AFTER THE CHAMPIONS TITLE, VINI JR IS SEEN AS ONE OF THE MOST COOKED TO WIN THE BALL OF GOLD

Last Friday night (28), Vinícius Júnior displayed his football at a high level, scoring two goals, providing passes and assists to his teammates and leaving Paraguay's players lost on the field. After the match, the coach of the Paraguayan team, Daniel Garnero, commented on the style of play of the youngster Flamengo.

"He has a way of playing that is obviously not very comfortable for rivals to accept, but that's what the referee is for. The referee has to impose these limits. He plays how he thinks he should play", said the Paraguay coach.

According to the statistics portal Sofascore, Vinícius Júnior was the biggest highlight in Brazil's victory against Paraguay. The creation of Mais Querido scored two goals, gave two decisive passes, won nine duels, completed seven dribbles and made a tackle twice.

The young man had been harshly criticized by Brazilian fans for not having demonstrated yet with Amarelinha the football that makes him the star of Real Madrid. However, the creation of Rubro-Negro silenced everyone as he paraded onto the field.

Thus, the jewel of Flamengo's academy was voted the best on the field by Conmebol. Another one who stood out was Lucas Paquetá, who scored a penalty goal.

Before going to Rio de Janeiro to make history with Flamengo, Jorge Jesus was talking to Atlético-MG, to the point of going to Belo Horizonte to watch a match by the team from Minas Gerais. However, a dialogue with a player on the team at the time was crucial for the coach to land in the “Marvelous City”. The midfielder of the Minas Gerais club that season, Elias, who also defended Rubro-Negro, had a serious conversation with "Mister".

"An Atlético director calls me: 'Jesus is there, I think he wants you see. He's going to dinner at (athletic businessman Rubens) Menin's house. He asked you to go there'. The coach was Rodrigo Santana. 'Let's bring this, this and that'. Dinner is over. I wait for him to leave to say goodbye, and he says: 'What do you think?' on 'Charla Podcast' this Friday (28).

"He was about to go to Flamengo. I said: 'Do you want to be the owner of the city, run the club, bring whoever you want, or be champion, win everything and be considered for the national team?' And he: 'You know I always want to win'. So, I said: 'So, it's going to take a while for Flamengo.' , in 2021. That was in 2018/2019", added Elias.

Jorge Jesus and Elias worked together in 2017, at Sporting Lisboa, in Portugal. Therefore, the coach sought out the steering wheel for a chat in Belo Horizonte. Therefore, the former player was sincere when suggesting Flamengo to the coach. 

The former player had a short spell at Flamengo, but marked his name in the club's history. Alongside Hernane Brocador, the midfielder was one of the names in the 2013 Copa do Brasil title campaign. In fact, the most important goal in Rubro-Negro's career came from his feet.

In 2024, the center forward Pedro , 27 years old, has shown that his talent goes beyond simply pushing the ball into the back of the net. Wearing the number 9 shirt, he stands out for his vast and versatile repertoire of ways to score goals, winning the admiration of fans and critics.

Pedro, who is already considered one of the great names in current Brazilian football, has been a difference on the field for his team. His ability to adapt to different game situations makes him an unpredictable and lethal attacker. This year alone, he has already found the net in several ways, demonstrating a refined technique and tactical understanding that put him on another level.

FLAMENGO HAS A NEW GOLEMAN

In the 2024 season , Pedro has already scored goals with both legs, right and left, showing that he is ambidextrous and has no weak side. One of the most talked about goals was the one he scored with his back heel, a move of pure genius that left the opposing defense perplexed. But it doesn't stop there: Pedro has also been effective in the air, scoring headed goals that demonstrate his excellent positioning and impulsion.

In addition to his legs and head, Pedro went even further. In one of the recent games, he scored a chest goal, a rare move that requires a high level of body control and precision. This goal occurred in the match against Juventude, even in a defeat, Pedro showed that his ability can shine even in difficult moments.