TIGHT COMPETITION! NEWSPAPER UPDATE BALL OF GOLD RANKING WITH VINÍCIUS JÚNIOR IN 2ND PLACE

Two young talents revealed by Flamengo shone in Europe this Saturday (14). Goalkeeper Kauã Santos made his Bundesliga debut for Eintracht Frankfurt, helping the team to a 2-1 victory over Wolfsburg. Kauã entered the field after the experienced Kevin Trapp was injured at the end of the first half. Meanwhile, defender Léo Duarte scored his first goal in European football, securing Basaksehir's 1-0 victory over Bodrum in the Turkish league.

Kauã Santos, who arrived at Flamengo at the age of 16, he never played for the Rio club's main team. After standing out in the youth categories, the goalkeeper caught the attention of Eintracht Frankfurt, who invested R$8.4 million for 70% of his economic rights. On his debut, Kauã was unable to save a penalty taken by Baku, but held off Wolfsburg's pressure, helping to maintain his team's victory.

In turn, Léo Duarte, Copinha champion, rose to Flamengo professionals in 2016 and, little by little, established himself as a starter. In 2018, Milan, from Italy, spent 11 million euros to sign him. After a discreet spell at the Italian club, Léo transferred to Basaksehir, where he finally scored for the first time in Europe.

Léo Duarte's Basaksehir occupies third place in the Turkish league with 10 points, just two less than leader Galatasaray. Kauã Santos' Eintracht Frankfurt is in sixth place in the Bundesliga, with six points, three behind leaders Bayern Munich.

Fulham (ING) hosted West Ham (ING) this Saturday morning (14), in a game valid for the fourth round of the Premier League. The confrontation brought together Brazilians and former Flamengo Andreas Pereira and Lucas Paquetá, who performed a curious move when Paquetá landed a light elbow at his teammate.

The incident occurred in the 21st minute of the second half, when Andreas Pereira tried to hit Paquetá in midfield. To avoid dribbling, Paquetá made a foul by hitting Andreas with a slight elbow.

Referee Tim Robinson signaled the foul, but chose not to show it yellow card to Lucas Paquetá, who remained on the field until the end of the match. The game ended in a 1-1 draw.

Andreas Pereira's Fulham are now preparing to face Preston on September 17 , for the FA Cup. Lucas Paquetá's West Ham will only return to the field on September 21st, against Chelsea, in the Premier League.

This Wednesday (4), France Football magazine announced the 30 players nominated for the 2024 Ballon d'Or, both male and female. As expected, Brazilian striker Vinícius Jr, who stood out for Real Madrid, is among the favorites for the award. The awards ceremony is scheduled for October 28th and will take place at the Théâtre du Châtelet, in Paris.
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In addition to Vinícius Jr, other big names in football are in the fight for the coveted trophy. Among the most notable competitors are Jude Bellingham, also from Real Madrid, and Rodri Hernández, from Manchester City. In the women's category, Brazilian Tarciane, defender of Houston Dash, and striker Gabi Portilho, of Corinthians, both silver medalists at the Paris Olympic Games, are among those nominated. Spanish Aitana Bonmatí, from Barcelona, ​​who won the award in 2023, is also on the list.

It is important to highlight that The Ballon d'Or, awarded by France Football, is distinct from The Best Award, organized by FIFA, which does not yet have a set date for its 2024 edition. However, it is common for the winner of one of the awards to also win the other. , due to the recognition of exceptional performances throughout the year.

Brazil, a traditional source of talent in football, may once again have a protagonist in these two important ceremonies in world football. The last time a Brazilian won the Ballon d'Or was in 2007, when Kaká, then at Milan, won the award, beating Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who would dominate the award in the following decade.