Arrascaeta, Rossi and Flamengo's Brazilian citizenship bid, latest! | OneFootball

Flamengo have ten foreign players in the squad and are already considering some strategies in light of the new Brazilian football rule

Brazilian football will undergo some changes starting in 2027, including a reduction in the number of foreign players allowed in matches. With that in mind, Coluna do Fla takes a look at the naturalization status of Arrascaeta, Rossi, and other players in Flamengo’s current squad.

Arrascaeta is Flamengo’s longest-serving ‘foreigner’ in Brazil. Before joining the Rubro-Negro in 2019, the midfielder had already been in the country since 2015, when he played for Cruzeiro. That means the Uruguayan already meets all the requirements to obtain citizenship.

Given this situation, Arrascaeta began the process in 2023 and has already completed some stages on the way to finishing it. However, at the moment, the Uruguayan is still dealing with some administrative issues before successfully completing the process.

What is the naturalization status of goalkeeper Rossi?

Rossi is another Flamengo player who could pursue naturalization. Having been at the club since 2023, the goalkeeper is getting close to meeting some of the requirements to obtain Brazilian citizenship.

In a recent question from Coluna do Fla reporter Rodrigo Lima, Rossi explained where things stand in this naturalization process. In his response, Flamengo’s No. 1 made it clear that there is currently nothing underway.

— I don’t have any process underway, nothing like that. As an Argentine, I think it’s four years to receive citizenship, four years of residence. I’ve already been here for three, but... I also don’t know if that means you stop taking up a foreign-player spot, I’m not really sure how that works — said Rossi.

Do Flamengo have more players with the potential to apply for Brazilian citizenship?

Besides Arrascaeta and Rossi, Flamengo have other ‘foreigners’ in the current squad. Among the longest-serving are Guillermo Varela and Erick Pulgar. As a result, the Rubro-Negro could also begin thinking about a strategy to reduce the number of foreign players in the squad.

At the moment, Flamengo have ten players in this category. However, if the four players mentioned above were to obtain Brazilian citizenship, the Rubro-Negro would reduce the number of ‘foreigners’ to six.

See the situation of foreign players at Flamengo:Player | Contract length | Status Rossi | Dec/2027 | Has not started the process | Arrascaeta | Dec/2028 | Process underway | Varela | Dec/2027 | Eligible since 2026 | Pulgar | Dec/2029 | Eligible since 2026 | De la Cruz | Jun/2028 | Eligible in 2028 | Saúl | Dec/2028 | Eligible in 2029 | Plata | Jun/2029 | Eligible in 2028 | Carrascal | Jun/2029 | Eligible in 2029 | Valencia | Dec/2031 | Eligible in 2030 | Freitas | Dec/2031 | Eligible in 2030

What is needed to obtain Brazilian citizenship?

In general terms, a foreign player needs four years of residence in Brazil to obtain Brazilian citizenship. In addition, residency-related matters in the country and bureaucratic procedures to stop being considered a foreigner are also required in this process.

What does the new foreign-player limit in Brazilian football look like?

At a meeting held on Monday (21), the CBF approved a gradual reduction in the number of foreign players allowed on the matchday squad in the Brasileirão, with support from Série A and Série B clubs. Starting in 2027, the limit drops to eight foreign players per round, and it will keep decreasing each season: seven in 2028, six in 2029, and five in 2030.

It is important to point out that even clubs with several foreign players in their squads, such as Botafogo, Fluminense, and Vasco, voted in favor of this change. On the other hand, only Flamengo, Bahia, and Londrina voted against the measure.

See the approved change: 2027: 8 foreign players 2028: 7 foreign players 2029: 6 foreign players 2030: 5 foreign players

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