Flamengo wrote the history of Brazilian football

Flamengo are the greatest! And from tonight on, there is no debate about it. At least until next year. Or the years to come. Or decades… We’ll see what the future brings. But the past and the present confirm it: Flamengo are the biggest club in Brazil! Not only because they have nearly 50,000,000 fans in Brazil, which has long given them the status of the biggest. They also sealed that title on the field in Lima, defeating their biggest rival of this century and returning to the football throne of South America. The 2025 Copa Libertadores final in Lima, Peru: Flamengo – Palmeiras 1–0!

This is not an ordinary title. It was a battle for prestige. For history. Until this game, Santos, Sao Paulo, Gremio, and the two finalists all had three Copa Libertadores titles. Now Flamengo stand alone atop the pedestal as Brazil’s most decorated club in the most important competition. They have surpassed Uruguayan and Paraguayan giants Nacional and Olimpia, and have caught up with River and Estudiantes. Only Penarol, Boca, and Independiente are still ahead. With the recent dominance of Flamengo and Brazilian clubs in the Copa Libertadores, it’s not impossible that Flamengo will soon push the boundaries again…

Because what Flamengo have been doing since 2019 is rapidly reshaping history and turning its wheel. In 2019, right here in Lima, they spectacularly overturned the final against River with two late goals by Gabigol in the 90th minute, marking the end of Gallardo’s empire. That was the beginning of the rise of the red-and-black empire in South America. In these six years, they have conquered the Libertadores for the third time. In the meantime, they even lost one final—to Palmeiras in 2021. It turns out Verdao have been their only true and equal rival during these years. But not enough…

They “battled” in that 2021 final, they “battled” for titles in Brazil, and they “battled” again tonight in Lima, which once again proved lucky for Mengao. And just like in 2019, they will celebrate this Libertadores title with a Brazilian league title in front of their fans. With two rounds left, they are five points ahead of Palmeiras and will rub salt in the wound on Thursday by unifying the titles…

The hero of this historic trophy for Flamengo and Brazilian football was the well-known veteran Danilo. The former defender of Porto, Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Juventus returned to Flamengo a year ago to finish his rich career in style—a career that took off at Neymar’s Santos a decade and a half ago, when he scored the decisive goal in the 2011 Copa Libertadores final against Penarol. Tonight, he wrote history again… On Thursday, he will celebrate in front of the fans at the Maracana, add the Brazilian league title, and can freely retire to tell his children and grandchildren what a football legend he is.

The hero of the triumph is actually an accidental hero. Danilo was the only one in the starting eleven who was not even supposed to start the final. Had Leo Ortiz been fully healthy, he would have started alongside his namesake Pereira in central defense. Instead, Danilo stepped in—a defensive universal player who has played right-back, left-back, and center-back in Europe’s top clubs, in both a back three and a back four… That’s the kind of character that made him Juventus captain. The heavens rewarded him tonight for being that way—always ready to give everything and serve the team. He leapt into those heavens in the 67th minute on De Arrascaeta’s corner and hammered the ball in with a spectacular header. He settled one of those finals that won’t be remembered for attractive football, but will be remembered for tension, symbolism, importance… For the history Flamengo have written.

It was expected that Flamengo would have more initiative and possession, because that is the style favored by Brazil’s most promising coach, Filipe Luís. He also had special motivation. Although he won two Copa Libertadores titles as a player with Flamengo, he was also part of the lost final against Palmeiras, when he was injured and substituted after half an hour. But he knew what to expect from the crafty Abel Ferreira and didn’t rush from the very start. That also explains why Bruno Henrique was given the chance over Araujo up front.

The fact that the first half ended without a single chance or shot on target says everything about the kind of football played in front of 70,000 fans in Lima. Palmeiras did not have a single shot—not even an attempt. Whenever they tried a quicker transition, they were immediately cut off. Flamengo were sharper in midfield, quickly shifting into a defensive block of six, giving their opponents nothing. All three Flamengo midfielders received yellow cards in the first 45 minutes, and Pulgar was lucky not to be sent off.

The second half was a different story. De Arrascaeta had the first big chance after a mistake by Murilo, but Gomez caught him at the last moment. Then Jorginho failed to capitalize after goalkeeper Rossi’s error. And then Danilo, after his heavenly leap and powerful header, finally unlocked the match. Only then did Palmeiras decide to attack and play. Ferreira tried changing things from the bench, throwing on everything he had, but Flamengo kept the ball well and defended strongly. Only in the final minutes did Vitor Roque have the best chance for Verdao, but he missed from five meters…

And the red-and-black celebration could begin. And it will last for days. They have plenty to celebrate. History was written in Lima. Flamengo have become the most decorated Brazilian club in the Copa Libertadores. Everyone already knew they were the most popular, richest, most powerful… After this game, they are also the greatest.