Soccer
Flamengo's rival, Estudiantes, has one of the cheapest teams in the Libertadores knockout stages.
18 Set 2025 | 16:59
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Soccer
15 Jul 2025 | 07:16 |
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This past Monday (14), Flamengo presented the new executive director of the youth categories , in a press conference held at CT Ninho do Urubu. Alfredo Almeida's interview was marked by a controversial speech, which culminated in a formal apology from the professional.
During the press conference, Alfredo was asked about the essence of Brazilian football and the need to recapture the "magic" in developing athletes. The manager made a comparison between players from different continents, which sparked criticism on social media.
Alfredo Almeida compares players from different continents: "What the Brazilian athlete has, probably doesn't exist anywhere else in the world."
He continued: "It has to do with the gift, the magic, the irreverence, the ball being part of the body. Then, there are other areas of the globe where there are other strengths. For example, Africa has physical strengths like almost no other part of the world. If we want to get to the mental side, we have to go to other areas of Europe, of the globe," said Almeida .
Thus, the statement, which broadly associates technical, physical, and mental characteristics with specific continents, received negative repercussions. Following this, Flamengo's press office issued an official statement , published by GE, in which the director retracted his statement.
"A specific part of my speech, isolated from the general context, ended up generating interpretations that in no way reflect my thoughts. Therefore, I apologize if the way I expressed myself caused any discomfort ," the Portuguese said in the statement.
"During the press conference for my presentation as director of Flamengo 's youth academy, I gave a broader explanation about the different profiles of athletes around the world and the skills that are usually observed by clubs in the training and recruitment process.
A specific part of my speech, isolated from the general context, ended up generating interpretations that in no way reflect my thoughts. Therefore, I apologize if the way I expressed myself caused any discomfort. There was never the slightest intention to sound discriminatory.
I'm fully aware that there are athletes with great tactical ability in African football, just as there are European players with enormous creative talent and Brazilians with impressive physical strength. Players' characteristics aren't limited to their geographic origin.
I reiterate my respect for all cultures, peoples, and schools of football. I remain committed to Flamengo's development work, guided by values such as inclusion, diversity, ethics, and the comprehensive development of our athletes.
Defender hangs up his boots at 38 and says he is satisfied with his career, despite not having been able to play for Mengão
18 Set 2025 | 19:00 |
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Defender Gil, 38, has officially announced his retirement from professional football. In an interview with TV Record, the former defender confirmed the end of his playing career: " A new phase, I'm retiring from football. It's decided ."
Gil, ex-Corinthians, when declaring retirement: "the only thing missing was playing for Flamengo"
Gil built a remarkable relationship with Corinthians , a club he played for twice. Between 2013 and 2016, he was a key player in Tite's squad, crowning the period with the 2015 Brazilian Championship title . He returned to Corinthians in 2019 and, during his second stint, reached the impressive milestone of 400 appearances for the club.
Despite his solid history at Corinthians, Gil revealed a dream he never fulfilled: playing for Flamengo . " I did everything I wanted, the only thing missing was playing for Flamengo . Not everything is perfect. I'm grateful for the career I've built," he declared.
The final chapter of his career was at Santos, where he played in the 2024 Série B. The defender played an important role in the club's promotion to Série A , but lost his place in the squad and terminated his contract in August of the same year. Shortly thereafter, he decided to hang up his boots.
Having also played in Chinese football and enjoyed a solid career in Brazil, Gil ended his career as one of the greatest defenders of the last decade , recognized for his consistency, physical strength, and leadership on the field. In total, the former player appeared in 865 matches, scoring 43 goals and contributing 15 assists.
The red-black team faces the Argentines this Thursday (18), at 9:30 pm, at Maracanã, for the first leg of the Libertadores quarterfinals
18 Set 2025 | 18:30 |
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Flamengo takes to the field this Thursday (18), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), to face Estudiantes, at Maracanã, for the first leg of the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores. Coach Filipe Luís is betting on full strength to try to open up an advantage before the decision in Argentina.
Coach Filipe Luís is expected to field a full-strength squad against the Argentines: Rossi; Varela, Léo Ortiz, Léo Pereira, and Ayrton Lucas; Saúl, De La Cruz, and Arrascaeta; Plata, Pedro, and Samuel Lino. The game will be broadcast live on Flamengo TV and with exclusive footage on ESPN.
Alex Sandro (calf) and Jorginho (thigh) are still recovering and are working individually on the field. Pulgar is also in the transition phase with physical therapy and is expected to return to training with the group only at the end of September.
Mengão idol, Uruguayan is having a goalscoring season and will be an important player in the first leg of the Libertadores quarterfinals against Argentina
18 Set 2025 | 18:00 |
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Increasingly established as a Flamengo idol, Giorgian De Arrascaeta is enjoying one of the finest moments of his career. Since donning the iconic No. 10 jersey in December 2024 , the Uruguayan has taken center stage in the Flamengo midfield.
With 18 goals and 13 assists this season, he has already equaled his highest-scoring year since arriving in Rio de Janeiro and could achieve the best performance of his professional career. The midfielder will be one of coach Filipe Luís's main weapons in this Thursday's duel (18), at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), at Maracanã , for the first leg of the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals.
In addition to Arrascaeta's key role, Flamengo will have reinforcements in its squad. Léo Ortiz, Varela, and Bruno Henrique are available to face Estudiantes . Meanwhile, Alex Sandro and Jorginho remain doubtful and will have their fitness assessed shortly before the match.
Eduardo Domínguez's team will be without González Pirez and Edwuin Cetré, both injured. Even so, 27 players were selected for the match in Rio de Janeiro, and the final training session took place at Fluminense's training center in Rio's West Zone . The Argentine team reached the quarterfinals after defeating Cerro Porteño 1-0 on aggregate.
FLAMENGO (Coach: Filipe Luis): Rossi; Varela (Emerson Royal), Leo Ortiz, Leo Pereira and Ayrton Lucas (Viña); Saul, De La Cruz (Jorginho) and Arrascaeta; Plata, Pedro and Samuel Lino.
ESTUDIATES (Coach: Eduardo Domínguez): Muslera; Román Gómez, Santiago Núñez, Facundo Rodríguez and Santiago Arzamendia; Ascacíbar, Gabriel Neves, Amondarain and Medina; Tiago Palacios and Guido Carrillo.
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