Copa do Brasil winner details Saudi football issues, rues Flamengo exit | OneFootball

Hernane ‘Brocador’ opened up in an interview with Coluna do Fla

Former Flamengo player Hernane Brocador gave an exclusive interview to Coluna do Fla and revealed a deep regret about leaving Rubro-Negro in 2014. The top scorer and hero of the 2013 Copa do Brasil title spoke candidly about the behind-the-scenes of the decision to leave Rubro-Negro to play in Saudi football.

During the conversation with journalist Rock Hudson, Hernane looked back on his journey at Mengão and detailed the problems he faced at Al Nassr (SAU). After his success in the red-and-black shirt, the move to the Middle East brought major frustrations.

— Yes, I regret it, because I went to a club that, to tell the truth, I already knew what it was like. I knew it was a messy club, that had problems and all that. I got there and the same problem happened that several players had gone through. Matheus himself, Bebeto’s son, told me: ‘Hernane, my father played for this club, and those guys have issues with late payments.’ And it’s not because they don’t have money. They do it out of spite -, he said, before continuing.

— There, if an executive looks at your face and doesn’t like you, forget it. He takes you out of the team, brings in someone else, and bye. That’s how it is. If they owe you money, they tell you to complain to FIFA. They have money and they have power. Those guys there are complicated. The Saudis who played with me at the time—there was a right back who talked to me the most. He had gone eight or nine months without getting paid -, he revealed.

Hernane Brocador scored 45 goals in 87 matches for Flamengo, which represents an average of practically one goal every two games. The player played for Mengão between 2012 and 2014, becoming one of the club’s recent idols.

WOULD HE HAVE A PLACE IN FLAMENGO’S 2026 TEAM?

Still during the interview, the striker revisited the historic mark of 36 goals in 2013 with Flamengo. When assessing Flamengo’s current squad in the 2026 season, Hernane showed unwavering confidence.

According to the top scorer, a place in the current red-and-black starting lineup would come naturally. That is, if it were based only on an analysis of numbers and technical performance.

— I would be a starter based on the numbers, an undisputed starter. I believe so. If we look at the numbers, how many games do I have for Flamengo? It’s 85, 87 games. I have 45 goals, an average of practically one goal every two games. So if football is about numbers, I have them. That’s mathematics, you know? -, he explained.

— And I didn’t need three or four chances. If we beat Remo 3-0 and I had three chances, I’d score three goals. I proved that against Brazil’s biggest clubs: I scored against Fluminense, Botafogo, Vasco, the big clubs in Rio. Against Corinthians, I scored five or six goals-, Hernane added.

HOW DOES THE TOP SCORER VIEW THE LEVEL OF TODAY’S STARS?

In 2026, the squad features major stars. Brocador projects that, playing surrounded by high technical quality, his output would surpass the 50-goal mark per season. The battle for a spot would involve names such as Pedro, Bruno Henrique, and Gonzalo Plata.

WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS IN HERNANE’S CAREER?

His contract with Nacional-AM ended in April, but Hernane remains silent about retirement. His trophy-laden career includes, besides the Copa do Brasil, state titles with Bahia, Sport, and Grêmio. In addition, the ‘Craque da Galera’ award crowns the story of one of the most prolific scorers in recent Brazilian football.

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