Filipe Luís

Filipe Luís came to Atlético from Deportivo de La Coruña in 2010, a Brazilian left-back with a cultured left foot. Over two spells and nine seasons he became one of the most important players of the Simeone era.

Defender and playmaker

Filipe was rarely the fastest man on the pitch, but he was almost always the cleverest. He read the game early, defended with discipline and started attacks from the left with calm passing. With Juanfran on the other side, Miranda and Godín in the middle and Courtois behind them, he was part of the back line that won the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Super Cup in 2012, the 2013 Copa del Rey and La Liga in 2013–14.

A return in 2015

He joined Chelsea in 2014 and won the Premier League there, but came back to Atlético after one season. In his second spell he added another Europa League in 2018 and another UEFA Super Cup, and became a dressing-room leader for younger players such as Lucas Hernández.

Legacy

Filipe left in 2019 for Flamengo, where he finished his career before moving into coaching. He is remembered at Atlético as a player who showed that intelligence can be as decisive as pace or power.