Corinthians legend hails futsal’s impact on player development

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Central do Timão

·28 November 2025

Corinthians legend hails futsal’s impact on player development

By Vinícios Cotrim | Central do Timão Editorial Team

After a controversial month, with the category at risk of being frozen at the professional level, the Corinthians futsal team defeated Campo Mourão and secured a spot in the grand final of the National Futsal League (LNF). Before the match started, idol Ricardinho, who was a multi-champion with Timão in field football, spoke about the importance of the sport.

“I'm a fan of futsal, raised by futsal, where I played for 11 years. I started at seven and played almost until I was 18 years old. Until, in my last year, I was a junior (what would be the under-20 today) and was still playing futsal. It was a plan that, at the time, Paraná Clube had for futsal and field football. So, I had this privilege, that's why I'm a fan. I keep saying that the best school for children’s development is futsal. There you can develop all the necessary skills, especially technical gestures, which often, on a field, when the child is very young, on a bigger field, the repetition—which is where you learn—is much less”, began the former player in an interview with LNF TV.

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Photo: Reproduction/LNF TV

“Not in futsal. You take a child of 7, 8, 9, 10 years old… you’re going to do some collective work, some shooting drills. The access to shooting at goal, the strength that is still limited… The development, even of involvement with the game, both in marking and in moving to receive the ball. If you slip up, you concede a goal. So, this, for the child, develops all the necessary actions. Ball control has to be your own, it has to be… it has to be good, because otherwise the opponent steals the ball. Accurate finishing, well-done passing, movement to receive the ball. So, all of this is what a professional futsal or football athlete needs to reach the highest level. You get this development when you are young in the futsal youth categories”, added the now commentator.

Despite statements from Osmar Stabile, Corinthians decided to keep futsal active for another season, since the club could become champion of the two main tournaments this season: LNF and Paulista. Next year, there is a chance that the Libertadores will take place at the Wlamir Marques Gymnasium, which would result in the black-and-white team’s participation in the competition.

However, amid this decision, the board is considering suspending the basketball team’s activities at the end of the current season, scheduled for the middle of next year. According to Osmar Stabile, the sports that manage to secure sponsorship and self-sufficiency will remain active. Otherwise, they will be discontinued to cut costs.

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