Ancelotti opposes Flamengo, backs fewer foreigners in Brasileirão | OneFootball

Brazil National Team coach Carlo Ancelotti agreed with the CBF on new regulations

The controversy of the week is the decision by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) to reduce the number of foreign players per team in the Brasileirão. Until 2030, only five foreigners will be included in match squads by clubs. Flamengo voted against the decision, but the Brazil National Team coach, Carlo Ancelotti, is in favor.

— I think reducing the number of foreign players in Brazilian football is a very important step to give Brazilian talent an opportunity, and there is plenty of it, but it is also an opportunity for the entire Brazilian Championship. It seems to me that gradually reducing it year after year is not a bad thing. It is a very positive thing for football —, the coach said at a press conference this Thursday (24).

Of the 40 teams in Série A and Série B, only Flamengo, Bahia, and Londrina voted against the reduction. As a result, the Brasileirão, which currently allows nine foreign players, will drop to eight in 2027, seven in 2028, six in 2029, and five from 2030 onward. Rubro-Negro, for example, has 11 foreigners.

They are: Uruguayans Arrascaeta, Varela, De La Cruz, and Viña (on loan); Argentinians Rossi and Freitas; Ecuadorians Plata and Valencia; Chilean Pulgar, Colombian Carrascal, and Spaniard Saúl. It is worth noting that Jorginho, formerly of the Italian National Team, is not on the list, as he was born in Brazil, in Santa Catarina.

FLAMENGO’S POSITION

In an exclusive interview with Coluna do Fla, with reporter Mônica Alves, Flamengo football director José Boto blasted the CBF’s measure. In the Portuguese executive’s view, the change will weaken the Brasileirão in the long term.

— As a foreigner working in Brazil, but who has also worked in other leagues, I will give my opinion, although I obviously respect those who conducted these studies. It does not seem to me that this measure will help Brazilian football; on the contrary, it will make the league weaker, because the players will continue to leave —, said Boto.

— The best players will continue leaving for Europe at a very young age, and with clubs not having the possibility of keeping these valuable players, they will have to field less valuable players, and that will lower the quality of the Brazilian league —, added the Portuguese executive.

BRAZIL NATIONAL TEAM

While celebrating the CBF’s decision to reduce the number of foreign players, Carlo Ancelotti is preparing the Brazil National Team for its first friendly after the World Cup. It will be this Friday (25), starting at 7 a.m. (Brasília time), against Australia. Flamengo players Samuel Lino and Pedro will start on the bench.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.