Hey guys, look, Charla Podcast is on air. Sensational, look. A shout-out to everyone already on the channel. Keep coming in. Whoever isn't a Botafogo fan is on our live stream. Why? Because there's a Botafogo game happening right now. Whoever isn't a Botafogo fan, send us a message, Tricolores. Exactly. Hey, flying kick. A flying kick to the chest of the like button. The more likes we get, the more people see our broadcast directly from the CONMEBOL Libertadores Experience. Welcome to this sensational event that was already rocking, especially today, my partner. Yeah, did you notice how this
sunny Saturday is, kids in the streets, I’d say families, I’d say Carminha, damn, it's packed, my brother. I knew the event would be crowded today with this sun, and it happened, right? Sensational. Welcome to the CONMEBOL Libertadores Experience. For those who haven't shown up yet, you're living wrong. It's all happening here at Botafogo Beach, right, Beto Júnior? Until tomorrow. So, man, just come over , look, the QR code is right here on the side. You get your access for free. Free of charge, flying kick right here on the QR code, and you go straight to
get your ticket, your entry, your free access right here, look. Alright, the event is running until tomorrow. And man, I'm hearing a Fluzão idol here. I think you're hearing it too because today we have a day of Tricolor idols and the greatest Rubro-Negro idol. Everything good, Bet? Everything chill, man. And this Saturday with the chance to talk to these legends, right? Later on, the possibility of talking to Galinho Zico. Now already on the verge of potentially welcoming here a legend of the Libertadores, CONMEBOL Libertadores. It's a three-time champion of America. He's right here beside me.
People are surrounding the man here to sign a bunch of jerseys, but Felipe Melo is here among us. In a bit, we'll try to drag him here to the live. That's it. Everything good, Blu? Total peace, brother. Look at how I look on video. I'm really red. I'm the color of a rose apple. I don't know. I got a lot of sun today. Water, water, water, water. But I made it here, man. The line is impressive. It's the weekend, it wouldn't be any different in Rio de Janeiro with the sun, thank God, man, it came
out. I, I was already unaccustomed. No, I, I don't even recognize the sun anymore. I don't know what's happening. I wasn't used to the sun in Rio de Janeiro, honestly. It's great that the day is spectacular and people are able to show up here. Ah, Conmebol Libertadores Experience. And there's still tomorrow. Come over, there's still time. Whoever didn't come to enjoy it is missing out. Exactly. Sensational. Listen up, guys, go ahead and send your messages. I already told you. The question is as follows: who will be the champion and what will be the final? There
are two questions, actually, right? Who will be the champion and what will be the Conmebol Libertadores final? By the way, it's the Conmebol Libertadores Experience event. Who will be the champion and what will be the Conmebol Libertadores of America final? Send them to us here and I'll read them live on air; today promises great Tricolor idols and also Rubro-Negro idols around here. Lots of people arriving, it's going to be really cool. So send a message and I'll read it live on air right now. Alright. It's a precursor to a Rio final. That's it, right? Because
there are Tricolor idols and Rubro-Negro idols here at Botafogo beach. Send it in and I'll read it now. Sending a hug to everyone participating, Suzane do Carmo is in the house. Thanks, Suzane, a hug to you. Thank you so much for participating. Keep sending messages and I'll read them live on air. Hit the like button on the live stream. Before we start welcoming the great idols here , also great journalists, right, Jor? Yes. Colleagues from the press, because an event like this, right? Yeah. The press crowd comes together. We had a wonderful chat here this
week with Cícero Melo. Yes, it was sensational. Including, right? 40 Libertadores of America, Conmebol Libertadores covered, and we have other journalism colleagues here, man. The door opened there. It's the guy. The anthem went up, the, the Fluminense anthem went up again. This had happened when Felipe Melo had already arrived at the venue. I believe Germán Cano is also in the area. Oh, really? Yes. The DJ is playing the anthem on air. So Germán Cano and Felipe Melo are circulating here. Let's see what we can get, right, man? Just like it was on Alex Telles 'day,
when the Fogão crowd came in droves, today the Tricolor crowd is really showing up. And the detail is, I was coming here, I came through the inside, on the Aterro, I didn't take the express lane. I'm seeing a lot of families wearing team jerseys. I said, "Wait, there's four Flamengo fans together, five." I said, "Wait, but the game is tomorrow." Then I remembered, man, all of Rio de Janeiro is heading here. Impressive. It's a free event like this, right? You just go, register with the QR code on the site, it's cool to bring the family
, man. Because there's a space for kids here, the little ones have fun, uh, participate in the activities, there's the gourmet area, dad has a drink, right? Has a beer, eats something, mom too. Man, it really is for everyone. Sensational. CONMEBOL Libertadores Experience. Now, Beto Júnior, here's what I'll ask you to open our live broadcast, look. First, B Mendes is around here. Today is the day of the king, our demigod Zico. The possibility of Zico dropping by here. Yes, also Palestra, Elsocio Figueira, a hug from Pirassununga. Avante Palestra, a hug to him, rooting for Palmeiras
there. Palmeiras, one more to break up this Fla-Flu in the semifinals. Sensational. The Virtual Bus sent this, look. No, no , I'm not going to say that, Bal, but a hug to you. We're in this together. He said it, huh? Send a message and I'll read it on air. I want you to get it right. What will be the Libertadores final and who will be the champion? Send it in the chat and I'll read it right now. The question is the following: since we are surrounded today, many Tricolores around here, the question I ask you
is: Fluminense, what is the chance of Fluminense being the Libertadores champion? I'm going to say something. Before the championship started, no one bet on Flusão. That's the truth. No one put their chips on it, saying: "Man , Fluminense is going to be the Libertadores champion, right?" Not even the Tricolores, look, a Tricolor here. Ah, always with the vira-lata complex. Not even the Tricolores. I think that of the times Fluminense reached the final, it's the hardest-working team, let's put it that way. Yeah, it's the team, I won't say ugly because that roster there could be champion.
We won't have anything to complain about them. We have to applaud everyone, but comparing the squads, right, uh, of 2023 and also the 2008 squad, when Fluminense was a finalist, and reached those other two finals, this one, without a doubt, has the fewest stars and more hard workers, more blue-collar players, and a team that has veterans from the title run; that’s important. In an acute decisive phase, Cantarelli, that’s just too important. Besides the veterans, tough guys like Hulk, who arrived recently, make a difference having that type of player at this decisive moment. People might say
no, fair enough, but Hulk against Platense was involved in all three goals, in all three goals for Fluminense's qualification. And let's be honest, Fluminense got a very easy group, right? And they made it difficult, didn't they ? Yeah, I called several Fluminense games in the first phase and, look, Fluminense's group was La Guaira, right ? Team from Venezuela. Bolívar and Independiente Rivadavia. Everyone was surprised because it was the second-best campaign of the Libertadores, right? Flamengo's was the best. Then it surprised everyone who said: "Oh, no, Rivadavia is a team that uh it it doesn't have
tradition, but it does very well in the Argentine league and all that, other highlights of Argentine football." But the thing is, Rivadavia faces Fluminense again in the round of 16, already weakened, having lost their star players, right? V, for example, who for me was Rivadavia's best player, left, went to Boca, and had already played for Boca Juniors previously too. Anyway, it's a path that you see as a very easy path. I think the Tricolor fan thinks so too. To give you an idea, for example, in the Libertadores Fluminense won, they had River Plate in their
group, man. Yes. Internacional. The clash against Internacional was the match, right, that we watched and said: "Man, it’s Fluminense’s, it’s going to be Fluminense’s." But, you know, very tortuous paths. 2008, Boca, São Paulo. Boca and São Paulo. That's it. Adriano's São Paulo, exactly. Traditional Boca. They didn't play at La Bombonera, right? In 2008. They did, if I'm not mistaken. No, no, it was at the Cilindro stadium. Cilindro is Racing's stadium. No, they didn't play that one in 2008. They didn't, right? They played there later. Yeah. Now, Fluminense's numbers in this Libertadores. 10 games, three wins,
three wins, four draws, three losses, 11 goals scored, 11 goals conceded. Remembering that, as you said, in the group stage, they ended up losing 2-1 to Rivadavia, right? Then they qualified because Bolivar didn't play at altitude, right? Yeah, there was civil unrest in Bolivia, protests and all that. And the last game, Bolivar needed to beat Rivadavia. Fluminense saved by politics. And Rivadavia beats Bolivar, but the game wasn't at altitude, right? In Santa Cruz, yeah. And in the round of 16, the matchups against Rivadavia were extremely tight. Two draws, tied 0-0 at home, tied 1-1 in
Argentina, then they won 5-4 on penalties. Then Platense, they won the first game 2-0, the second one was a struggle, they conceded two goals and then Canobbio put the team in the semi-finals. But there is also a But they also grew in performance. F are you going to say that Brazil's fifth title, Brazil's fifth title was easy, right? It's easy. Easy. Brazil's group, Costa Rica, China. Man, what kind of comparison did you just make? Group, group, yes. Turkey reached the semi-finals later, but at the start, it wasn't a team we looked at like, oh, Turkey,
but they faced Belgium, well, they faced Belgium because it happened, right? Then they faced England, who were candidates that Brazil faced, it was England in the quarter-finals and England choked against Brazil. Turkey, Turkey again. Yeah, and Germany, which in my view was a weak Germany, it was more of a badge than a team. Brazil is much better. Ballack, the star on the team, doesn't play in the final, right? Brazil is much better, but that doesn't take away the weight of the fifth title. Obviously not. So, having an easy path in the Libertadores , or easier
than the opponents', is what was presented to you, you have to solve it. That's it. It doesn't take away the weight. Argentina, Argentina has a tradition in World Cups of always being in the group of death, right? Right? That's it. And they say there, damn it, because many, many Argentina teams in history could have gone much further. We could be telling several stories of other World Cup titles for Argentina, but this issue of the bracket and the initial group, that already weeds them out, makes it difficult, right? They fell into the group of death a
few times, right, in the World Cup. But that's it, man. I think an easy bracket doesn't invalidate what Fluminense has been doing. I was very critical, and Fluminense fans were too, of Luis Zubeldía's work, such poor work in the Libertadores. I said: "Man, Fluminense is obligated to qualify from that group ." Then he said: "Oh, no, whoever..." He said that in the press conference, that whoever analyzed the group as easy doesn't understand soccer, and he declared, "I guarantee we'll advance," and he didn't guarantee it. He only qualified thanks to the other game, right? Two mistakes,
right? Two mistakes of his, right? First, guaranteeing they would advance with the soccer the team was playing, and he got lucky. Yeah, it was luck. Let's, let's, let's be honest here. The Tricolor fan also has this perspective. Fluminense took too long to get going, to wake up in the Libertadores. I would say if Marcão hadn't come in, they might have already been out. So, they might have already fallen out of the competition. But that issue of saying, oh, the group isn't easy, you guys don't understand soccer. Zubeldía . Yeah, damn. Look, I'm going to bring
up a point just to protect himself, man. I'm going to bring up a point that is a problem for Fluminense at this semifinal stage, because I looked up Fluminense's top scorers in this competition. The leaders are John Kennedy and Canobbio, each with two goals. No, you have a Bruno Henrique there, who is a sub in the Libertadores, no, but he has five in the Libertadores. I think Vítor Roque has four, four. He has more goals in the Libertadores than in the Brasileirão. In the Brasileirão, he has two goals. Yeah, he has two goals. Yeah, Canobbio
scored that goal now to qualify, but John Kennedy is the real scorer, because Canobbio isn't a natural goalscorer. Kennedy is, he has those two goals in the group stage and is out. Yeah, but he wasn't playing either, which is incredible, right? John then Hulk arrived now with one goal, that goal now in the quarterfinals. Then comes Savarino with one, Arana with one, Nonato with one, Acosta with one, Keno with one. They have to improve that, because Palmeiras has an attacking line, Flaco López has them. Yes. I'll even look up how many he has here in
the Libertadores, but he definitely has more. And it's more distributed. Vítor Roque scores, the midfielders score, Flamengo is the same thing. So Fluminense has to—this could be an Achilles 'heel for the decision against Palmeiras. For sure, right? But what I wanted to ask you is the following. First, to get straight to the point, what will be the Libertadores final and who will be the champion? Fluminense could be the Conmebol Libertadores champion. They can, for me, they clearly can. Three games away from that, right? No, man. First, because the final is a single match and it
could be a classic, and we know what happens in a Fla-Flu. Let’s tell the truth. Let’s tell the truth. And sure, we’re Flamengo, and all that stuff. But man, historically, Fluminense, and I always say this, right? Because I consider Fla-Flu the biggest classic for me, but historically Fluminense is a thorn in Flamengo's side. And if it’s Estudiantes that gets through on the other side, then for me that title becomes even more feasible in a single match. Now, the matchup against Palmeiras will be the 180-minute test where Fluminense will have to apply the soccer they played
at the Maracanã against Platense. It’s that game, it’s the intensity of the Maracanã game. The first half. Yes. It’s that intensity that will qualify Fluminense for their third Libertadores de América final. To manage to repeat that and take their chances. I’m not even saying, "Oh, they're going to thrash Palmeiras." No, but that game, we didn't see it. We didn't see it in the second leg, neither in the first nor the second half. They landed a counter-attack in the second half and did what they needed to do. But Fluminense has a real shot, man. Like, they
have a real shot. They improved a lot under Marcão, who gave opportunities, looked at the roster to see who deserved to play, like Ganso, who was sidelined by Zubeldia, and put him in. He had a lot of tact in that regard. Yeah, it’s because when we look at the matchup now, Berton, you look at it : Fluminense, Palmeiras, this is the game. Fluminense is not the favorite, right? But just recently, just recently they beat Palmeiras in the Brasileirão . Palas. But that’s what I was going to say, among the Brazilians, Fluminense is the underdog, they
start as an underdog. But that doesn’t mean they won't win. They can win. It’s just that in a prior analysis, they have more steps to climb than the others. I think this goal issue, for example, is a point where they are below Flamengo, which has already passed 100 goals this season, and Palmeiras. Yeah, but there was a big problem with the number nine position, because you had John Kennedy, who wasn't a bet at the start of the season. Oh no, let's trust John Ken. I think that's one of the only good things Diniz did, right?
