Follow the leader! Flamengo striker, Pedro leads Brazil's artillery ranking in 2024 - Check it out

Brazil ended its participation in the Paris Paralympics this Sunday (8) with its best campaign in the history of the competition. According to the objective established by the Brazilian Paralympic Committee, the Brazilian delegation in Paris broke the record for medals in a single edition of the Games, with 89, achieved the highest number of golds, 25, and secured the unprecedented top 5 in the medals table.

It was not easy to secure fifth place. After spending the first few days among the five best countries at the Paralympics, Brazil came to occupy eighth place in the medals quarter at the end of Thursday (5), four days before the end of the Games. But from Friday (6) recovery came. With four gold medals won, Brazil reached seventh place and came up against France and Italy, which would become the great opponent for fifth place.

Medal after medal, Brazil and Italy fought for the top 5 in the table of medals. On Saturday (7), Brazilian athletes secured the country's best day in the history of the Paralympics with six golds, three silvers and seven bronzes, and sixth place in the classification. With such a performance, Brazil surpassed the 72 podiums and 22 gold medals from Tokyo 2022, achieving its best campaign in both categories.

However, it still lacked a position in the top five. The Italians had 24 gold medals, one more gold medal than Brazil, and slept in fifth place. That would change this Sunday morning (8).

In the first events of the last day of the race, Brazil won two more gold medals and overtook Italy. First, Fernando Rufino was champion in canoeing, winning gold in the 200m VL2 and leaving the countries tied. The race also had another Brazilian on the podium. Igor Tofalini finished in second place and took silver. Then, in the event that would bring the top 5 to Brazil, Tayana Medeiros broke the Paralympic record by lifting 156kg in the 86kg category and took gold.

Italy did not win any competition and no longer competes in competitions. Thus, Brazil guaranteed its best campaign in the history of the Paralympics. The great Brazilian highlights, as usual, were athletics, which reached its 200th medals won, and swimming, with 36 for the first and 26 for the second discipline.

The Brazilian team welcomed defender Fabrício Bruno this Sunday, but even so, coach Dorival Júnior did not have the complete group for training in Curitiba. Physically worn out, left-back Guilherme Arana, midfielders André and Lucas Paquetá and striker Vini Júnior were absent from the activity held at Athletico-PR's Caju training center.

According to the CBF, the quartet was only out of training due to load control and has no injuries. This way, Dorival will only have training this Monday to prepare the squad to face Paraguay. The duel valid for the eighth round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers will take place on Tuesday, at 9:30 pm (Brasília time), at the Defensores del Chaco stadium, in Asunción.

Summoned up to replace Éder Militão, cut , Fabrício Bruno arrived in Curitiba this Sunday morning and, in the afternoon, he went to the field with his teammates. The press was only able to follow the first 15 minutes of the activity.

This Monday, Brazil plays the last work before the match against Paraguay. Then, embark for Asunción. After beating Ecuador 1-0 last Friday, the Seleção occupies fourth place in the Qualifiers, with 10 points, eight less than leaders Argentina.

Gabigol and Libertadores form a highly successful equation at Flamengo. Together, they participated in the competition five times, reached three finals and won it twice. Guess who scored the club's four goals in the decisions? The number 10 shirt, who is the top scorer among Brazilians who competed in the race for the most coveted cup in South America.

With 31 goals (one for Santos and the rest for Flamengo), Gabigol is six behind the Uruguayans Fernando Morena and Pedro Rocha, who share second place in the general ranking. Asked if vice-leadership overall is an achievable goal for the 2024 Libertadores, the idol is certain that it is, but makes it clear that he needs more opportunities. In the current season, he started just twice. Last year, Tite didn't start any matches.

"I think it's possible, I hope that happens, knowing that we have to play as many games as possible for that to happen. And I'm also 28 years old ( in fact it will be 28 only in August). So, if I stay at Flamengo or stay in Brazil, this will happen naturally", he said in an interview recorded during Content Day, at Conmebol Libertadores.

Still in the interview with Conmebol, Gabigol was asked if he believes in the possibility of taking the 23 goals difference in relation to the Ecuadorian Alberto Spencer, absolute leader, with 54 scored and Peñarol's idol. He stated that he thinks, yes, at the top, but again he conditioned his goal on remaining in Brazilian football.

"Of course it's inevitable that you aim for that, I have this year left on my contract. I don't know what it's going to be like. If I stay in Brazil, I think it's possible. Everything is a question of adaptation, of being able to play together with the team and being able to go as far as possible. The goal is always to be champion", continued Gabigol, who has a contract with Flamengo until December.

Regarding his attempt to be a goalscorer in the Libertadores for the third time - he achieved it in 2019 and 2021 -, he insisted that he needs more minutes, but he tried to put collective goals at the forefront.