Levir Culpi (born 28 February 1953) is a Brazilian professional

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

coach Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Co ...

and former player who played as a

centre-back In the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield position whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring. Centre-backs are usually positioned in pairs, with one full-back on either s ...

Playing career

Known as Levir during his playing days, he was born in

Curitiba Curitiba () is the capital and largest city in the state of Paraná (state), Paraná in Brazil. The city's population was 1,948,626 , making it the List of cities in Brazil by population, eighth most populous city in Brazil and the largest in ...

, Paraná, and started his career with hometown club

Coritiba Coritiba Foot Ball Club, commonly known as Coritiba and colloquially referred to as "Coxa-Branca" or "Coxa", is a Brazilian football club from Curitiba, capital city of the Brazilian state of Paraná. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest f ...

, in 1972. After spending a six-month loan deal at

Botafogo Botafogo (local/standard alternative Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation: ) is a beachfront neighborhood (''bairro'') in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is a mostly upper middle class and small commerce community, and is located between the hills of M ...

the following year, he signed for Santa Cruz in 1974. Levir subsequently represented

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...

(two stints), Atlante, Vila Nova,

Figueirense Figueirense Futebol Clube, commonly referred to as Figueirense, is a Brazilian professional club based in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina founded on 12 June 1921. It competes in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série C, the third tier of Brazilian ...

and Juventude, retiring with the latter in 1985.

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 Club Athletico Paranaense (commonly known as Athletico and formerly known as Atlético Paranaense) is a Brazilian football team from the city of Curitiba, capital city of the Brazilian state of Paraná, founded on March 26, 1924. The team ...

head coach in 1986, but left the club in the following year. After a period in charge of

Marcílio Dias Marcílio or Marcilio is a Brazilian name which may refer to: * Marcílio (footballer, born 1976), Brazilian footballer * Marcílio (footballer, born 1995) Marcílio da Silva Miguel (born 10 August 1995), known as Marcílio, is a Brazilian fo ...

, Culpi took Internacional de Limeira to their second national title, a

Campeonato Brasileiro Série B The Campeonato Brasileiro Série B is commonly referred to as the Brasileirão Série B (Série B), and until 2022 was officially called Brasileirão Sportingbet by sponsorship reasons. It is the second tier of the Brazilian football league system ...

1988 File:1988 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The oil platform Piper Alpha explodes and collapses in the North Sea, killing 165 workers; The USS Vincennes (CG-49) mistakenly shoots down Iran Air Flight 655; Australia celebrates its Australian ...

. He subsequently managed

Criciúma Criciúma is a city in the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina. At , it is located 180 km south of Florianópolis, the state capital and around 900 km south of São Paulo. The city is the center of Brazil's flooring and home materials in ...

Internacional Sport Club Internacional (), commonly known as Internacional or simply Inter, is a Brazilian professional football club based in Porto Alegre. They play in the Série A, the first division of the Brazilian league, as well as in Campeonat ...

and

before returning to Criciúma in 1992 and taking the club to the quarterfinals of the

1992 Copa Libertadores The 1992 Copa Libertadores was the 33rd edition of the Copa Libertadores, CONMEBOL's annual international club tournament. São Paulo won the competition. The participating teams were divided into five groups, in which teams of the same country ...

(being knocked out by eventual champions

São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for 'Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the GaWC a ...

). In the following years Culpi rarely settled into a club, being in charge of

Al-Ittifaq Al Ettifaq Football Club ( ar, نادي الاتفاق لكرة القدم) is a professional football club in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Al-Ettifaq was established after the merging of three clubs in the city of Dammam at the year 1944. Al Ettifaq i ...

Paraná Clube Paraná Clube, commonly referred to as Paraná, is a Brazilian professional club based in Curitiba, Paraná founded on 19 December 1989. It competes in the Campeonato Paranaense Série Prata, the second tier of the Paraná state football leag ...

, Guarani,

Atlético Mineiro Atlético, Spanish for ''athletics'', or Athletico in English, may refer to: Sports Teams Athletico *Athletico SC (Lebanon), a Lebanese football academy *Athletic Bilbao, or Atletico Bilbao, Basque students athletic club (also forming Athletic Cl ...

, Portuguesa and Cruzeiro before moving abroad to manage

Cerezo Osaka is a Japanese professional football club based in Osaka. The club currently plays in the J1 League, which is the top tier of football in the country. The club's name ''Cerezo'' (Spanish for cherry blossom) is also the flower of the city of Osaka. ...

in 1997. He returned to Cruzeiro in 1998, notably winning the year's

Recopa Sudamericana The CONMEBOL Recopa Sudamericana ( pt, CONMEBOL Recopa Sul-Americana), known also as the Recopa Sudamericana or CONMEBOL Recopa, and simply as the Recopa (, ; "Winners' Cup"), is an annual international club association football, football compe ...