It’s Germán Cano, he couldn't get going this season. We’ll find out, God willing, we'll sit here and find out from him why. And then, over time, Fluminense signed, right, the most expensive player Fluminense has ever paid for in a signing, Lelê, which, man, between us, isn't up to what Fluminense is planning for the season. Hulk, for me, isn't a center-forward, so there’s a problem with the number nine, right? He's the guy who already showed in that game against Platense at the Maracanã that he's the player the fans have to bet on in a game like
this against Palmeiras, to receive a ball face-to-face with the keeper and have the composure to decide the game. Yeah, you have to count on Hulk for that. And then, of course, Hulk can take the pressure off by opening the scoring from a set piece or open play, and then lower the pressure so Serna, Costa, and these other players can arrive and suddenly, on the counter-attack, contribute to a goal too. But I think that's only possible if Hulk takes the weight, brings it on himself, and takes the pressure off these guys who don't have a goalscorer's
instinct. They get there, they try, they don't score, but it’s not their role. Hulk, even though he's not a center-forward, won't back down at any moment. Hulk isn't one to back down. And there's one more thing for a tough game, where Abel might play that game that stalls in the midfield, where you can't reach the box, Hulk’s set pieces are vital. They've already been lethal against Palmeiras themselves. Hulk has missed important penalties for Galo too, but he has already eliminated Palmeiras with a set piece. So, it's the title Hulk is missing, right? Do you think
he's the guy who could be it? We're talking about the problem Fluminense has with center-forwards. I don't see Hulk playing as a nine. No, no, it's not his thing, for me. He has to come face-on to shoot, anyway. Yeah, but is he the guy you think could lead Fluminense to the Libertadores title? I believe he arrives at a very important moment, he especially grows, his football grows at a very important time for Fluminense. I repeat, Hulk was far from brilliant in these clashes against Platense, but he was hyper-decisive for Fluminense's qualification, and that is what
Fluminense needs in the semifinal. They will need it against the Palmeiras team, which has that style we already know: they will keep crossing the ball all the time, depending on the game's circumstances, and another sector, Cantarelli. We're here thinking about Fluminense's qualification, wondering who is going to settle things, Hulk could be that guy, but a sector that everyone pointed out as Fluminense's big problem in this final stretch of Zubeldia's tenure, which was the defense, has adjusted a lot. Adjusted a lot. And I'll add more, even when Thiago Silva wasn't present, Ignacio even played a great
game. Midian is coming in well, Thiago Silva needs no introduction. So, uh, the Fluminense defense could also be very decisive in this semifinal, against this often uncreative football from Palmeiras. Palmeiras fans know what we are talking about. They want, and, look, if you take Palmeiras' last three games in the Libertadores, you'll take one half that Palmeiras—actually, the game against Santos in the Copa do Brasil was like that: Palmeiras dominated, created opportunities and such, it's not Palmeiras 'recurring football. Fluminense's path relies heavily on this decisive guy, but also on the solidity the defense is managing to
have, the consistency the Fluminense defense is achieving at this point. Thiago Mijan there, Guga and Renê are making an interesting line. Guga is a very strong option on the right. When Canobbio plays there, when Cna plays, he's always overlapping. Fluminense has to play more with him, he's been overlapping a lot, he's moving up all the time. I think the midfield too, the choice of this midfield, Hércules in that role with Martinelli, Ganso, understanding Savarino or if Soteldo goes. The ideal for this Fluminense was for Soteldo or Savarino to enter this team. Nonato would be a
starter in the return leg now, right? He wasn't because he was suspended. Nonato. So he won the spot from he came in because he went out due to suspension. Exactly. He won the position. He won it. Yeah, he has more touch, right? Based on what he did in the first game, he would inevitably be he scored a goal. Including he gets into the box. But that Hércules, thinking of a battle against Palmeiras, it would be interesting to have a physical player like Hércules there. Martinelli is very good, he's more of a ball-at-feet player, a guy
for the combat there to be important. The genius of Ganso. I think it’s about creating a game where Ganso and Hulk feel comfortable. Yeah. And it's that connection right there, look. That bow and that arrow. That’s what people criticize about Fluminense regarding age, right, man? It is indeed an advanced age. Take Fábio, for instance. Yes. 40-something years old, right? How old is Fábio anyway? Let’s check the average age of Fluminense's last game, man. Yeah, but this whole age thing when it comes to Fluminense, the last title, Fluminense's CONMEBOL Libertadores title, came—man, you can't even bring
that up anymore. Yeah, they had Felipe Melo in defense, Fábio himself in goal, Marcelo at left-back. Left-back. Exactly. Not to mention Germán Cano isn't a kid . Germán, in attack and Ganso, right? Look, just to start talking about age, the Libertadores team, from the last round of the Libertadores that decided the semifinalists, two Fluminense players made the team of the week. One of them, who is it? Grandpa Thiago Silva is in the team of the round, the last round, and Cano too. But I'm going to look up the average age of the last game, the
qualification match against Platense. Yeah, because there might be a change, like against Vasco, when Fluminense was eliminated by Vasco in the Copa do Brasil, they came on at the same time. Ganso, Hulk, Cano, man. Ah, it’s like, come on, 180 years old stepping onto the pitch. And they actually played well, but still, Vasco deserved to qualify over Fluminense. It's high, the age is high, right? Yeah , Platense played that deciding game with an average age of 27. Fluminense, the average in their last Libertadores game, where they qualified, was 32 years old. Average, average 32 years
old. An average of 32 is pretty high, right? We used to say Flamengo doesn't have a low average either, okay? I think even with their signings, they updated that a bit. But the Flamengo that started the year had a very high average, it was the highest in the Brazilian Championship Série A. Yes. Yes. It was having the highest average in recent championships, huh? Yes, actually, Flamengo has experienced players, but they aren't playing, cases like Danilo and Alex Sandro, right? Yeah, they raise the squad's average, but not the team on the field. Yes, the team on
the field isn't that old. Go ahead, tell us about Flamengo faced Del Valle at altitude with an average age of 30. The victory for a little bit lower than Fluminense's in the Rio de Janeiro game, the team I think it must have dropped a little since the lineup didn't change much, but 30 years old on average is still significant, right? Yeah, Bruno Henrique isn't exactly a kid anymore either, he's been starting for Flamengo in the Libertadores. Look, in the actual match, 30 years old as well in the return leg; there's the age factor you could
view as wear and tear, and all that. But these days, with sports medicine the way it is, you can also look at the other side. High averages also bring you a tougher team, right? A more experienced team to decide games. Usually, champion teams are around 28, champion team average, 28 years old, which is the age for ready players who generally won't feel the pressure of a final, and it won't be a mistake, an expulsion, or a red card that defines the title. Eh, that could also be one side, it could be the negative side, sure,
but it could be the case for titles, you can also explain it by age. Look, it's an experienced group, like you said, you have Hulk there who was missing this in his career. You have Guga who already won with Galo, a Fluminense one too for Fluminense, among other athletes, right? He was a substitute, now he's a starter. Renê who was also a champion. Oh, sending a hug here to Mike. He sent this here, look. Fluminense's advantage is that Palmeiras is on three fronts. Libertadores, Brasileirão, and Copa do Brasil. There's that, huh? he faces. We're not
talking about that, Beto Júnior, but here's the thing. Palmeiras, which might be a disadvantage for them in relation to the matchup against Fluminense, but Palmeiras could be the first Brazilian team to win all three competitions. Yeah, they won't. You think? They aren't playing well enough for that. They will. I don't know about that. I know. It could be Vasco too, right? But Vasco is going to fight for the Brazilian title. Vasco is also on all three fronts. Winning a title playing mediocrely. Let alone winning three playing the way they aren't playing. I believe. Palmeiras is
the favorite against Vasco , man. Yeah, they're the favorite, but it's a knockout stage, right? If they get past Vasco, they're in the final. Wow, Copa do Brasil. One game is a mini Carioca. He faces Vasco. Vasco has improved things a little bit, right ? He, he does that too. He faces Vasco in the Copa do Brasil, he faces Fluminense in the Libertadores and competes with Flamengo for the Brasileiro. That's it. It's a Rio derby, right? Exactly. It’s not impossible, huh? No, it’s not impossible. Do you think it's impossible for Palmeiras to win all three?
