Luís Oliveira
Belgian footballer and manager (born 1969)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Luís Airton Barroso "Lulù" de Oliveira[2] (born 24 March 1969) is a football manager, currently in charge of Venezia Women, and former player.[3] A striker, he spent most of his playing career in Italy. Born in Brazil, Oliveira was an international footballer for Belgium.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Luís Airton Barroso de Oliveira[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 24 March 1969 | ||
| Place of birth | São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil | ||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Venezia Women (head coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1984 | Tupan | ||
| 1985–1988 | Anderlecht | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1988–1992 | Anderlecht | 95 | (36) |
| 1992–1996 | Cagliari | 121 | (42) |
| 1996–1999 | Fiorentina | 95 | (27) |
| 1999–2000 | Cagliari | 24 | (4) |
| 2000–2001 | Bologna | 17 | (1) |
| 2001–2002 | Como | 38 | (23) |
| 2002–2004 | Catania | 74 | (28) |
| 2004–2005 | Foggia | 14 | (0) |
| 2005 | Venezia | 17 | (5) |
| 2005–2006 | Lucchese | 19 | (3) |
| 2006–2008 | Nuorese | 63 | (25) |
| 2008–2009 | Derthona | 32 | (16) |
| 2009–2011 | Muravera | 12 | (14) |
| Total | 621 | (224) | |
| International career | |||
| 1992–1999 | Belgium | 31 | (7) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2010 | Muravera (player/manager) | ||
| 2012–2013 | Muravera | ||
| 2014–2014 | Pro Patria | ||
| 2015–2016 | Floriana | ||
| 2017–2018 | Muravera | ||
| 2018 | Floriana | ||
| 2025 | Riccione Women | ||
| 2025– | Venezia Women | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Playing career
Club
Born in 1969 in a favela in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil, he was signed by Belgian club Anderlecht, where he started his career and played until 1992.
He moved to Italy in 1992, where he played for Cagliari, Fiorentina, Bologna, Como, Catania, Foggia, Venezia and Lucchese, becoming known in his early years at Cagliari and Fiorentina as a Serie A striker.
In 2006, he accepted to play Nuorese of Serie C2/A, also in order to get closer to his family (his wife in Sardinia). In 2008, following the disbandment of his club, he agreed for a move to Serie D team Derthona.
In July 2009, Oliveira moved back to Sardinia, joining Eccellenza club Muravera, a club from his wife's hometown. He retired in 2010 at the age of 41.
International
A naturalized Belgian citizen, he earned 31 caps for Belgium and played for his adoptive country at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
Coaching career
During his final season as a footballer, Oliveira also served as player/manager for the last few months of the 2009–10 season, and then stated his interest in a coaching career in the next future.[4][5]
He successfully passed the category 2 (UEFA A) coaching exam in June 2011 in Italy.[6] In March 2012 he returned to Muravera, this time as head coach for the remaining four games of the season.[7] He was confirmed as Muravera coach also for the 2012–13 season, in which he led his small club to triumph in the Coppa Italia Eccellenza.
On 1 August 2014, it was announced Oliveira would become the new head coach of Lega Pro club Pro Patria with immediate effect,[8] but he was dismissed on 4 November 2014 after managing just one win in 11 matches.
On 13 June 2015, Oliveira was appointed as new head coach of Maltese Premier club Floriana,[9] however his tenure lasted less than two months and was replaced by Guido Ugolotti.[10]
In 2025, he took on his first coaching job in women's football, taking over at Riccione Women in the Serie C. In November 2025, he was hired by Serie B club Venezia.[11]
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Anderlecht | 1988–89 | Belgian First Division | 5 | 0 | ||||
| 1989–90 | 26 | 8 | ||||||
| 1990–91 | 33 | 18 | ||||||
| 1991–92 | 31 | 10 | ||||||
| Total | 95 | 36 | ||||||
| Cagliari | 1992–93 | Serie A | 29 | 7 | ||||
| 1993–94 | 29 | 12 | ||||||
| 1994–95 | 30 | 7 | ||||||
| 1995–96 | 33 | 15 | ||||||
| Total | 121 | 41 | ||||||
| Fiorentina | 1996–97 | Serie A | 31 | 9 | ||||
| 1997–98 | 33 | 15 | ||||||
| 1998–99 | 30 | 2 | ||||||
| 1999–2000 | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| Total | 95 | 26 | ||||||
| Cagliari | 1999–2000 | Serie A | 24 | 4 | ||||
| Bologna | 2000–01 | Serie A | 17 | 1 | ||||
| Como | 2001–02 | Serie B | 38 | 23 | ||||
| Catania | 2002–03 | Serie B | 37 | 13 | ||||
| 2003–04 | 37 | 15 | ||||||
| Total | 74 | 28 | ||||||
| Foggia | 2004–05 | Serie C1 | 14 | 0 | ||||
| Venezia | 2004–05 | Serie B | 17 | 5 | ||||
| Lucchese | 2005–06 | Serie C1 | 20 | 3 | ||||
| Nuorese | 2006–07 | Serie C2 | 32 | 10 | ||||
| 2007–08 | 31 | 15 | ||||||
| Total | 63 | 25 | ||||||
| Derthona | 2008–09 | Serie D | 32 | 16 | ||||
| Muravera | 2009–10 | Eccellenza Sardinia | 12 | 14 | ||||
| 2010–11 | ? | ? | ||||||
| Total | 12 | 14 | ||||||
| Career total | 622 | 222 | ||||||
International
- Scores and results list Belgium's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Oliveira goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 February 1992 | Stade El Menzah, Tunis, Tunisia |  Tunisia | 1–1 | 1–2 | Friendly |
| 2 | 31 August 1996 | King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium |  Turkey | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3 | 30 April 1997 | Ali Sami Yen Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey | Turkey | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 4 | 2–0 | |||||
| 5 | 3–1 | |||||
| 6 | 7 June 1997 | King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium |  San Marino | 4–0 | 6–0 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 7 | 15 November 1997 | King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium |  Republic of Ireland | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Honours
Anderlecht[13]
- Belgian First Division: 1990–91
- Belgian Cup: 1988–89, 1989–90
- European Cup Winners' Cup runner-up: 1989–90[14]
- Bruges Matins: 1988[15]
Fiorentina[16]
Como[17]
Individual
- Man of the Season (Belgian First Division): 1990–91[18]
- Serie B topscorer (23 goals): 2001–02