Gabigol returns to ownership after six months - Understand

Léo Ortiz, defender who arrived at Flamengo with great expectations, saw his ambitions confirmed in a short time. When he was still negotiating with the club, the defender made clear his objective of competing for important titles for Flamengo, a club that constantly fights for the main cups on the national and international scene.

Ortiz's wish quickly came true, as the defender, recently arrived in the red and black squad, has just won his first major title wearing the sacred mantle. The feat came precisely on the weekend in which the player also received a call-up to the Brazilian National Team, crowning a special moment in his career and increasing his visibility in Brazilian football.

 A DESIRE FOR FLAMENGO 

Flamengo has always been known for its strength in the transfer market, looking for players with potential contribute to immediate achievements. The signing of Léo Ortiz reinforced this strategy, as the defender arrived with the status of one of the best in the country in the position. His performance on the field has shown that this bet was correct.

In the opportunities he had, Léo Ortiz demonstrated a level of consistency and quality that places him among Brazil's top defenders. These outstanding performances were fundamental for him to be remembered by the coach of the Brazilian team, especially in a context in which the national team seeks to reinforce its defensive sector.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR FLAMENGO 

The trajectory of Léo Ortiz until this moment is marked by work and dedication. Since arriving at Flamengo, the defender has sought to adapt to the team's playing style and the requests of the coaching staff, always with the aim of contributing to collective success. In his first major title with Flamengo, Ortiz performed confidently, which was crucial for Rubro-Negro to win the trophy.

This victory reaffirms Flamengo's ability to assemble a competitive squad, with athletes prepared for high-level challenges. For Léo Ortiz, this achievement is a milestone in his journey with the red and black shirt and represents just the beginning of a cycle of victories that he aims for at the club.

FIFA announced that the group draw for the 2025 Club World Cup will take place on December 5th, at 3pm (Brasília time), in Miami, one of the tournament venues. This "Super Mundial" will feature 32 teams, including Flamengo, divided into eight groups of four teams, in an event that will be held from June 15th to July 13th in the United States. The division of teams will follow sporting and geographic criteria, with more details about the draw and pots yet to be revealed.

The 2025 World Cup will be played in a new format for clubs, with unique clashes in the group stage and a knockout from the round of 16. In the event of a tie in the knockout stage, there will be extra time and, if necessary, a penalty shootout. A new feature is the use of direct confrontation as the first tiebreaker criterion in the group stage, followed by goal difference and goals scored.

The competition will be held in 11 cities, with Orlando having two stadiums and MetLife Stadium, near New York, reserved for the grand final. The East Coast will be home to the majority of headquarters, with the exception of Los Angeles and Seattle, which represent the West Coast.

Confirmed Times and Format

The list of 31 confirmed teams, including powerhouses like Real Madrid, Manchester City and Bayern Munich, brings representatives from the six continental confederations, including five Brazilian clubs: Flamengo, Fluminense , Palmeiras, in addition to a vacancy still open between Atlético-MG and Botafogo. The tournament will not have a third place match, with the focus on the round of 16 onwards to define the champion.

This unprecedented format, inspired by the World Cup, promises to expand the reach and competitiveness between clubs.

Flamengo's victory over Atlético-MG 1-0, in the last Sunday (10), which guaranteed the 5th World Cup championship of Brazil, had a significant impact on the audiences of TV Globo in Rio de Janeiro. The game recorded the highest number of viewers in the state in 2024, with an average of 34 audience points and 57% participation among the televisions turned on.

These numbers surpassed other important broadcasts, such as the semifinal against Corinthians and the clash against Bolívar in the Libertadores, which scored 32 points of audience. The index was also the highest since the Brazil x Argentina match in November 2023, in the Qualifiers.

In terms of the Copa do Brasil exhibitions, this was the largest audience since August 16, 2023, with emphasis on the game back from the semi-final between Flamengo e Grêmio. Compared to other 4pm matches, the audience was even more significant, surpassing the mark of Brazil x South Korea in the 2022 World Cup.

Next clash between Flamengo and Atlético-MG

Flamengo returns to face Atlético-MG next Wednesday (13th), at 8pm, in the 33rd round of the Brazilian Championship. However, this time, the match will not be broadcast by Globo on open TV. It will be shown on SporTV (closed TV) and Premiere (pay-per-view). Rubro-Negro, which occupies fifth place with 58 points, needs to win to regain fourth place and get even closer to the competition leaders.