I don't, man. In football, I don't think anything is impossible. It’s never happened. Eh, what I also think is that there's the other side of the coin, and if Palmeiras doesn't win any of them again , things would get ugly, man. Because, I repeat, in the final stretch last year, many people said: "Oh, one will take the Brasileiro, the other the Libertadores, Flamengo will take both." Palmeiras needs to lift a title, man. But look at the level of football that Palmeiras needs to win at least one of these three. They’re at that level of demand,
like, they didn't win any last year. You think—ask him if he thinks this doesn't put pressure on them? Sure, but can they win all three this year? That's a tough question because, in two competitions, they're three games away from the title. Libertadores and Copa do Brasil. And in the Brasileiro, so far they aren't playing like Flamengo, but they're right there too, right there, in the mix. If Flamengo slips up like that, if Flamengo slips up. They need to beat Flamengo. With the way they're playing today, I don't think they win. They won't win. So, Betão,
but then It's just one game, Betão. Flamengo played poorly today. In the Brasileiro, three in a row, I don't think they win. They can be champions even without playing that well. That possibility exists. Because if Flamengo starts slipping, brother, like Botafogo slipped in that title race... That’s not the point. How many years did Botafogo slip up like that day? How many? How many have slipped up? Only Botafogo. It happens in football. And Palmeiras in 2009. Look, I don't believe it. I don't believe Flamengo will drop off that much. People. We also can't underestimate football. We
have to play the game. It's not like that. Oh, because they're champions, because they're tough. They keep going and winning while playing ugly, like that. The three titles—if they win one playing ugly, they won. Flamengo in 2009 wasn't the best team in Brazil, they played well, but 2009 had the lowest points total for a champion. He played well in 10 games and won the championship. Which do you think is easier for Palmeiras to win? The league points format or the knockout stages? I think they could win the Brasileiro, they could soon change their focus, closer
to the league than the knockouts . Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Do you think that chance is more realistic? I think so, I'd lean more towards the knockouts than the league. Oh, you're changing things, talking about all three. Winning all three. No, we're analyzing the difficulty; they could win one of these three even playing poorly. They could win all three. They could win three. I mean, looking at how Palmeiras plays today, what's easier for you? In the league, it doesn't just depend on them or a single direct matchup against one team, because several teams will face
their competitors. And they will also face many other teams. Yeah. In the knockouts, they only focus on Vasco and now Fluminense. Exactly. Yeah, theoretically, in the league, they depend on much more and need to play better soccer to be champions. In the knockouts, it's open for everyone, right? They don't have Flamengo in front of them, they have Vasco and Fluminense. But that balances out for them, and for the other side too. Yeah, take Vasco, for example, if Palmeiras plays well, it would balance out a knockout tie, which is normal when Palmeiras is playing poorly. I
don't know about Vasco, look at the confidence they might have in a game like this. Yeah. And two games against Palmeiras. I'm all in . Vasco's first half against Palmeiras in the league was good enough to be 2-0 up. Vasco didn't take their chances. Palmeiras spoke with their experience and settled the game. I think, I repeat, they are facing Flamengo in the knockout. That is Flamengo with a very high performance level. They have to depend on Flamengo slipping up and them getting a result. Could it happen? It could. The variables in the league are greater
, right? There are 13 games ahead. It's because, look, last year, I thought Flamengo's team played better than Palmeiras, but Palmeiras' level wasn't like this, they fluctuated, but were there. You just need to look at it. Palmeiras lost by four at altitude and gave LDU a beating here. Yeah. They had beaten Del Valle in the first round. He had he had several high points. He's in a moment of just scraping by with 1-0 wins, it's been like that for a while. So that's the detail about Palmeiras in the Brazilian league. Did you use to play
Fut? Remember L Fut? Yeah. I played it a lot. Or Brasfoot. El Fut. Look at LFut 98. You keep watching that little scoreboard like this, see. Then you're paying attention to another game. You're watching the little scoreboard and let's say Bahia Palmeiras, Bahia 1-0. Then you say: "Damn, but it's Palmeiras." A little later it plays again, 2-1, you say: "Holy crap, in the Brazilian league Palmeiras has this thing, man, which is is is impressive, man. The consistency, the consistency of Palmeiras in the Brazilian Championship is something absurd. But the month of August wasn't like that,
was it? It lost a lot of points, it was way ahead of Flamengo, it got overtaken. Flamengo took seven points from Palmeiras, the lead melted away, it melted. Fine, but I'm saying, it's still Palmeiras in this championship, which is consistent every recent year. All the recent years Palmeiras is always either the champion , or the team to be overtaken. Either the champion, or the team to be overtaken, or the team that does the overtaking. In the case of the championship that they overtook Botafogo, in the Brazilian league the tragedy for the Palmeiras fan is coming
in second, right, they were back-to-back champions and in the last two they were second place. So, in other words, they're always, just a sign that they're always there, right? I'm not saying, obviously , they have the obligation to be champions like Flamengo has. But here in Brazil, Cantarelli, this type of 2nd place is already worthless. Of course, they are already seen as complete garbage. No, but what I'm saying is, looking at the scenario, it's a Palmeiras that is always fighting for the title. Yes. It's a Palmeiras that maybe doesn't play well, isn't flashy, but is
always fighting for the title, right? But the frustration of the Palmeiras fan when they finish in second is not like, let's suppose here, a team that has a long-term project, like Bahia. If Bahia gets second place in the Brazilian Championship, people will applaud, they'll say:" Look, look where the Bahia project is taking the club. " Of course, Palmeiras is frustration, just like Flamengo, man. Yes, they go in to win. If they don't win and lose to Flamengo, then You start the next year desperate, having to win the state championship, otherwise it's a crisis, a huge
one. A lot happens politically, internally, within the club. A lot gets shaken up. I just think three years without winning anything for Flamengo and Palmeiras, who invest so much, is a crisis, it’s unacceptable. Flamengo '23, remember? Flamengo came close, Flamengo hit the post and didn't win anything in '23, '24. No. Didn't win anything in '23. Then they won the Copa do Brasil and the state title in '24. '24. Yeah. No, they were headed for, they were headed for... Don’t take away my Club World Cup title that I won on FL TV, no. All right. The
U-20 World Cup too. I was there at the Maracanã, man. They were heading, they were heading for a streak of two years without any titles... and it ended up that the management delivered 13 titles in 6 years. That became the narrative, look. Let me send a shoutout to everyone participating and read the messages from the people watching. Alright? B Mendes sent this here, look. November 4th, 2023, could have been the biggest Fla-Flu in history, in a Libertadores final at the Maracanã, but in 2026, there will be a Fla-Flu in Montevideo. But could there have been
a final? A final, I don't think so. No, they would have faced each other. Flamengo lost to Olimpia. Flamengo lost to Olimpia. They would have met in the quarters, right? Quarters couldn't be... And '22 could also have been a semifinal, I think. I have stories about that game, like... the care...I can't talk because of potential lawsuits, but what happened for Flamengo to get eliminated that day was truly absurd. But it was the club's own mistake. A mistake in the whole process of that game. Yeah. It really was. Our coach was sent off. Flamengo was ahead,
right? Goal by Matheus França. It was 1-0. I don't remember. França made it 1-0 there. They won here, went up 1-0 there, and suffered a ridiculous comeback. Three aerial balls . Matheus. Matheus, fortunately, isn't ... Anyway. It's that game there. One day, one day I'll write a book. Cheers. Cheers. I want to know off the record. That thing there... is what? I want to know the scoop off the record . So, Cali sent this here, look. It's Cali. That's it. Califa. Cali. 2012, we played at the Bombonera and beat Fluminense, in that case. True .
That was it. And he lets in a goal from ...it's the Tank here. And gets eliminated. That Tank, the little bald guy, right? Damn, it was a little bald guy who used to make your face in the match when... Santiago Rodriguez. Rodriguez is the tank, it was Santiago Rodrigues. Vasco almost signed that guy once. Santiago Silva. Santiago Silva. Santiago Silva. He scored the goal here that knocked out Fluminense at the Nilton Santos, right? Sending a shout-out to Mike too, you know? Man, what time does the work start here tomorrow? Tomorrow I don't know if we'll
be here or not. We're still seeing. I think it's another team, right, here, right? Ah, we'll be here. Could be. I think probably 4 o'clock in the afternoon. All right, my partner. Oh, ah, Mike sent:" Fluminense will be the same in the world championship. They already got where they needed to get, he says. " You're a Vasco fan, huh? Could be. Or a Flamengo fan, right? But the R doesn't usually do this C thing, no. It's still going to be. That's it. Send a shout-out here too, look. Mike sent a shout-out. Blue, when are we
going to the Coliseum battle? Oh, my partner, I owe this Coliseum battle to the masses. Hi, Coliseum of the Masses in the center. No, no. Rodío no. It's not Rodío, no. It's an R battle. It's an R battle. Coliseum battle. Man, by the name it sounds like a coliseum of machines. Could get lasagna . But it's a rap battle there at Buraco do Lume in the city center near Largo da Carioca. And I used to stop by there all the time when I was working in Maricá, I'd get off the bus there, I'd stop, I'd
stay there. But I owe this one to Mike. We'll stop by there one Tuesday with Blue there, huh? No, he asked here when I'm going to the Tank battle. You know what? São Gonçalo. The tank battle is on the corner of my grandmother's house. It's on Maria Rita street. Maria Rita, your Sejope stone, right? That's it. Sejope. I played a lot of futsal. MC battle. It's an MC battle. Chama emerged there in front of the in front of the UERJ. No, several MCs there. Oroschi it's because the battle is there at the square of the
ex-combatants and there's a tank, there's a war tank there of war. It's there Oroschi. He he's a product of there and today he sponsored the battle like helping and sponsoring. So this whole crowd passed through there. Chama, all of them, PK, Johnny, all of them, Choice, all of them, all of them. Just the best, just the best. I'll send a shout-out to Dr. Adailton too. He's here. Cantarell has nothing to do with this wardrobe. Talking about my outfit here, right? That one’s just for show. It’s because I’m kind of zoom in on him, Emperor. Hold
on. That one is the one with the Silvio Santos shoulder pads. No. Silvio Santos shoulder pads. Shoulder pads. He took the outfit and Artur Jorge. Yeah. And it really is just like it. Yeah. The coach used to wear this gray one. Then I got the pin from Artur Jorge. I went to my dad...It had to come with him. Champion. Huh? Champion. Champion. No, but it's the pin he wore in the game, I think. Anyway. Really? Yeah. Man. A relic, huh? A memory. Memory is a gem. It's my dad's. It's there with him. What did he
do with the pin? I don't know because my dad only wears one outfit. Botafogo shirt. He’s here with a Botafogo shirt. He goes to the bakery drinking his little beer. Botafogo shirt. Same day. Birthday Botafogo shirt. Then a retro Botafogo shirt. Botafogo '70 gala kit. Father's Day. Now I gifted my dad a Botafogo shirt too. Good, good gift to give. Botafogo shirt. Oh, Dart Malvadão sent this here, look. After the finals against Cruzeiro, Del Valle, Estudiantes, Palmeiras and Fluminense could play together and they still wouldn't get past Flamengo. Look at how it is. Is that
really it? Damn, what is that? 22 against 11. Confidence, right? No, it could be a select team. Let's make a dream team. Let's put one together here. The selected team would be Fábio, Guga. Guga. A Flumeiras here. Let's go. Guga. Because it’s not possible. Guga Gomes, Thiago Silva and Gomes. Thiago Silva, Gomes. My God, what a defense, huh? Piquerez, damn, man. I was scared. What a defense , huh? Let's go. It's Flumeiras. Flumeiras against Mengão. Fábio, Fábio, Guga. Guga, Thiago Silva, Gomes, Gomes. Piquerez, half and half defense. Half and half, right? The defense. Now in
the midfield. Martinelli and Andreas Pereira could be. I think Martinelli. Marlon, Marlon Freitas. Freitas. André, right? Today I think André, Andreas Pereira and Martinelli, right? Yeah. Martinelli, Marlon Freitas, Andreas and Arias or Ganso and Arias. Put Arias on the right, right? Yeah. Arias on the right, Ganso in the middle . And put Vitor Roque and Flaco. Vitor Roque is on the bench. Oh, but this team plays Flaco. Flaco. No, I, I would do it like this: Martinelli, Marlon, this is Flumiras. Good team, Flumeiras, Martinelli, Marlon, Andreas, Aras, Ganso, and Flaco. Three defensive midfielders. No defensive
midfielders. No, no, no. Andrés is more free to create there. Yeah, either you put Ganso or put Flaco , because Flaco plays as a 10 and on the left side there, tucked in. Oh, no. But for this you need the fullback here . Come here, my friend. Touch here, look. Put the, put the quality, put the No, great team. But look, Flaco is going to kill Ganso. Flaco plays as a 10, he comes back here. No, I think that team there still wins 2-0. He sent it to me here, damn it, he let it go.
