Danilo admits desire to end career at Juventus before joining Flamengo

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Coluna do Fla

·22 September 2026

Danilo admits desire to end career at Juventus before joining Flamengo

Center back, a fan idol after scoring the winning goal in the Libertadores final, shared details of his departure from Italian football

Danilo joined Flamengo in 2025 and quickly became an idol for the club’s recent generation of fans. One of the reasons was the goal scored by the defender in the Libertadores final, which gave Fla the title. However, if it had depended on the defender’s old plans, his spell with Mengão would never have happened.

In an interview with the show ‘Papo de Segunda’ on GNT, Danilo revealed that he had planned to retire at Juventus (ITA), the player’s former club. However, after internal issues at the Italian side, the center back decided to leave Italy and put on Flamengo’s shirt.

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What did Danilo say about Juventus?

— I honestly thought I would build my career, that I would finish my career only in Europe, that I would finish at Juventus as I had planned. Suddenly, because of an internal situation, I simply didn’t have the same value anymore -, he said, before concluding:

— I was no longer recognized as such, I was out of the project. And I said: “Damn, what now?” But I hadn’t decided that. That’s exactly the ability we have to develop: learning to dance with life’s uncertainties -, Danilo concluded.

What is Danilo’s contract situation at Flamengo?

The defender’s current contract runs until the end of 2026. However, Danilo and Flamengo are already in talks to renew the deal for one more season, until December 2027. In this way, the club is moving toward securing the stay of one of the squad’s most recent idols.

Will Danilo retire in 2027?

In August of this year, Danilo said that he is thinking about retiring in 2027. Therefore, the idea is to end his career after one final season wearing the red-and-black shirt, since Flamengo is the defender’s boyhood club.

In 2026 I had little time to reflect and analyze, partly because there was a World Cup in the middle of it all, and at 35 years old, I needed to dedicate myself a lot, especially physically, in order to perform at the level required. So, this was the moment when I had more peace of mind to think about it, and we’ve been talking. I hope that 2027 will still be a year in which we can be together, and then I can make it the final year of my career. Flamengo and I have already spoken very calmly. So, from both sides, I think there is a desire to move forward, to have one more beautiful year in which I can truly say: “This is the final year of my career.” And I’ll finish at the club of my heart, in a project I believed in and that has been working. I don’t think there are any obstacles to that happening. And may 2027 be a year in which we can be together and I can finish my career at Flamengo. And, God willing, still winning an important trophy, that would be wonderful,“ he said in a press conference.

What are Danilo’s numbers at Flamengo?

Danilo joined Flamengo in January 2025 on a free transfer after terminating his contract with Juventus. Since then, the center back has made 55 appearances, scoring five goals and providing two assists for Rubro-Negro.

Danilo has historic goals for Flamengo

It is worth noting that the Libertadores title-winning goal was not the defender’s only historic moment for Flamengo. Danilo was also responsible for Mengão’s comeback against Chelsea (ENG) in the group stage of the 2025 Club World Cup. On that occasion, Rubro-Negro defeated the English side 3-1, with the second goal scored by the defender.

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