Felipe Melo blasts Zubeldía after Fluminense axe: “Too late”

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·13 August 2026

Felipe Melo blasts Zubeldía after Fluminense axe: “Too late”

Former player criticizes Fluminense’s former coach, points to disregard for the youth academy, and questions the signing of foreign reinforcements at the club

Luis Zubeldía’s departure from Fluminense’s technical command, made official this Thursday by the club’s board, had a strong impact across the football world. During an appearance on the program Seleção Sportv, former player Felipe Melo did not hold back in criticizing the Argentine coach’s spell at Laranjeiras and said the dismissal took too long to happen. The former athlete highlighted the lack of opportunities given to the talents coming out of Xerém and criticized the coach’s statements and decisions regarding Fluminense’s youth players.

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— I think it was late, I think it was late. He was affectionately called in my house the “enemy of the youth academy,” because that was how he was at São Paulo and that was how he was being at Fluminense. I truly believe things started going downhill when they gave a coach the autonomy to simply turn his back on the club’s youth academy, an academy that is rich in every sense and has producing great athletes in its DNA — fired Felipe Melo. — Lately he had even been paying for what he said, talking nonsense about the academy too, saying it has no stars, no player who can come here and be a starter — he added.

Felipe Melo also criticized the Argentine coach’s choices in building the squad and his preference for foreign players brought in at his recommendation.

— He doesn’t speak Portuguese, but he likes bringing in people who speak his language. How many foreigners are there at Fluminense? A lot. Many of them are good, but I admit that some of them shouldn’t be wearing the Fluminense shirt. I won’t name names, out of ethics and respect — he jabbed.

Despite the turmoil and the 0-0 draw in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores round of 16, Felipe Melo believes the team can still advance in Argentina and called on the board to be wise in choosing a replacement.

— But there’s still time. There’s still time because Fluminense drew the match, and there’s another game away from home. The squad is capable of it. Now it’s really up to the board to be wise enough to bring in a coach who truly understands what Fluminense is, to change the players’ mindset, because many of them are used to winning — he concluded.

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