Screw it. That said, 2-0. Is that possible? That said, Flamengo 2-0, 3-0. Let's talk about this here. The Flamengo fan is so cocky thinking it's going to be, but on the contrary, there are many pessimists out there. You have that cockiness, saw some guys against him there. That exists nowhere. I don't see it anywhere. There are too many Flamengo fans. You can't see them all. You see a spectrum, some near your house, you can't see all of them. There are a bunch like that, there are a bunch of arrogant ones on the internet. Like, all
of them. Oh, I don't know. Flamengo fans are vaccinated, Betão. Look, the Flamengo fan, even in this winning phase, no. Even in this winning phase, the Flamengo fan has already gotten used to living through everything too, man. The year of disappointment, the year of winning nothing." Flamengada, " Maracanã has already had it, man. Who can't get carried away is the player. The fan can get carried away all they want, thinking they're already champions. Who can't get into that are the athletes. They need to know they have to sweat blood to be champions. And if they
have that awareness, then things won't go wrong. The players don't go on, eh, the fans don't go on the field, right, to decide, they go on the field cheering and rooting. If at home they think they can win easily, that they'll beat everyone, it's valid as some people do, for example our guy, he has that choice, he prefers to trash talk early, mock, go ahead, because if things go wrong later, he already trash talked, he didn't miss his chance. Yeah , when it works out for him too, he stays . But I think the Rubro-Negro
fans are getting too cocky. Too what? Ah, too... No, but come on, Cantarelli. They might be at their peak of... No, but with all due respect, right? All the other fanbases are like that too, but Flamengo has allowed this for their fans for a while now, right? But we're still in the middle of the year, it's not over yet? I just said it, the fan has the right to be, if there's any fan base that has the right to be confident in Brazilian soccer and taunt their rivals, it's the Flamengo and Palmeiras fans, man. But
then the Flamengo fans aren't cockier than the Palmeiras ones, man. I'll tell you one thing, it was on social media, to me, the Flamengo fan, and look at the comparison I'm about to make with their rivals, right? To me, Flamengo fans are like Atletico fans, they're annoying. Look, look here. See if it isn't true. Dart Malvadão participated again." Flamengo's bench is better than Palmeiras 'starting 22. "I'm starting to think so. Ah, but Dart is just Dart, right? He's in that vibe. Let the guy be, damn it. Look at Mike here, look." I'm wearing the sandals
of humility. " Yeah, you'll find everything. But I repeat, they can, guys. The players aren't the ones who can. Yeah, the fans can, think they've already won, and sing about PSG, wait for it to arrive. No, Real Mad—Real Madrid isn't going to make it to any Club World Cup now. Who, Real Madrid? It's PSG that's in the Club World Cup. No, Real Madrid... No. It's PSG, the champion, man. Oh, right. They're the two-time Champions League winners. PSG again. Again. That's true. Forget it. PSG, well, PSG is for Botafogo. Botafogo is used to beating PSG. Flamengo
should be Chelsea. Flamengo and Chelsea. That's good. Win against Chelsea. Yeah, yeah. That's the thing. The fans can stay in that vibe. I repeat, guys, who will be the champion of the Libertadores and what will the final be, I'm reading it live right now . Sending a hug to Nouris Souza. I'm with you on TV and with Covarde Machado calling the Mirassol and Botafogo match . Botafogo is losing to Mirassol. Ooh, that's bad. Mirassol really needs those points. Vasco and Mirassol. Go, I think Botafogo is losing to Mirassol. Now for the folks following us, would
anyone bet on Estudiantes as champion or would it be the big underdog? Would it be the competition's big underdog? Estudiantes is...it's a question. The Estudiantes fans all over America will cheer for Estudiantes. Logically. Ah, yes. It's the representative, right ? Estudiantes......is out of the running, they won't win the Libertadores. I don't think they're out of the running because we've seen it before, for example, remember that San Lorenzo team that won? It was a very average team, they had Romagnoli, man, they won, remember? So, Romagnoli was still there, he was, I think he was. No, San
Lorenzo, I remember well because I went to the first stage, Botafogo vs. San Lorenzo at the Maracanã. Goals from Tanque Ferreyra, who was the Botafogo player. Yes. And from Wallyson, remember Wallyson? Alisson. Yeah, he was flying back then, he was playing well, and everything else. So, Tanque Ferreyra and Alisson scored the goals for a 2-0 Botafogo win. Then as the competition went on, Kanemann was at San Lorenzo. Yeah. That's where he came from to Grêmio. So, San Lorenzo kept advancing, the Pope's team and all that. There was another player that Flamengo loved, wanted to sign
and never could. The left back, Emmanuel Mas, but...... but he played on that team too. And then they went to the final and won the Libertadores. They won, another team nobody talked about in '14 and they won. Then later, some players appeared. But Atlético Nacional with Berrío, and Atlético Nacional returning after a long time to be champion, right? Yeah, they had been champions in the early 90s with that team from the Macan, that base of the Colombian national team. Center forward, the...... the...it's the...... center forward. Borja, no, Borja isn't the...... he's at River Plate now.
It's Palmeiras's Borja. Borja appeared, they bought him in the middle of the Libertadores for 2 million, he left for 10 million. Yeah, he scored four goals in the semifinal against São Paulo. There's that...there's that line from Cereto, right? Hand over the trophies. Hand over the trophies. Now... Palmeiras is signing Borja. Mirassol 1, Botafogo 0. The first goal was from Eduardo. Yeah, it's already the Tiquinho. Already... ... already Tiquinho. Man, Tiquinho. Jeffinho in the area too. Jeffinho playing. No, he was on the bench. He should come on, right? He'll come on and score two goals already.
It's another team, too. To... ... Mirassol. Mirassol still 1-0, huh. This, look, this Botafogo win against Grêmio in the postponed game, brother. It saved them, right? My God in heaven. Mirassol reaching 32, passing Inter, Vasco, and Grêmio. Exactly, man, how crazy. Mirassol isn't going down. I've said that a while ago. Not going down. Mirassol. Yeah, among those teams down there in the pit, they're the most organized, right? It's just that Mirassol didn't have the squad to play in two competitions. With just one competition, they won't go down. Actually, Mirassol had already, they had already passed
those teams, right, because they were at 29. They're extending the lead, they're going to 32 , and even if Grêmio, Vasco, and Inter win, they don't, they don't pass them. What if, right? Yeah. How crazy. Botafogo found a special victory against Grêmio. I think it was that victory that I was going to talk about Estudiantes too . In 2009 it was also a champion nobody counted on. Cruzeiro was over Adilson's Cruzeiro, right? They still had Verón there, if I'm not mistaken, still La Brujita's dance, right? That Adilson team, that Adilson team was very good, like,
people really backed that Cruzeiro, president Verón who is the president of Estudiantes. His father was champion with Estudiantes, brother. He was a champion and now he is the president. I I was, I was sad for that Cruzeiro because I also have an appreciation for Cruzeiro. Yeah. Uh, oh man, the camera's catching it. Gee. Look who's showing up there, man. It's not possible. Is it him or a mirage? It's him. But then the friend got in front there. But it's him, look. Look, him, the man is here, huh? The man is in the house immediately, look.
Right here, look. Do the double L. I already saw there, look, that our good henchman took there, I think our little son, Fio's son there to sign the jersey there. Fio's son. Fio's son is our henchman. He was there with him. The kid over there. Let me tell you, man. I thought Cano was taller, dude. I guarantee that Miguel Sampaio, look, the producer, is on, is on his tail. Heel of How many goals? How many goals? 23 40 43 or five, brother. He did that in two years, right? He scored more than 80 goals in
two seasons. Lots of goals in two seasons, man. Honestly, this guy did in two years what others don't do in five there, damn. Yeah, isn't it? Yeah. Isn't it, man. Few players have recently scored more than 40 goals in a season in Brazil. Difficult. Friendly, greeting the people. It’s Gabigol in 2019. Yeah, it’s difficult. Cano in 2023. Pedro managed to reach 30-something there. He would have passed it, but he got injured. Pedro was in a year where he could have hit 40 goals. German Cano. Yeah, it’s difficult. 42, I think. 42 or three as well.
