Flamengo’s 2-1 victory over Grêmio in the eighth round of the Brasileirão featured a special spectator. Neymar was at Maracanã: he watched the game from the stands, then visited the locker rooms, and in an interview with the club’s media, he discussed the possibility of someday wearing the Rio de Janeiro team’s jersey.
“I’ve always said it (that I want to play for Flamengo). Obviously, Flamengo is the second team in my heart, because the first is Santos. With all due respect to the team that raised me and that I have been a fan of since I was a child, but I have great affection for Flamengo and, obviously, it would be a great pleasure if one day I could play here,” the star affirmed.
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“I don’t know (if I will ever play for Flamengo), only God knows. I still have a contract at Al Hilal, I’m still there, but I don’t know. Nobody knows the future,” added the player. Ney, on vacation in Brazil, is in the final stages of rehabilitating a torn anterior cruciate ligament and external meniscus of the left knee.
The star mentioned that he went to Maracanã at Gabigol’s invitation, with whom he shared matches on the national team. Yesterday, he posted a photo on social media wearing a Flamengo shirt with Gabriel Barbosa’s name on the back.
Miren quien estaba hoy animando a nuestro Mengão: @neymarjr 🤩 pic.twitter.com/vHgZNKsR6p
— Flamengo (@Flamengo_es) June 14, 2024
“Gabi invited me, he told me to come and watch him play. So I came to honor him, but I also have other friends at Flamengo. So it’s a great honor for me to be here,” Neymar said. Footage recorded in the locker rooms showed him talking with David Luiz, another former teammate from the Seleção.
There are no negotiations between Flamengo and Neymar
Flamengo’s vice president, Marcos Braz, denied that there are ongoing negotiations to entice the Al Hilal attacker. “To be clear: there are no discussions of any kind with Neymar. We are not here to deceive the fans or anyone. To make it clear: there are no conversations with Neymar, no possibility. I don’t even see it in the short term,” he explained.
Remembering Zagallo
Sambafoot Series launched a new documentary about the football legend Zagallo. Known as ‘Velho Lobo‘ and as superstitious as it gets, Zagallo helped shape what Brazilian football is nowadays — as a player and as a coach.
Binge the full series, available on Sambafoot’s Youtube channel.
