Ex-Flamengo's Petković hits out at Brazil's foreigner cap | OneFootball

Flamengo idol and former player questioned the gradual reduction determined by the CBF and called for changes in the athlete development process

The CBF’s decision to gradually reduce the limit on foreign players in Brazilian football continues to spark reactions. This time, the one to comment on the measure was Dejan Petkovic, a Flamengo idol and the foreign player with the most appearances in the history of the Brazilian Championship.

— It doesn’t matter where you’re from, what matters is what you deliver. It doesn’t matter how you play. Why do teams in England or at the top level sign younger star players from here? So that in three years they are developed and are no longer foreigners. That’s why they go at 17, 18 years old. Cases like Estevão, Rodrygo, Endrick — said Petkovic in an interview with Estadão.

Currently, clubs can include up to nine foreign players per match in competitions organized by the CBF. However, that number will gradually fall until it reaches five in 2030. The governing body adopted the change with the aim of creating more space for players developed in Brazil. For Petkovic, however, the discussion should mainly focus on player development. The former player cited the work done in Spain and argued that on-field performance should be the main criterion.

PETKOVIC QUESTIONS BRAZIL’S DEVELOPMENT MODEL

According to Petkovic, reducing the presence of foreign players does not necessarily solve the problems found in Brazil’s youth ranks. The Serbian believes clubs need to do a better job developing young players.

In addition, the former player criticized the excessive priority given to results in the youth categories. In the idol’s view, this mentality may lead clubs to prioritize physically stronger players instead of developing different technical characteristics.

In this regard, Petkovic cited Spain as an example of a country that works on development concepts from an early age. The former player also recalled that Lionel Messi, an Argentine, completed an important part of his development in Spanish football.

PETKOVIC ALSO MENTIONS MERCOSUR

Another point raised by the Flamengo idol involves South American players. Petkovic questioned the way athletes from Mercosur countries are placed in the same category as other foreigners. “If Brazil is part of the Mercosur group, then why would an Argentine or Uruguayan be considered a foreigner?” In addition, the former player noted that foreign athletes who live and work in Brazil for years can seek naturalization. Petkovic also argued that the regulations should be subject to frequent debate. For the former No. 10, Brazil needs to consider the characteristics of its own football before simply reproducing models used in other countries.

PET AT FLAMENGO

A Flamengo idol, Petkovic built a large part of his career in Brazilian football. The Serbian arrived in the country in 1997 and also played for Vitória, Vasco, Fluminense, Santos and Atlético-MG, in addition to the Rubro-Negro. For Flamengo, the former attacking midfielder won two Carioca Championships, the Copa dos Campeões and the 2009 Brazilian Championship. In the national title-winning campaign, Petkovic played an important role and finished the season among the top players in Brazilian football.

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