Atlético keep just two of their 2021 champions in the squad | OneFootball

The historic Atlético-MG squad that captivated the country and won the Brazilian Championship and the Copa do Brasil in 2021 is increasingly a thing of the past. With the confirmed departure of center-back Junior Alonso, Galo now has only two players from that winning team in its current squad.

The team has undergone a major overhaul over the past five years, and the break for the 2026 World Cup marks the farewell of yet another pillar of that generation.

Recent Departures: Alonso and Hulk

Currently representing the Paraguay national team at the World Cup, Junior Alonso will not wear the black-and-white shirt again. The defender already has an agreement in place with a team in the United States and will leave Cidade do Galo for good after the tournament.

The Paraguayan’s departure comes right after the club lost its biggest icon and symbol of the 2021 triumphs. Striker Hulk terminated his contract with Atlético and signed with Fluminense (where he will only be able to make his debut after the calendar break).

The Last Survivors

Without Alonso and Hulk, the responsibility of carrying the memory and leadership of 2021 is now limited to just two names in the current squad:

Everson: The goalkeeper was an undisputed starter under Cuca during the victorious campaign and remains Atlético’s first-choice keeper to this day.

Alan Franco: Unlike the goalkeeper, the Ecuadorian was a backup who was frequently called upon at the time. With the departure of starting defensive midfielders over the years, such as Allan and Otávio, Franco changed status and took over a starting role in midfield.

Goalkeeper Everson commented on the feeling of seeing the team that made history gradually broken up over the years, highlighting the friendship that remains:

"It’s a natural process, but even so I’m not used to it. As one of the remaining players from that magical year, I see my teammates leaving, and of course that’s not good. There’s a feeling of friendship that we built from that time. Alonso, besides being a great leader, is a great professional. When he was on the bench, he always showed respect and accepted it."

The Gradual Breakup

The dismantling of the championship-winning team did not happen overnight. Three years ago, in 2023, Atlético still had 11 remaining players (names such as Igor Rabello, Réver, Guilherme Arana, Mariano, Eduardo Vargas, Matheus Mendes, and Zaracho). However, all of them left the club in the following seasons.

The largest number of departures actually came in the first years after the title (between 2021 and 2023). During that period, Atlético supporters said goodbye to a long list of champions, including: Diego Costa, Nacho Fernández, Keno, Allan, Jair, Savarino, Rafael, Guga, Savinho, Nathan, Tchê Tchê, Dodô, Calebe, Sasha, Echaporã, and Nathan Silva.

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

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