Gabigol admits desire to return to Flamengo: a club that moves me | OneFootball

Red-and-black idol left Flamengo in 2024

Gabigol admitted that he still wants to return to Flamengo in the future. The statement came in an interview with the ‘Clear TV’ channel. In the conversation, the striker reinforced the special bond built over six seasons at the club.

WHAT DID GABIGOL SAY ABOUT A POSSIBLE RETURN TO FLAMENGO?

— (Do you think about coming back?) I want to. Football is crazy, I don’t know how it’s going to be. But I do want to, yes. Flamengo is a team that moves me, it was a long time, a lot of history, the players, many titles, the fans. It’s been a long time, I played more there than here (at Santos), for example — he began, before continuing:

— So, like, it’s hard for me to play against them, I don’t feel comfortable, I’ve always said that. Going to the Maracanã again to play against them is not easy. Honestly, it isn’t,” said Gabigol. Thus, the striker made it clear that his connection with Flamengo remains very strong, even outside the club — he concluded.

HOW DID GABIGOL ARRIVE AT FLAMENGO IN 2019?

Signed by Flamengo at the start of 2019 on loan from Inter Milan (ITA), Gabigol was coming off a spectacular season with Santos, where he was the top scorer in the Brasileirão and the Copa do Brasil. However, the player was not the Rio club’s first option at that moment.

That was because Flamengo was aiming to sign striker Pablo, but could not reach an agreement with Athletico-PR. As a result, Gabigol emerged as something of a ‘Plan B’ for the red-and-black attack. In the end, however, everything worked out for both the striker and Mengão.

Gabigol made his debut on January 23, 2019, in a 2-1 win over Resende in the Carioca Championship. On that occasion, the player scored his first goal on February 24, in the 4-1 rout of Americano. Quickly, the striker entered the pantheon of idols in Flamengo’s history.

GABIGOL’S NUMBERS IN A FLAMENGO SHIRT

In total, Gabigol recorded 161 goals and 43 assists for the club. In 308 matches played, the striker won 13 titles during his red-and-black spell. They were two Libertadores, two Brasileirão titles, two Copa do Brasil titles, two Supercopa do Brasil titles, one Recopa Sudamericana, and four state championships.

Therefore, that trophy haul places Gabigol among the greatest names ever to wear the Flamengo shirt. In this way, the numbers reinforce why the fans still have special affection for the striker.

DEPARTURE FROM FLAMENGO AND GABIGOL’S CURRENT SITUATION AT SANTOS

At the end of 2024, Gabigol did not reach an agreement to renew with Flamengo and left the club, signing with Cruzeiro afterward. At the moment, the striker is on loan from the Minas Gerais club to Santos, with a contract until December 2026. However, the agreement between the clubs does not include a purchase option.

Thus, Gabigol’s future will need to be decided at the end of the loan, still this year. Therefore, his statement about a possible return to Flamengo carries even more weight in this context. The red-and-black fans continue to keep an eye on any news about the idol’s future.

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