Arrascaeta a volleyballer? Ex-Flamengo star: Depay Brazil’s best | OneFootball

Currently working as a commentator, Vampeta named Depay as the country's top player

Arrascaeta is the current Ballon d'Or of Brazilian football and King of America, in addition to recent titles in the Brasileirão and the Libertadores with decisive contributions in those victories. However, for commentator and former Flamengo player Vampeta, Memphis Depay of Corinthians is above the Uruguayan.

“Apart from Neymar, Memphis Depay is better than anyone else in Brazil. Apart from Neymar, you can put anyone up against him. Even Arrascaeta. Maybe, at his peak, the only one who could compete was Hulk,” said Vampeta during a program on Jovem Pan. The former midfielder is a Corinthians idol, but had a brief stint at Mengo in 2001.

LET'S LOOK AT THE NUMBERS?

In 2025, Depay played 51 matches, scoring 12 goals and providing ten assists. With Corinthians, the Dutchman won a Campeonato Paulista and a Copa do Brasil. In the current season, the attacking midfielder has played three times, hasn't scored, and has one assist.

On the other hand, Arrascaeta has much better numbers. In 2026, with the same number of matches as Depay, the red-black number 10 scored one goal. Now, the humiliation: looking at the 2025 stats, the Flamengo idol scored 25 times and provided 20 assists in 64 appearances. Not to mention the trophies from the Carioca, Supercopa, Brasileirão, Libertadores, Dérbi das Américas, and Copa Challenger.

AND IN HEAD-TO-HEAD MATCHUPS?

In the most recent match, for the Supercopa, Depay came out on top, it's true, taking the title. But in last year's Brasileirão, Arrascaeta faced the Dutchman and came out ahead, winning 4-0 at Maracanã, with a goal from the Uruguayan. These were the only two encounters between the number 10s.

COULD THEY FACE EACH OTHER SIX MORE TIMES THIS YEAR?

After the Supercopa clash, Memphis Depay and Arrascaeta could meet up to six more times this year. Two are already guaranteed, in the Campeonato Brasileiro. In addition, the teams could meet in the knockout stages of the Copa do Brasil and also in the elimination rounds of the Copa Libertadores da América.

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