He was the top scorer of the Carioca, the Copa do Brasil, third in the Brasileiro. Look, Cano scored 44 goals. 44 in 2023. 2023. Incredible, right, man? And another thing, besides it being the only goal I called from midfield. Against Vasco. Great goal, right, man? I say shoot, shoot, shoot. Tell me. Alright. No, the the Ca, Cano at the phase he was in , my friend. I'm looking at him there, everyone taking photos, doing this, look. Yeah. That's it, man. I think he's one of the greatest idols in Fluminense history. What do you guys think,
German Cano? Oh, for sure. Immortalized. Immortalized in Fluminense history with the title, man. Winning the first Libertadores title. There's no way, he and John Kennedy scored goals the whole campaign. And look at what I'm going to say here now, okay? Hey. Maybe because of this melting of idolatry for others, perhaps the greatest idol of the conquest. I think by far. By far. Yeah. That's it, man. The the more likes we have, the more our broadcast appears to people. Send a message and I'll read it on air, alright? We'll be talking about Conmebol Libertadores here at
the Conmebol Libertadores Experience. Reminding you that several great idols of our football history are passing through here. The event goes until tomorrow and this is the spot and you can drop by here, look. QR code is here on the screen. You come for free, it's awesome. Your free access is now here via the QR code. Until tomorrow, Conmebol Libertadores Experience from 4 to 10 at night with Charla here. This friend here is, look, you have no idea what it's like here, huh? The crowd is all here. You announce that an idol is going to arrive
here. The crowd goes wild. I was applauded at the door. Can you believe that? It's what? Gustavo, damn. Felipe arrived. Felipe arrived. Whoa, what a scare, man. Man, he's a three-time champion. I've got my badge here, my friend. Guys, I want some applause for Felipe Melo for the first time here on Charla. Sensational. Oh, Felipão, what an honor, man. Hey, check if the mic is up there. It is, man. Welcome to Charla, man. What an honor having you here. The pleasure is mine. The pleasure is mine. We're in this together. I just wanted to know,
does it really sink in, man? You're a three-time Libertadores champion, you look at the beach, man, packed. And what's happening here today, how does that hit you, man? To tell you the truth, it has sunk in. It's been a while since it sank in. Eh, but to be quite honest, coming back now , I saw some kids crying, ladies crying over there. I got emotional too. I got emotional too. It's an emotion of such gratitude to God, you know, for allowing me to go through this even after ending my career as an athlete. Eh, and
for feeling fulfilled, you know , because this recognition really makes me understand that the whole process, the whole effort, was worth it, right? Eh, and more than that, leaving a legacy, right? Because there are children, but there are also elders, you know, young people crying and saying thank you, right? I don't even know what they're thanking for, right? Because I'm the one who has to be grateful for having been able, you know? To really play for important clubs and be able to have important achievements, right? But for me, it's a reason for great gratitude. Felipe,
you're a guy who, in Europe, there's nothing to say about your trajectory, right? You played in the countries you played in always at the forefront. You played for Inter, Inter Milan, and Juventus. I remember back then there were reports from your home in those places, you reached a starting level with a World Cup as a starter in Spain with a team that wasn't one of the main ones, standing out in Turkey. And then when you decide to return to Palmeiras, you're a guy who shows you project all your things, right? You projected exactly that, look,
on your shirt. Becoming a legend in your own country, right? And that ring you usually wear, three-time champion, right? Was that part of your plan, not just coming home, but making your mark here in South America? I returned to, well, first of all, I obviously imagined it, right? I had a dream of being able to pursue an important career in Europe, you know? And unlike many, it was an arduous process until I reached a European giant, right? Because I went through some teams considered smaller, you know ? Like Mallorca itself, which opened the doors for
me to realize my dream of playing in Europe. Then Racing de Santander, and at Almería it was the turning point when Naem called me to go to Almería, and said:" You're going to be my defensive midfielder. "And I achieved a feat that I think few in the history of Spanish soccer have managed, which was to make the league's all-star team as a defensive midfielder for Almería. So, I was the best player, I was the best defensive midfielder in the Spanish league. The midfield was Xavi from Barcelona and Felipe Melo from Almería. So, I mean, maximum
pride. After that, I went to Fiorentina , then the first big team, the first major team, from Fiorentina to Juventus . At Juventus, despite playing with great stars and having titles, we didn't win anything, right? But it's that old saying: bad with Felipe, worse without him, because I stayed at Juventus for two years and played practically everything. And those were years of great learning, because that Juventus team had many stars, but unfortunately we would reach December fighting for the top spots and then important players would always get injured, you know? And unfortunately, that made us
drop too much in the league table, but it was a source of great pride to be able to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world, which is Juventus, right? I left there kind of on bad terms, because I was a kid, and I talked a lot of crap to them there. Juventus fans don't even like me much, but I have a lot of affection and gratitude for everything Juventus taught me as a professional. Later, I had the opportunity to go to Galatasaray, and there I was a huge idol. Yeah. And that was
a decision, the first decision I made after a lot of prayer together with my wife. Before Galatasaray, I was practically set to go to Paris Saint-Germain. Leonardo was the director of Paris Saint-Germain at the time. Blanc, who was the director at Juventus, the one who took me to Juventus, was a director at Paris Saint-Germain. So, you know, it was a matter of one phone call; the plane was already about to leave for Paris, and it went to Istanbul instead. And that was an important decision, because I became an idol at Galatasaray . More than that,
I became an idol in the country, because when I go there, I’m recognized not only by Galatasaray fans, but by all the other fans who hated me on the pitch, but off the pitch they’d say:" I hated you, but off the pitch you're a normal guy. "And that is, my goal was exactly that, to be hated by rival fans, because that means you're doing a good job. Just imagine. Eh, then later I fulfill a childhood dream of mine, which is to play for Inter Milan. So, I had renewed with Galatasaray and Galatasaray eh, they opened
the doors for me to fulfill my dream of playing for Inter Milan. Then came the decision to return to Brazil. I had become an idol, I had recognition in the world, but I didn't have the recognition I wanted within my own country. Does it affect a player, Felipe? It does. It does. I don't know about everyone, because I see a lot of players hopping from place to place because of money, and I don't blame them, because at the end of the day, football ends, the guy has his family and really needs to secure his future.
Some people aren't just securing their future, but right? I know. Yeah, no need for Santa Claus, eh, give me a break, man. Not that day. Nowadays, six generations, right? They talked, they talked. For a guy to say he won't fulfill a dream because he has to make money nowadays. And I did the opposite process because you had the hand of the agent, these things . I was at Inter. No, man, I didn't open up to anyone. I was at Inter, I came back, I came to Brazil on vacation, end-of-year vacation, and stayed here. Then I
had the opportunity, Matos called me talking about Palmeiras," let's go see Palmeiras, "and I said:" Man, I already want to go back, I want to return to my country, it's a good age for me to return and I want to become an idol where it all started. " Then my father, my parents, my wife said:" But haven't you already won everything in Brazil? "I said:" No, I haven't won the Libertadores, I haven't won a title, I won the Brasileirão, Copa do Brasil, state championships, I even won... " The triple crown with Cruzeiro, right? I participated
in the Mercosur Cup with Flamengo, I was part of that group, I was 16 years old. And I try. Did they try to bring you in during that period when Palmeiras brought you in? Flamengo never tried to bring me in. I never, never, never had a conversation with Flamengo. Only once, when I was in Brazil after 2018 when we were champions, I had a conversation where Flamengo asked what my desire was. I said, I have a contract with Palmeiras, you need to talk to Palmeiras. But nothing ever happened in terms of talks to return to
Flamengo. It was always just speculation. And after I returned to Brazil, obviously the career I built , the history I created at Palmeiras, right? There was never any conversation . Now I decide to return for that reason, because of wanting to become an idol in my country, in the place I love , right? The country where I grew up and where I will surely be buried, I would be buried in my country as well, without a doubt. So it was a bit of a struggle because the family is always a bit worried, but today I'm
part of the press and the family says, but the press, how will it be, and so on. I said today and I have conviction in who I am. I have conviction in what I represent. I have conviction in where I want to go. And I want to reach the point of winning important titles and making history. Three Libertadores. And that's where this comes in, because the Bible says that God gives us much more than we think or dream. And in fact, he gave me much more. I wanted to win one Libertadores, I won three, right?
And I managed, I don't know if I'm an idol or not, but at least to make history at two giants of world football, which are Palmeiras and Fluminense. This for me is really a great source of pride. I did it for that reason, the opposite process of returning to the country and trying to become an idol. For sure, Felipe. And about this issue of management, career choices, I think you always hit the mark wherever you aimed, didn't you, man? That is very rewarding for a player. I don't want you to compare which CONMEBOL Libertadores was
more important. If you want to say, that's fine, but this one with Fluminense, this move to Fluminense, was it something that personally gave you that satisfaction of, man, I'm going and I'm going to compete and be important as I always have been. When you became champion for Fluminense, did that feeling hit you, man? Because you mentioned players that rotate, many come to Brazil here, Felipe, and don't play much anymore, man. They aren't important anymore for certain squads, right, man? I...I...All titles are important, aren't they? And look, everywhere I've been, I've always said the most important
one is the next one. Eh, at Palmeiras, everything started with that year's title, which was the Florida Cup . I lifted the trophy inside the plane, returning to Brazil, from the United States to Brazil. So, I lifted it, they gave me the trophy inside the plane, we left earlier, and so on. Eh, and I said, look, this one is important because it's the gateway. And later we won the Paulista Championship that year, we won the Libertadores because of the pandemic, we went back to the Club World Cup, and we won the Copa do Brasil. Eh,
so, I have no doubt about my importance in those three titles. I have no doubt. Whether it was bringing back a winning mentality, or bringing back faith and hope to many, since Palmeiras had gone many years without winning, you know? So, today Palmeiras fights for every single title . Eh, so it's super important. And when I come to Fluminense, I come to a historic institution, rich, super rich in history and titles, but which still didn't have the Libertadores title. A major trauma, right, Felipe? And there was an open wound. Yeah. And there was an open
wound. And I prophesied that day right there. I remember when I arrived for my presentation, it was everyone online. There were a bunch of little faces asking questions saying:" Come here to win the Libertadores. "Then I see the guys, uh, a bunch of faces of yeah. I said:" Alright. "And that year, that first year, we get eliminated by Olimpia in Paraguay and who misses the penalty? Felipe Melo. The decisive penalty was the one I missed. And then we come back, right? I even said on my live on Felipe Melo TV yesterday, I believe, we return
to Brazil, right there in the locker room, I say:" Look, here we begin the conquest of our Libertadores, we are going to come back here and win the Libertadores. "Right there I start it, we go back to Brazil and the fans go there to the airport, right, and stuff, and the players get kind of, you know, scared, right? Huge crowd, I'm a tough guy, I'm not going out there, man. I take out my little video game bag, a fan stops me, comes to talk to me. Obviously, I was convinced that no one would lay a
finger on me, because I might miss a penalty, whatever, but effort is never lacking on the pitch, right? So I talked to the guys, I said," Look, in three days we have a big match. "And then, three days later, we manage to win 2-0 against Flamengo. Eh, I get hurt in that game and, man, I wouldn't change a thing if I had to go back in time. Five minutes into that game, I jump for a ball with Bruno Henrique. Bruno Henrique, he is, even today, a guy with incredible vertical leap, right? He goes up, he
runs over everyone. And I had to jump really high, man. I manage to win it, but when I land on the ground, I feel my knee give a snap. I say," Hmm, that pain, pain, pain. "I said," I can't, I can't, I can't. "I play until about the 80th minute. Yeah. Then, no, it won't play, the knee swells, having arthroscopy, all cool, just an arthroscopy. The doctor said, I said," Ah, fine, open the knee. "I already had problems because of my age, right? Cartilage issues and the whole situation. And he says," Man, you tore the
ligament completely, so it's bone on bone, it's over, man. "" Let's try to get you back to playing football. "Ah, yeah, man. It was like that. So, I spent that whole year there. It was very difficult for me to return to playing. I get back to playing at the end of the year when Diniz is there, the process, tears, a lot of things, boos. And at the end of the year I was able to return. Eh, but like, I never stopped telling everyone that winning the Libertadores in the following year was possible. What goes through
your head during the national anthem at the Maracanã that makes you cry? It was at the Maraca, right, man? First title at the Maracanã. The Maracanã was where everything started and the Maracanã was where everything ended. Eh, I am proud to tell my children, I will tell my grandchildren, my great-grandchildren, that I, at least until now, am the only human being to lift two Libertadores at the Maracanã. There is no other, man. Eh, Palmeiras and Palmeiras and Fluminense. The first had 10,000 guests. It was during the pandemic, so sad, right? The second one in Montevideo
was very tough , guys. It was complicated, so there were few family members. Not the third one, the third one I had conviction, just like the others, but I had conviction about the title, my grandmother was there, all my uncles, all my children, my best friends, everyone was there. So when I look over there at the the VIP box, and I see everyone, man, I break down, I start crying, crying, crying, crying, crying of conviction and that it was going to happen, and in that moment it was a cry that said:" Man, I will die
on this pitch, but no one is winning this title but Fluminense, "you know? So it was a cry of conviction and showing everyone there that I would do whatever it took for us to win that title. That's why that cry is sensational, man. You put that into your performance, right? Whoever was watching the game saw your determination. And I'll tell you, you are today, as you said, you're in the press now. Yeah, and you're doing great as a commentator. Exactly. I'm a fan of commentators who don't sit on the fence, right? He already talked well
about soccer on his stories, damn, this game here and so on. No, seriously , man. You have a vision of the game and the background from playing. Next year I'll start coaching, I'll start studying tactics and all, but the main thing is possession. Don't think my team won't play physical, because they will play physical too, but the way we'll play out from the back, my brother. We're going to play out from the back like it's a joke. Goitacaz went up, right? Goitacaz, for the love of God. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. Americano, Americano, Americano, Americano,
Americano, Americano, Americano. They went up, they went up, they went up. It's a classic, it's a classic. I apologize to the folks in Campos, for the love of God, man. It was Goitacaz, man. It's Americano, brother. The first game I watched, the first game I watched in a stadium of a professional team, my dad took me to watch. I was maybe seven, I don't remember how old I was. It was, it was there Fluminense and Goitacaz at Laranjeiras. Man, that's so cool. Wow, we used to have that a lot in the Carioca, right? Awesome, right?
