Pacaembu. 14 July 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  2. ^ "Levir Culpi" (in Portuguese). Terceiro Tempo. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  3. ^ "Levir volta ao estádio 35 anos após único gol marcado no México" [Levir returns to the stadium 35 years after only goal scored in Mexico] (in Portuguese). Hoje em Dia. 14 April 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  4. ^ "O mito do busto secador no Marcílio Dias" [The myth of the willing bust in Marcílio Dias] (in Portuguese). Zero Hora. 2 July 2008. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  5. ^ "Palmeiras acerta com o técnico Levir Culpi" [Palmeiras sign manager Levir Culpi] (in Portuguese). Folha de S.Paulo. 3 September 2002. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  6. ^ "Levir Culpi deve assumir o Botafogo" [Levir Culpi may take over Botafogo] (in Portuguese). Folha de S. Paulo. 25 December 2002. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  7. ^ "Levir Culpi é o novo técnico do Atlético-PR" [Levir Culpi is the new manager of Atlético-PR] (in Portuguese). O Estado de S. Paulo. 27 April 2004. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  8. ^ "Cruzeiro e São Caetano é o reencontro para Levir" [Cruzeiro and São Caetano is the reencounter for Levir] (in Portuguese). Gazeta Digital. 20 August 2005. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  9. ^ "Levir Culpi é o novo técnico do Atlético-MG" [Levir Culpi is the new manager of Atlético-MG] (in Portuguese). Terra. 28 May 2006. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  10. ^ "レヴィー・クルピ監督との契約について" Archived 8 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine (in Japanese)
  11. ^ 「監督交代のお知らせ」 Archived 4 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine (in Japanese)
  12. ^ "Horas após saída de Autuori, Galo age rápido e acerta contratação de Levir" [Hours after Autuori's departure, Galo move quickly and agree the signing of Levir] (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. 24 April 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  13. ^ "Levir Culpi supera marca e se torna o 3º técnico com mais jogos pelo Galo" [Levir Culpi overcomes landmark and becomes the 3rd manager with more matches for Galo] (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. 1 February 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  14. ^ "Levir conquista o quinto Mineiro e marca nome na história como maior vencedor da competição" [Levir conquers the fifth Mineiro and marks name on history as the biggest winner of the competition] (in Portuguese). SuperEsportes. 4 May 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  15. ^ "Levir anuncia saída do Atlético-MG e não resiste ao choro: "É um até logo"" [Levir announces departure from Atlético-MG and cannot hold the tears: "It is a see you soon"] (in Portuguese). UOL Esporte. 26 November 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  16. ^ "Flu continua reformulação e anuncia Levir Culpi como novo treinador" [Flu continue rebuilding and announce Levir Culpi as new manager] (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  17. ^ "Levir Culpi não é mais o técnico do Fluminense" [Levir Culpi is no longer the Fluminense manager] (in Portuguese). Lance!. 6 November 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2025.
  18. ^ "Santos contrata o técnico Levir Culpi para substituir Dorival Júnior" [Santos sign manager Levir Culpi to replace Dorival Júnior] (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. 6 June 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
  19. ^ "Levir Culpi não é mais treinador do Santos FC" [Levir Culpi is no longer manager of Santos FC] (in Portuguese). Santos FC. 28 October 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  20. ^ "Horas depois de demitir Thiago Larghi, Atlético-MG anuncia Levir Culpi como treinador" [Hours after sacking Thiago Larghi, Atlético-MG announce Levir Culpi as manager] (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
  21. ^ J.League Data Site(in Japanese)