Fabricio Bruno leads Cruzeiro's minutes tally in 2026 | OneFootball

Cruzeiro’s run of matches in 2026 helps explain the heavy workload accumulated by some players in the squad. So far, the team has already taken the field 34 times this season, splitting its focus between the Mineiro, the Brazilian Championship, the Copa Libertadores, and the Copa do Brasil.

Among the most-used players, Fabricio Bruno tops the list in minutes played, with 2,693 minutes in 30 matches. Right behind him are Kaiki, with 2,570 minutes in 29 games, and Matheus Pereira, who has 2,569 minutes, also in 30 matches. The group of the five most-used players also includes Christian, with 2,235 minutes in 30 games, and Gerson, with 2,165 minutes in 29 matches.

The numbers show a core group that has been getting consistent playing time throughout the year, especially during a more congested stretch of the schedule. Since the start of the season, Cruzeiro has gone through weeks with games in short intervals, alternating between domestic and continental commitments, a scenario that has increased the physical demands on part of the squad. With the Brazilian Championship starting in January, the team had to manage matches in the main national competition as well as the state championship, which it ended up winning by beating its rival Atlético 1-0.

The high minute totals also reflect the club’s current standing in the competitions. In the Copa do Brasil, the team eliminated Goiás and secured a place in the round of 16, now waiting for the draw to find out its next opponent. In the Libertadores, Cruzeiro heads into the final stretch of the group stage depending only on its own results to advance to the knockout rounds, after a group that featured closely contested competition among the teams throughout the campaign.

In the Brazilian Championship, the team is still trying to solidify its place in the standings after a disastrous start under Tite, when it went eight rounds without a win and even fell to the bottom of the table. Since Artur Jorge’s arrival, the team has been recovering and is looking to make the most of a run of home matches before the competitions pause for the World Cup. It currently sits in 13th place, with 20 points after 16 rounds.

Cruzeiro players with the most minutes in 2026:

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