I I asked exactly that. You've mentioned and shown on your social media that you're studying to work as a coach, you're doing that. Today in Brazil, talking about the CONMEBOL Libertadores , we have two Brazilian stars who managed to win this title both playing and coaching. Renato and Filipe, Filipe Luís. Now, is that a goal of yours? To win this trophy, which you've won three times, also as a coach. I will win the Champions League and I will win the Libertadores. You can be sure of that. You have the Champions League. Yeah. And my dream
is to win the World Cup title with the Brazilian national team. That will happen. It's just a matter of time. Is your goal to start next year? I'll start, I'm going to start working next year. This year, at the end of the year, I'll finish my CBF Pro license, you know? And we'll register with the CBF and CONMEBOL to get it validated and be able to coach and work for any club in the world. And we'll see. It's a matter of asking God to open the doors so we can work. I already have the whole
staff set up. You almost took over Fluminense, right? What was that about? No, I didn't even talk to anyone, nobody called me. You said," I'm here. "There was no conversation because many people started saying," Oh, Felipe, Felipe Melo isn't ready, Felipe Melo is afraid , he's not prepared. "So I had to take a stand, which I don't like doing, right? So I did my live stream, I spoke on the live and said," Look, people started asking a lot. "I said," Guys, it's simple. "The American team, and I already know what it's like to work in
practice as a coach, because the American team, who handled, who I mean ran the preseason, was me, along with my staff, right? So, we had a good preseason with them. And American ended up, it was U-20, there were some pros, becoming champions of both the Taça Santos Dumont and the other one, right? So, we already know what it's like. I already have the license to work, I can work too. Then I said, look, there are two reasons why a guy wouldn't take over Fluminense. Either he's stupid or he's not prepared. I'm not stupid. And I
am prepared. That was just a response . Oh, but you're fishing, you're fishing. I'm not fishing for anything, especially because I have no intentions of starting my career in Brazil. Ah, ah, I have no intentions of starting to work in Brazil, quite the contrary. So, I'm not fishing for anything. When I say something, it's not because I want to take someone's job; I talk because I talk about soccer, I work talking about soccer. Is your idea to start directly in the pros or go through the youth ranks? No, no, I'll start in the pros. I'll
start in the pros. No youth ranks. I have enough capacity to start in the pros. Then we'll see what door God opens. And there are many great former players who started at giants. Started at giants. So that's really cool because this movement of these former athletes with this personality, you, Thiago is saying this, Felipe said this and did it. This is important for Brazil to renew itself and for us to recover a protagonism we always had. In Portugal, we were told, I won't remember the Portuguese coach who spoke to us, he said:" I grew up
with Brazilians, Alore, Carlos Alberto Silva, Abelão, they dominated the Portuguese market. "Then came the Portuguese ones, a revolution, right? Arabia, only Brazilians. Nowadays it's Spain and Portugal. I think these former athletes with careers in Europe, with this background, are taking this place back, right? It's incredibly important. Yeah, you have Filipe Luís today, he's , well, he's leading the French championship, right? And look, I really root for Filipe Luís, because Filipe Luís, he will open doors for other coaches to also be able to pursue a career in Europe. Eh, Thiago Motta himself, who did a great
job at Bologna , went to Juventus, didn't leave Juventus yet, man, I'm wanting him to start taking his next job, because he's a very good coach too, great ideas, among others, right? Jardim who went to Arabia, but who made history in Mexico, man. Yeah, Thiago Alcântara is already an assistant, man. There are many, many , many, many coming up. Sylvinho almost took Albania to the World Cup, you know ? It was just a little bit short to take Albania to the World Cup. So we have a generation of coaches, a new generation of coaches who
are good, and we have a generation yet to come that I have no doubt will make a difference. Hey FIP, I'll just ask you, over there and here, give me 12. The toughest guys you've marked, man. That I've marked, man, it's Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, man. Abroad, abroad, the only giant team I couldn't beat was Barcelona. The best I managed against Barcelona was at Almeria, 2-2. It was that Pep's Barcelona. It was Barcelona, I don't remember if it was Pep. I think it was. It was, it was Messi, it was Eto'o. Ah, that Rijkaard team
was before. The R was before Pep. Yeah, R's I think was that Barcelona that won 10 titles in a year, right? So, like, Look, I ask the defender, the tough defender that I am. You can't catch these guys. How do you do it? No, Ronaldinho, I’m gonna, man, I'll tell you one. Ronaldinho Gaúcho, for example, I was playing for Juventus, he was at Milan, and man, he took the ball and cut to the left, I couldn't, I just couldn't. Of course, man, catch the guy, I’m gonna catch the guy to hit him. Catch, I’ll catch
him. There’s no, there’s no one who is superhuman, you’ll catch them, okay. Uh-huh. But man, only by hitting them. Yeah, right? The guys that only by hitting them, no? There are some guys you can only handle by hitting them. Messi is only by hitting him. Cristiano Ronaldo was only by hitting him. Cristiano Ronaldo. Just kidding. René Ronaldo was a joke. Messi doesn't fall, he's tiny. He does crazy things. We went to play a friendly once, Fiorentina vs. Barcelona , at the Artemio Franchi in Florence. I had just arrived at Fiorentina, it was a preseason game,
great place, right? And man, it’s funny, Zdravko Kuzmanović came in, he played with me, he said to me:" Everything's piccolo, it's piccolo. They're all tiny. " I said:" They're all piccoli, the guys are all tiny. "My brother, the game started, I said:" Wow, there, there, there. "You can't catch them, piccolo, piccolo. But they play unbelievably. Then we went to play against these giants, only tall guys. We crushed them. So, you’re tiny, but it's even worse to catch them, man. It’s complicated. It’s true. Now, here in Brazil, man, the guy who's hard to mark like that.
Here in Brazil, who's hard to mark. There are many guys in Brazil, too. There’s one you played with, which is Arras, right? I think Arras must be a pain. Aras, I played with him, you know? Yeah , together. I played with him. With Aras, it was like this, Aras, I... he kept the ball right at his feet, man . Yeah, but every ball in training when I went up against him, I went to...I went to break him, I went in hard. And I'll tell you why. Because Aras is very strong. If you aren't strong, you'll
be embarrassed. I saw Aras take down a lot of people in training. He’s tough. I saw Aras take down a lot of people in training. I'm not saying I went at him to knock him down, no. I went at him so I wouldn't get embarrassed. He’s a physical powerhouse, it’s not normal. You can try to take the ball away. It’s crazy. Very hard to take the ball. I didn't play against him, right? Uh, but there are many guys like that, Hulk himself when he was at Atlético Mineiro was very hard to mark, although , with
all due respect to Hulk, good thing he came to Flusão, I had him in my pocket in the Copa do Brasil and Libertadores semifinals. Uh, for Palmeiras, right? Yeah, Palmeiras missed the penalty. He missed the penalty. It was him, him and Diego Costa, man. Imagine that attack. It wasn't easy, no. That was a tough spot, huh? Hulk, I have a story with Hulk. Hulk, when he was called up, for the first time, if I'm not mistaken, it was his first call-up to the national team. We went to play a game, Brazil and Ireland, could be,
I don't remember, over in London, and he was called up, I didn't know who Hulk was, man. Then he got a ball like this, he did a step-over in front of me that, before God, when I reacted, he had already passed by a long time ago. I said:" Who is this guy? "The force went by like:" What is this? "Such power, man. You underestimated him there. No, I didn't know who he was. Didn't know who he was. He got called up. After all, he was great, you don't imagine he's going to do a step-over? He
went by like that. That's why today he's 40-something and still makes a difference. I was, I was very happy. I was one of the guys who took care lobbied hard so he could come to Fluminense and it's working out, right? A guy who is decisive, right? Now about fights, because look, Lúcio was here, I have this amazing clip of Lúcio's clashes with Ibra, man, which was, man, damn, spectacular, you know, for you, like, who the hell could match you, man? Ibra was really good at fighting, but I never, I never fought with Ibra. On the
contrary, there was a game, Uh, Fiorentina, Inter Milan, where we lost 1-0, 2-0, where Ibra scored a screamer from outside the box from a free kick, and I ran him over in the air, I already had a yellow card, Mourinho almost ran onto the pitch to demand I be sent off. And later, every time I met Ibra, Ibra would go" Animale . "Hey, Animale. I met him at a restaurant in Miami back in the day, he came over to talk to the family," Animale. " Yeah. Hey, Animale. It seemed like" Animale "was the nickname back
then. B-But he is one of the strongest guys I've ever played against, without a doubt. Now, about actual fights, guys I really respect, De Rossi. Ah, De Rossi, when we played, like, Juventus, Fiorentina, the hits would fly on both sides, no hard feelings. It was like a proper ballroom brawl. Does the audience watching remember? Back in the day, at dances, the fight would break out, then everyone would leave cool, calm, without losing the friendship. De Rossi and Sergio Ramos. That's, damn. Man. Also two master fighters. I have a lot of affection for both, including Sergio
Ramos. Sergio Ramos and I actually talk, not always, once every two years on social media because we follow each other. Uh, and they are two guys I truly respect a lot. That clash with Pepe in the 2010 World Cup too. I can't forget to mention Pepe . The clash with C. Because Pepe hit hard. Pepe hits. Pepe hit a lot, then he took some hits. So, you know? The guy who doesn't back down to anyone either, right? He's another one I had the pleasure of meeting. It was a 0-0, the hitting was intense, right? We
met at the FIFA Legends, there in Miami too. We ate, we even took a photo together. A photo, man, the photo looked like it was bleeding. There's blood in the photo. Pepe is also another one I have a lot of respect for. Incredible. But you were just at the World Cup, you spent some time there in the United States, it was at the Club World Cup that I ran into him. Now in the new World Cup, I found in the Cup. I found. Just like that, taking advantage of the commentator, two in one. You, what
do you think of this semifinal? If you have a final in your head, someone who is doing better, and what did you think of this, what did you learn or what leaves you skeptical about our World Cup with a foreign coach for the first time? Well, the World Cup left me skeptical, but in a huge, huge way, because Brazil was so, so, so far below what was expected. What is that? Many people already expected Brazil might not reach an eventual final or even a semifinal, but to go out the way they did was much worse
than what people imagined, and I did too. Yeah, and even more so, because honestly I envisioned Brazil being able to reach a final. I even had, I even had a moment where I spoke complete nonsense. Sorry, but I talked nonsense when I said that Brazil, I said, to me Brazil doesn't lose to Argentina, man. At least they met, right? My God in heaven. Good thing that later , to me Brazil player for player doesn't lose to anyone. Brazil too. Then I apologized later, right? Right? I apologized. Apologized. Forgive me. But you know what I think
is missing? Everyone wanted you on their team for your word. I don't know if I can say that. Yeah. For personality, man. Taking damn, I think it's really missing. Taking advantage here, taking advantage here, we have contacts with people who work at Fluminense. In this period now, Fluminense, Marcão just arrived, is trying to clean house, but the guys, from the contacts we have at Fluminense, they are really missing a Felipe Melo on the roster. Yeah, so that's it, but it's not missing, it's missing on the national team. Just so you know, Felipe, people say that
all the time. That's funny, that's really cool. I have fun with that, because the same people who say:" Felipe should be on the national team, he should be on the team, "I tackle some jerk who's clowning around, I get sent off. Then the guy says," See, he got sent off. " I knew he was going to do that. I knew it. So hold on, let's go. Brazil had. The truth, the truth, the truth is that Brazil sees the guys afraid. Brazil, Brazil has lacked in these last , uh, in these last World Cups someone who
could really read the game, not to get sent off, like I was in 2010, for example, but to read the game, understand it, and commit a tactical foul, right? So, like, against, before against Belgium, when Lukaku gets the ball and charges forward, someone flies into Lukaku, knocks him to the other side, takes a yellow card, and it's all good, there's no goal. Exactly. Croatia was the same thing. So, it lacked someone to have a bit more of that reading on the pitch. It's the great captain on the field, the guy who reads the game, the