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 Sport pertains to any form of Competition, competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and Skill, skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to specta ...

and Atlético Mineiro in 2001, he replaced Flávio Murtosa at the helm of

Palmeiras Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras (), commonly known as Palmeiras, is a Brazilian professional football club based in the city of São Paulo, in the district of Perdizes. Palmeiras is one of the most popular clubs in South America, with around ...

on 3 September 2002, but could not avoid the club's first-ever relegation from the top tier. In December 2002 Culpi was appointed head coach of

, taking the club back to the main category after finishing second. On 27 April 2004 he returned to Atlético Paranaense, after resigning with ''Bota''. Culpi again managed Cruzeiro during the 2005 campaign, but was relieved from his duties in July of that year. He subsequently managed São Caetano before achieving another promotion with Atlético Mineiro in 2006. In May 2007,

J. League Division 2 The or simply J2 is the second division of the and the second level of the Japanese association football league system. The top tier is represented by the J1 League. It (along with the rest of the J.League) is currently sponsored by Meiji Ya ...

side

sacked

Satoshi Tsunami is a former Japanese football player and manager. He is the current assistant manager Japan Football League club of Briobecca Urayasu. He played for Japan national team. His son Yuta Tsunami is also a footballer. Club career Tsunami was a pr ...

and appointed Culpi as head coach. During his spell in charge of the team, he discovered

Shinji Kagawa Shinji Kagawa ( ja, 香川真司 ''Kagawa Shinji'' ; born 17 March 1989) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Belgian First Division A club Sint-Truiden and the Japan national team. He is widely regarded as one o ...

, who then played as a defensive midfielder, and used him as an attacking midfielder. Kagawa combined well with

Takashi Inui is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a winger or an attacking midfielder for Shimizu S-Pulse and the Japan national team. Club career Inui was an All Japan High School Soccer Tournament champion in 2006 when his high school, Shi ...

, another talented young player, and the team under Culpi were promoted to the

J. League Division 1 The , known as the for sponsorship reasons, is the top level of the system. Founded in 1992, it is one of the most successful leagues in Asian Football Confederation, Asian club football. Contested by 18 clubs, it operates on a system of promot ...

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 is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or a winger for Japanese club Cerezo Osaka and the Japan national team. He played for Japan at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Club career In the summer of 2012, Kiyotake s ...

Adriano Adriano or Adrião is the form of the Latin given name ''Hadrianus'' commonly used in the Italian language; the form Adrian is used in the English language. Notable people with the name include: * Adriano Banchieri, Italian composer, music theori ...

, and Martinez, the team finished 3rd in 2010 and qualified for the

AFC Champions League The AFC Champions League (abbreviated as ACL) is an annual continental club football competition organised by the Asian Football Confederation, and contested by Asia's top-division football clubs. It is the most prestigious club competition ...

. 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." The following 26 August, however, he returned to the club after replacing compatriot

Sérgio Soares Sérgio Soares da Silva (born 11 January 1967) is a Brazilian football manager and former player who played as a midfielder. Playing career Born in São Paulo, Soares began his career with hometown side Juventus, making his first team debut in ...

. In April 2014, Levir Culpi was announced as Atlético Mineiro coach for the fourth time in his career. He managed to perform a double in 2014, winning both the

and the

Copa do Brasil The Copa do Brasil ( en, Brazil Cup) is a knockout football competition played by 92 teams, representing all 26 Brazilian states plus the Federal District. It is the Brazilian domestic cup and the Brazilian equivalent of the FA Cup, Taça de ...

. In 2015, in the first official match of the season, Atlético defeated

Tupi Tupi may refer to: * Tupi people of Brazil * Tupi or Tupian languages, spoken in South America ** Tupi language, an extinct Tupian language spoken by the Tupi people * Tupi oil field off the coast of Brazil * Tupi Paulista, a Brazilian municipalit ...

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 Telê Santana da Silva, also known as Telê Santana (July 26, 1931 – April 21, 2006) was a Brazilian football manager and former player (right winger). He was born in Itabirito, Minas Gerais. Telê was the manager responsible for putting tog ...

(434), and

Procópio Cardoso Procópio Cardoso Neto (born March 21, 1939) is a Brazilian former football player and coach. He started his professional career at Renascença as a center back. Cardoso also played for Belo Horizonte rivals, Cruzeiro and Atlético Mineiro, ...

