Ex-Flamengo coach explains why club released Samuel Lino from academy | OneFootball

Flamengo paid 22 million euros (around R$143 to R$144 million) for Samuel Lino

One of Flamengo’s most expensive signings is Samuel Lino, who had already played in the club’s youth ranks. However, coach Maurício Souza, currently without a club, said that competition from other players prevented the club from keeping him in the under-20 squad.

— Yes, Samuel Lino was also at Flamengo’s youth setup when he was 18. He won the São Paulo Youth Cup with us. He was another player who came from futsal. Very good. The goal he scored [against Cruzeiro] shows all of that threat, that move — said Maurício, who added:

— A very good winger, an intelligent player, but there was a lot of competition, he came on loan, his contract was ending, and Flamengo didn’t trigger the purchase option at the time. There was a lot of competition back then. Lino was born in 1998 — he recalled, and continued:

— But they decided not to buy him, that generation before Vinícius’ generation, right? They decided not to buy him, not to pay the purchase fee. He was sent back. Then he moved around, went to Portugal, right? Portugal, Atlético de Madrid (ESP), until coming back — the coach explained on the Charla Podcast.

When did Samuel Lino play in Flamengo’s youth system?

The forward was 18 years old and belonged to São Bernardo, which loaned him to Flamengo’s under-20 team. He was therefore part of the squad that won the São Paulo Junior Football Cup (Copinha) in 2018. However, Lino returned to his parent club later that same year.

How much did Flamengo pay for Samuel Lino?

The player then moved to Portugal, where he played for Gil Vicente (POR). Later, Atlético de Madrid bought him, until in 2025, the Rubro-Negro club decided to pay 22 million euros (around R$143 to R$144 million) for the winger.

How is Samuel Lino doing at Flamengo?

The number 16 was criticized in 2025 despite the Brasileirão and Libertadores titles. This year, however, the forward is one of the standout players in the squad. He has nine goals and ten assists in 40 matches this season wearing the Sacred Shirt.

What is the author’s opinion about Samuel Lino’s first spell at Flamengo?

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