coach on the field, you know? Uh, but I have no doubt, I mean, I have my reservations, but I have no doubt that Brazil will improve a lot, because now it's a cycle starting with the same coach, right? And we don't expect anything other than an evolution, and a truly gigantic evolution for this national team, man. Yeah, but this whole thing, man, it makes me really angry, son, because I, I look at you, yesterday we had Júnior Baiano here, right? Fine. It's what he said, you don't need to get sent off like he was in
2010, but there's a lack of personality, man. There's a lack of a guy. I don't know if you guys chat in the dressing room. You went through the No, there's no doubt that you do, man. No doubt you do. The player, the player might not, the player when the guys are closed in there, they definitely talk. But that has to translate to the pitch. So, hell, everyone knows Haaland is the man, that Haaland is an incredibly good player. Then the guy lets him cross and Haaland gets in front and scores the goal. Then the second
goal, Haaland looks, thinks, calls Norway, talks to his dad, who knows, takes the shot and scores. And then? So, man, it's, come on, you have to do it, man. So this is something that comes straight from the dressing room, killer instinct, for the guy to understand, have an understanding of the match, have an understanding of the players on the other side, you know? Of course, today it's much easier for me to talk, because looking from the outside, everything is much easier, right? Studying, seeing things, right? But without a doubt, as a coach, I won't let
those mistakes happen with my players. I will make sure they go onto the pitch with an understanding and ability to read the game. To finish up, two quick questions. Is there only one favorite to win the Libertadores title? Man, I have no idea. It's the three Brazilians. The three Brazilians. Let me ask you about two coaches for you to define quickly. Two, the two best coaches today. No, no. Two coaches you were trained by for you to define: Fernando Diniz and Abel Ferreira. How would you define the two of them? Abel is the guy, Abel
is a guy, he’s predestined, you know? For winning and suddenly becoming one of the greatest coaches in the history of a club as giant as Palmeiras, right? He’s predestined for arriving at a moment for Palmeiras that was different from other years, a good moment for the club, a financially healthy club with an enviable structure that started way back with Matos and president Paulo Nobre, right, who... Exactly. ... took money from his own pocket to invest there in Palmeiras, right? Then right after came Galiotte, who also did a great job, an important management, now Leila is
also doing it, continuing with this important management, so he’s also predestined because he arrived at the right time, in the right place, at the right moment. That's it, that's it. Now, he is a very good coach, in fact, he is a very good coach, a guy who thinks about the game a lot, incredibly strategic, who has his own DNA. Diniz is a wonderful madness in football. That's the phrase. He's a wonderful madman of football, you know? He's a guy that football needs, it needs more Diniz. The guy who makes the player have courage, he does
a lot more than just on the pitch, he takes care of the athlete off the pitch too, understanding the root of each athlete's problem to make the athlete focused only on playing football, you know? So, Diniz is...I'm biased to talk about Diniz, I like Abel a lot and I have a lot of gratitude to God and to him, you know, for having worked with him, man. Yes, it was really cool. Two Libertadores, right? Two Libertadores. But I left Palmeiras, I had already won a Libertadores before . And that doesn't mean Abel...and people, I fight with
many people because they say," Ah, but he didn't win the Libertadores, he doesn't win the Copa do Brasil, he wins the Brasileiro. "Brother, Palmeiras shows up every year and competes for every championship, man. No one can challenge Abel, you can't challenge Abel's position. You can't challenge him, but you can criticize him. I'm one of the guys who criticizes. With what they invest, they have to win . Because Palmeiras can do so much more, but talking about firing the coach, calling for the head of a multi-champion, multi-winner, a guy who makes this team compete and reach
finals every year. So, if they didn't win, it wasn't because I left; on the contrary, I only won because I went to a club with the structure of Palmeiras. Eventually they will win, my friend. Eventually they will win. And Diniz, man, Diniz is a guy I'm passionate about, in a good way , you know? I'm passionate about Diniz. He's a guy who, at the moment I needed it most in my career, didn't say a word , just asked for a hug and gave me one. At a moment when I was about to say," I'm ending
my career today because I can't take it, I'm in pain, I'm done. " He just gave me a hug. And that hug was worth more than a thousand words. And the next year we won the Libertadores together. Hugging a pitbull isn't easy. Yeah, exactly, exactly, exactly. And one thing, it wasn't because of you , or they didn't stop winning because you left, but since you left—you mentioned it now—I noticed that. Palmeiras hasn't found anyone for that spot, Aníbal came, they tried Evangelista, now they're after Marlon Freitas. They can't get it right, they can't. That guy
who provides support, drops deep, builds up the play, marks. And another thing I wanted to say about Felipe Melo. Felipe played damn good soccer. And many people don't say that. Felipe, he was the one with the personality, the grit. Yes, but he played damn good soccer, man. No, in that aspect, technically I was different. I was different. Now, for example, taking these Palmeiras defensive midfielders, right? Aníbal is above average, started very well, and then had a slump. Uh, Lucas Evangelista is important, he was being very important, had the injury, and is now coming back. And
Marlon, man, Marlon is also a player well above average, without a doubt. What's really missing is that major title, and when it comes, everyone will forget. If you haven't forgotten, whoever forgot, whoever didn't forget, will remember Felipe Melo, because these guys are damn good. Applause for Felipe Melo who was on Charla. Sensational. Publicly thank you here, man. Uh-huh. Thank you for being this guy. Yeah, if you didn't talk the way you talk, you wouldn't be Felipe Melao. I think you've always made a point of maintaining this identity as well. And especially the top interviews in
Felipe Melo's history, the slap in the Uruguayan's face and the one with that son of a [ __ ] who was racist, that he laid out. Oh, his wife must be sleeping with a big black guy, my brother. Don't you remember, brother, you've always been sincere. Dark-skinned, dark-skinned, dark-skinned, dark-skinned. It's the same thing. My little one called me a monkey on the pitch. I said :" U brother, seriously, seriously, thank you so much for never having been that guy and I will speak out. "And that's it. Thank you, really. Really. What did you go through
in Uruguay, man , that day? That time in Uruguay? That day, that day there, man, that day was a day that I really thank God for. Ah, I thank God so much. Because if I hadn't hit that guy there, I wouldn't be here giving an interview, brother. It really is like that. What? I did that as a way of, brother. I'm here because otherwise the guys were going to come at me, man. I I I defended myself, man. I remember it with regret, you know? I have photos at home. The enemy got photos and everything,
but I really remember it with regret. They locked the gate of...That's not what we want, that's not what we want to pass on to people, you know? I I was always aggressive in the game and all, but man, getting into a fight. Just imagine, the world is already at war, already living through so much, and the guys, we're going to fight on the field ? Of course not, but I had to defend myself, man. And today did you see the guys afraid of you afterwards? No, the moment I threw the first one, the other said:"
Whoa, then there was a big guy, a big guy coming running like this. Then I came running back because, of course, if I stay there, someone gets around me and you can imagine. "But I had already read the field too. Defensive midfielder, brother. Defensive midfielder, sees everything. I came back here, leaned in, look. But when I came running, I did this with my hand to him. Watch the video, I do this with my hand to see if I distract him, if he comes. Then he doesn't come, he just did this, look. Then later, thank God,
Palmeiras went, Palmeiras security came to send, to send a shout-out to Andrezão. Pal's security who came in, invaded everything, opened the gate there all by himself, my brother. Duplex, my friend, we duplexed together . Now yes, look. Man, look at the man there, look. He's arriving. The 01 has arrived. The 01 has arrived. That's it. Applause for Felipe Belo who is in the chat. Sensational Jun. Felipe. An honor for us to have you here. You there in the studio, bless you. We are together. Congrats, huh? Jun, you there in the studio with us. Thanks. Let's
go. Let's really go. So damn good, man. Stop everything here, look. Please , please, Beto, please. Sudge in shape here, look. I have goosebumps here. Exactly. Do the double substitution. Substitution, brother. Look here, look. My God in heaven. Applause for one of the greatest idols of Fluminense, brother Cano on Charla. Man, sensational, Cano. An honor to have you here, man. Spectacular. First, I don't even know how to ask you before , but I'm going to ask one thing. How is it seeing, right, all of this happening out here, how is it to be one of
the greatest idols in Fluminense's history. Welcome, man. It's difficult, right? There are no words. Uh, absolute gratitude. Uh, I always receive a lot of affection through social media. Today was different. Today I received that contact, that physical contact from the people, not just from Fluminense, from other fans too, like Flamengo, Vasco, and Botafogo. I received so much love, man, it's an impressive moment. I couldn't believe everything that is happening here with me. So, I'm enjoying this moment. I'm very happy to be able to participate here, to be able to be immortalized in eternal glory. Uh,
it is very difficult to win a Libertadores and we, with so much work, with so much dedication, with so much effort and toil, managed to get there, right? Fluminense, I think that cup was missing in the club's trophy cabinet and thank God, with a lot of work, a lot of sweat, we succeeded. 44 goals in the year. Is that it? 44. 44 in the first year and 40 in the second. So 84. None from penalties, right? 84 goals in two seasons is something that he did in five years, in two. Yeah . Strikers usually do
that in five. You're a striker, a center-forward who sought your career outside of Argentina . You shone in Colombia a long time ago , arrived here via Vasco, and then had that explosion at Fluminense. What was that like for you? You won a Libertadores with Fluminense; how important is Fluminense to your career? Very important, right? I think those were the best years of my career. Uh, it's not easy, is it? To be able to arrive. Uh, I didn't expect all of this to happen so quickly. Uh, but it was a special, unique moment. Uh, we
worked very hard for it. We believed every single day of that 2023, believed every day was November 4th, and we got there, to that final. So, enormous gratitude to the Fluminense fans. Uh, without a doubt, uh, just have to thank them for the affection, man. Feeling it here today, I get emotional because it's a unique moment, right? Not everyone can be a part of this, and for me, receiving this affection, hearing them chant my name, that’s special to me. I will always keep it in my heart because it's hard to experience, for a football player
to live through this moment. And for me, it's very important , this more direct contact with the fans. It's very important, right? Sensational . A feeling, right? The affection, the embrace. Saying," Germán, I love you, "with you crying. Yeah, crying. You changed my life, man. There are no words. No words. That historic title, we were talking to Felipe here about the way Fluminense won that CONMEBOL Libertadores and a lot of it was due to the" good madness "of Fernando Diniz. What was it like for you to be a part of, to be a piece on
this chessboard that was Fernando Diniz's team, and his importance with that way of playing for that achievement? Diniz was very important, right? Uh, he was the guy who made everyone believe that we could win that Libertadores. We worked in '22 , worked hard, we went out, right, against Olimpia on penalties. Then we built from the ground up, believing in the work, running like crazy; as he used to say, a day before the game we’d run 5, 6 km. So it's a lot of dedication, a lot of effort. No one trained harder than anyone in Brazil,
that's for sure. We would stay at the training center until 1:00 or 1:30 PM, finishing training there, we’d start at 9:00 or 9:30 AM watching videos, and then go to practice. That way always, every week, before the game too. So it was a lot of work, a lot of dedication. We know that today our team is much better than in 2023. Uh, because of the names, right, because of the pieces too. Uh, but do you think it's better today? Today the team is more Today the team is much better than in 2023, right? We have