(328). On 3 May 2015, Culpi lifted the

Campeonato Mineiro Campeonato Mineiro is the state football league of the state of Minas Gerais and is controlled by the Minas Gerais Football Federation FMF (Federação Mineira de Futebol). The history of Campeonato Mineiro can be divided into two parts: befor ...

trophy for the fifth time in his career, becoming the fifth coach to do so. 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. On 4 March 2016, Culpi was announced as new coach of

Fluminense Fluminense Football Club (), known as Fluminense, is a Brazilian sports club best known for its professional football team that competes in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, the first tier of Brazilian football and the Campeonato Carioca, th ...

. He won the inaugural

Primeira Liga The Primeira Liga (; English: Premier League, also written as Liga Portugal 1), also known as Liga Portugal Bwin for sponsorship reasons, is the top level of the Portuguese football league system. Organised and supervised by the Liga Portugal, ...

, but was relieved from his duties on 6 November. On 6 June 2017, Culpi agreed to a six-month contract with Santos, replacing fired

Dorival Júnior Dorival Silvestre Júnior (born 25 April 1962) is a Brazilian professional football coach and former player who played as a defensive midfielder. Playing career Known only as Júnior during his playing days, he was born in Araraquara, São Paulo ...

. On 28 October, he was himself dismissed after a 2–1 loss against

. On 17 October 2018, Culpi returned to ''Galo'' for his fifth spell, replacing dismissed

Thiago Larghi Thiago Mendes Larghi (born 27 September 1980) is a Brazilian football manager. Career Born in Paraíba do Sul, Rio de Janeiro, Larghi began his professional career at Botafogo in 2011, as a performance analyst. In January 2013, he was called u ...

. He was sacked the following 11 April, after a 4–1 loss against

Cerro Porteño Club Cerro Porteño is a professional Paraguayan football club, based in the neighbourhood of Obrero in Asunción. Founded in 1912, Cerro has won 34 Primera División titles and is one of the most popular football clubs in Paraguay. Its presi ...

Coaching statistics

J.League Data Site
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Honours

Player

;Coritiba *

Campeonato Paranaense Campeonato Paranaense, which has been contested since 1915, is the top-flight football league of the state of Paraná, Brazil. Format The format has changed in 2014. 12 teams are together in a single group. They play against each other once, ...

: 1973 ;Santa Cruz *

Campeonato Pernambucano The Campeonato Pernambucano de Futebol (Pernambucan Football Championship, in English) is the football championship of Pernambuco state, Brazil, and is organized by the FPF. The first edition of the Campeonato Pernambucano was played in 1915, a ...

: 1976

Manager

;Inter de Limeira *

;Criciúma *

Campeonato Catarinense The Campeonato Catarinense de Futebol, known as Campeonato Catarinense or simply Catarinense, is the main competition of association football from state of Santa Catarina, in Brazil. History The Campeonato Catarinense top level has had several ...

: 1989 ;Paraná *

: 1993 ;Cruzeiro *

1996 File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...

: 1996, 1998 *

1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The '' Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently ...

Copa Centro-Oeste Copa Centro-Oeste ( en, Center-West Cup) was a Brazilian football competition contested between Center-West region teams and teams from the Southeastern State Espírito Santo. For one edition, it was also contested by teams from Minas Gerais. ...

: 1999 ;São Paulo *

Campeonato Paulista The Campeonato Paulista Série A1, commonly known as Campeonato Paulista, nicknamed Paulistão, is the top-flight professional association football, football league in the Brazilian States of Brazil, state of São Paulo (state), São Paulo. Run b ...

: 2000 ;Atlético Mineiro *

: 1995, 2007,

2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...

2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...

;Fluminense *

2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Culpi, Levir 1953 births Living people Footballers from Curitiba Brazilian footballers Association football defenders Campeonato Brasileiro Série A players Coritiba Foot Ball Club players Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas players Santa Cruz Futebol Clube players Vila Nova Futebol Clube players Figueirense FC players Esporte Clube Juventude players Liga MX players Atlante F.C. footballers Brazilian expatriate footballers Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in Mexico Expatriate footballers in Mexico Brazilian football managers Campeonato Brasileiro Série A managers Campeonato Brasileiro Série B managers Esporte Clube Juventude managers Sociedade Esportiva e Recreativa Caxias do Sul managers Club Athletico Paranaense managers Clube Náutico Marcílio Dias managers Associação Atlética Internacional (Limeira) managers Criciúma Esporte Clube managers Sport Club Internacional managers Coritiba Foot Ball Club managers Paraná Clube managers Guarani FC managers Clube Atlético Mineiro managers Associação Portuguesa de Desportos managers Cruzeiro Esporte Clube managers São Paulo FC managers Sport Club do Recife managers Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras managers Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas managers Associação Desportiva São Caetano managers Fluminense FC managers Santos FC managers Ettifaq FC managers J1 League managers J2 League managers Cerezo Osaka managers Gamba Osaka managers Expatriate football managers in Saudi Arabia Brazilian expatriate football managers Expatriate football managers in Japan