Flaco López closes in on Palmeiras record with 20 fewer games | OneFootball

With the two stunning goals he scored in Palmeiras’ 4-1 thrashing of Vasco this Sunday (23) at Nubank Parque, Flaco López reached 30 goal contributions in 2026 and is now just one away from matching his best mark for the club.

Last season ended with 31 direct goal contributions — 25 goals and six assists — in 64 matches. Now, in 2026, Flaco has already totaled 19 goals and 11 assists in 43 games, according to figures released by Palmeiras. In other words, he is just one contribution away from matching his 2025 total, but needed 20 fewer matches to practically reach the record.

The improvement also shows up in his average. In 2025, Flaco was directly involved in a goal every 2.06 games. This year, the mark is approximately 0.70 contributions per match, showing a major jump in productivity. The press had already highlighted earlier this season that the Argentine was posting the best goal contribution average of his career.

Two stunning goals and a starring role against Vasco

His latest performance further underlined the importance of the No. 42. Against Vasco, Flaco opened the scoring early in the second half with a powerful left-footed strike and found the net again in the closing minutes, this time with a precise shot from outside the box.

The two goals helped Palmeiras turn what had been an evenly matched first half into a rout. Vitor Roque, from the penalty spot, and Maurício added the other goals, while Verdão moved to 51 points and opened a six-point lead over Flamengo at the top of the Brasileirão.

Head coach Abel Ferreira also praised the team’s attacking output after the match. With the two goals against Vasco, Flaco reached 19 goals this season, remaining Palmeiras’ top scorer in 2026.

One step away from surpassing his own record

Flaco needs just one goal contribution to match his 31 from 2025. To set a new personal best, however, he will have to reach 32.

The difference is that this time, the Argentine reached the mark much more quickly. In 2025, it took 64 matches to produce 25 goals and six assists. Now, it has taken 43 games to reach 19 goals and 11 assists.

From top scorer to international standout

The outstanding season also put Flaco López on the radar of the Argentina national team. The striker was called up for the 2026 World Cup and was part of the Argentina squad that finished the tournament as runners-up.

At Palmeiras, the Argentine had already ended 2025 as the team’s top scorer with 25 goals and has maintained that pace in 2026. In addition to his attacking numbers, he has established himself as one of the main focal points of Abel Ferreira’s attack.

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