more names, it's much better with good players, good quality, and back in '23 it was also a lot of effort, a lot of dedication like today, but it was very different, right ? It was very different because we went through a lot of things in there that today you can see we are much better, same path, same work, same dedication, but always thinking that without effort you have nothing. Without getting into the merits of who was there before, let's talk about who is there now, right? What can you say about the difference in what Marcão
did, right, taking over the team that was in a complicated moment and Marcão took over, the team took off. Yeah, Marcão is a key piece within Fluminense, right? Always tr-trying to do our best. Look at what's happening here right now . I'm even going to stand up, my brother. Excuse me, excuse me. What am I going to do? Let the chat flow, right? Damn, Zicão, Zicaço, daddy is there today. He's there. Look at that. Look here. And he's going to be named Artur, right ? Please, Libertadores, applause for Artur Antunes Coimbra, Zico who is on
Charla. Thank you, welcome back to Charla, second time, right? Look, good for the missus that more Artur is coming into this world. He's back there, look. Right there. I already blessed him there. What is this, huh? Fighting there still. What a fight, huh? That 50-50 ball is tough. Now it's 2 to . Gal was talking to Cano here, exactly , you felt that, right, in '81, top scorer, tons of goals for Cano to live this great moment in the Fluminense shirt and that this great moment was crowned with the Libertadores Cup. How important is this
for an athlete, even more so for one coming from abroad to consolidate himself like he did with 80 goals in two years at Fluminense, right ? That's true. He left his mark on history, right? with a lot of determination, with a great hunger for victory, to win, he hurt my team a few times. A real executioner, right? An executioner. But we can see the quality, the talent and the effort, right, that the guy puts in to stay in shape. He had some serious problems, but he never stopped fighting and wanting a place there to help
Fluminense more and more. For sure. I was going to ask you, Cano, if you have a favorite goal, the one against Inter or the one in the final. Ah, I think the Inter one, right? The Inter one was special to me; obviously scoring a goal in a final has a different flavor, but because of what happened in the game over in Porto Alegre, I think that goal has a very, very beautiful and special taste as well. Five forwards on the field, that was it , right? How five forwards on the field? Yes, yes, yes. That
goal just had to happen, right? Valencia slacked off, right? Valencia he he didn't score if you don't score, you don't win. Can you, Galo, choose that goal of yours in Montevideo? Exactly. Or the previous goal? You also scored in Chile. It's the Montevideo goal. Maracanã, right? It's the goal in Montevideo. It's the great goal. There were, there were two, right? No, it's a great goal. That goal had a different flavor, besides confirming the victory, which was the first in the club's history. In the two previous games, I don't know if it was in the first
or the second, there was a free kick where the goalkeeper left early to the back of the wall's corner. And I really hoped for a free kick in that game because I said, I'm going to shoot into his corner without power, just shoot it so he'll move again. And it all worked out. The man there listened, he didn't see the ball, he and he went for it. Oh, my back. Two goals here, look. Libertadores finals. Spectacular that goal by Zico, it's forever. Yeah. Now, look, let me ask you. Fla-Flu in the final. Yeah, it has
everything, right? It would be very good for Brazilian football and for Rio de Janeiro football, man. Which has been dominating, right? Fluminense, Flamengo, Botafogo. Dominating. Yeah, so I think that is very good for Brazilian football. Hopefully it's at the Maracanã, right? Let it be at the Maracanã. Hopefully. Transfer it here, right? It will be Montevideo for now. Montevideo for now obviously. They’re already going to face each other where Atlético and Botafogo played, right? Exactly. Buenos Aires. In Buenos Aires. So, what a Fla-Flu that would be, huh? Yeah, it would be a Fla-Flu unlike any other,
man. You could say it’s the biggest of all time, right? Yeah. For you, in terms of important competition, yes, right, man? That’s it. Yeah, it used to be very difficult, you know, to have that, because in our time, for example, only one would go, yeah, only the Brazilian champion. Not today, today seventh place goes, it does. So, the possibility has increased for And in the 90s, they, CONMEBOL prohibited the same club yeah, from playing. Yeah, they avoided it. You had to cross paths before, yeah, cross paths earlier. Yeah, so there couldn’t be a final between
two teams from the same country . Now we’ve already had Flamengo, Palmeiras, Santos and Palmeiras here. That’s it. Botafogo and Atlético, Flamengo and Atlético Paranaense, Botafogo and Atlético. Flamengo and another Flamengo and Palmeiras. It’s a lot of Brazil in the final, right? It used to be a predominance of their country, right? Of the Argentines. That’s true. Yeah. Independiente, Estudiantes, Boca, River. All with more than three titles. Asking you like this, people look at the table, Flamengo is rich, lots of money, Palmeiras lots of money. Then many look at Fluminense as a third force there, facing
Palmeiras in the semifinal. What do you have to say to those who think Fluminense is a bit behind? And buying everyone out there. Thiago Silva, Thiago Silva, Hulk, come on, for God’s sake. Yeah, he said the team today is stronger than the 2023 one, which was the champion, right? Yeah, yeah, for me it is, right? Today we have better quality, yeah, within the team. I think today there’s a bigger squad, right? Yes, yes, yes, yes. Back then, if there was a problem with one or two, it was yeah, exactly, it was harder. It was harder.
Today there are more options. And a lot, a lot, a lot of people with quality, with experience, having played many finals. So that makes a difference too. Hopefully we’ll be in the final, but we are very competitive, the team is very good, so we have to do our best . For you guys today, when you stand next to an idol like Zico, what goes through your mind, man? Yeah, yeah. No, I, I don't even know what to say, man. A guy who won everything, right? Recognized all over the world. So, for me, it's an honor
to be by your side, to be able to meet you . Never no, we've never seen each other. So, first time, man. Yeah, first time. Two Libertadores champions, goals in a final. It's the duo, right? Brazil's duo. Back there, he would get the balls served on a platter. What Nunes received, you received and scored 44 goals, right? 44. Could've increased that, right? Galo serving them up right there. I'll take advantage of Galo to ask about this role at Flamengo, for example. Today it seems to me that Leonardo Jardim, I want to know your take, found
a role for Lino, bringing him more inside. Of course, there's Arrascaeta there, but he's less stuck to the left side. And Lino today in the Brasileiro, his numbers, assists, goals, everything is above, you know, 10, 10 assists, plus 10 goals, becoming the most important player for Flamengo in that midfield for creating chances. How have you seen Lino and Leonardo Jardim with this adjustment that really fit the team, right? It's because you can't leave players limited to one area of the pitch. The best Flamengo team, from back in 2019, right, that one under Jorge Jesus, man,
you had Everton Ribeiro who also played through the middle and, and over there you had Arrascaeta who played on the wing. Exactly. And when they came into the middle, both of them, Bruno Henrique and Gabi, Gabigol, Gabigol, Bruno Henrique would open up on the left, Gabigol was in the middle, Gabigol would open up on the right, Bruno Henrique in the middle. That's it. So they would do that and then Arrascaeta would stay there along with Gerson. Exactly, man. Those five with that movement, you can't take that characteristic away from the players. You're going to put
someone, they already put Arrascaeta glued to the sideline and the other guy on the other side. It doesn't work, man. It doesn't work. So Lino has to know how to take advantage of that, come into the middle and he knows how to go to the byline too. He's incredibly fast. Yeah, right? It's hard to catch him. Let me ask you the following: I defined him this week as a genius of South American football, as a genius of South American football, Arrascaeta. I think he is the, he is the different one we have like that, he
sees the game so well, right? Yeah. And because of the titles he's won at Flamengo, How do you see Arrasca in Flamengo's history? Well, he's already one of the greatest in history, you know? One of the greatest for how he plays and what he's still winning. The point is how he's playing, right? He's being a difference-maker, right? He keeps maintaining a very high level of competence, uh, in scoring, passing, and winning. So, man, he's a guy who's already in Flamengo's history . It's good to see the number 10 shirt in good hands. It's good, it's
very good, isn't it? For someone who deserves it. It was treated a bit, a bit poorly for a while there. Now, thank God. Now, uh, Cano, when the game ends, I wanted to know your feeling, your heart . Fluminense vs. Boca Juniors. When the game ended, what was your feeling, man? It's that we did everything, right , to get there, to make it to the final , to become champions. It's done, for me it's over. We were already champions and we suffered a lot, dedicated ourselves, worked for it for a long time. So, at that
moment, when the game ended, I said to myself, thank God, it's over, it's over, because you have to prepare yourself mentally very well, you know? It was my first Libertadores final, so I didn't know what could end up happening. So it was a very draining moment for everyone, but we dedicated ourselves, worked, and we made it, we made it, we believed, and we made it. Man, sensational. Oh, applause for two of the greatest idols in Fla-Flu history. Wow! I'm holding back tears here because it's a special moment. A Fla-Flu in the Libertadores is going to
happen. Hey, Zicão, I love you so much. Germán Cano, I love you so much. Thanks, thank you so much for coming here to Charla. Sensational. Until next time. Until next time. We're in this together, hey. It's going to take a while now to stay, right? Huh? It's going to take a while to call me back now, right? No, over at the new studio. There's a new studio, Cano. An honor, okay? A huge pleasure, okay? Thanks. What an honor, man. Thanks. Thank you. Okay. Thanks a lot. He bought it, he stopped. They took pictures, maybe, right?
Maybe they took pictures, right, man? I don't even know what to say. Jú, it's hosting Galo here and Cano, as I said, two guys who are Libertadores champions, two guys who scored goals in the Libertadores final. Yeah, it's, it's moving, it's a bit of a commotion, because when Galo moves around here, hey Gal, cheers, take care, guys. We're together. Man, he moved here. A small earthquake in the studio, man. The crowd follows the man, right? What a moment, Beto Junior. Yeah, I was talking with the Libertadores Experience. Thanks, CONMEBOL, huh, wow. Spectacular, sensational. Gathering here.
Yeah, I don't even know what to say anymore. Say what? We had, we had the opinion of two legends here. I think Tricolores and Rubro-Negros can be very satisfied that we brought two icons here, the greatest ones. Yeah, Cano is in Fluminense's history by far for what he did in '23. And Galo, Galo, Galo, Galo is Galo, right? Galo is Galo . That's it. That said. Bye. That's it. Oh, right? Someone peaked. What else do you want to do today? No, no. What else do you want today? Yeah, we had Felipe Melo, honestly. I think
it was the first time on Charla that I was speechless. And then Galo arrives here. But have you seen these unexpected things, not unexpected because they were guests, but for example the live you did for the Paulistão? Neymar popped up. It's Neymar. Memphis. Everyone is the same, my brother. It’s the pure essence of being from Rio. It works best when you don't plan it. That's when it's better. Go. That's it. It’s the Charla Podcast. We’re together guys, look. An honor. I'm moved here. We're talking Sport, official partner of the CONMEBOL Libertadores and Charla Podcast, QR
code is here. All right. When in doubt, take a bet, take ownership rather, better, it's Sport. That's the deal. Kach on the screen. Always remembering, Ministry of Finance fun. Sports betting is not an investment, it's entertainment. Don't use money you can't afford to use. It's a game for those over 18, guys. That's the thing. Awesome. We are here at the CONMEBOL Libertadores Experience . Until tomorrow for free, you see? There's still time, look. You can scan the QR code and secure your access here tomorrow, the last day, from 4 PM. Look at the man passing
by, look. 4 PM to 10 PM, you can rush over. Look, it was sunny today, things here went crazy, huh? Yeah, it, tomorrow it's sunny too, so go get yours. And one detail, Cantarelli, the team is announcing the guests more or less in the morning and so on. So, keep an eye out on Instagram. For Conmebol Libertadores, Libertadores BR, because there's a lot of information about the event there too. That's it, sounds great, man. Hey, we're in this together, Conmebol Libertadores Experience, Felipe Melo, German Cano, and Zico. Bye. Thanks, Mr. Flamengo.
