Grêmio's highlights, disappointments and surprises in early 2026 | OneFootball

With the schedule paused for the World Cup, Grêmio is going through a period of internal evaluation.

Under Luís Castro, the club achieved two of the three goals set for the first part of the season: it qualified for the Copa do Brasil round of 16 and managed to reach the break outside the Brasileirão relegation zone (although just barely, in 16th place).

In the Copa Sudamericana, however, the team finished second in its group and will have to play a playoff against Bolívar.

ge put together a full report analyzing the individual performances of the Tricolor squad in these first months. See who stood out, who fell short, and who looks promising for the rest of the year.

🌟 Who stood out

Carlos Vinicius: The big name in attack. The team’s outright top scorer this year with 17 goals (nine of them in the Brasileirão, where he is in the race for the league’s golden boot), the 31-year-old striker has maintained a high technical level and has been vital for the team.

Weverton: The goalkeeper overcame an inconsistent start to become the undisputed first choice, something the club had been looking for since Marcelo Grohe’s departure in 2019. His solid performances earned him a spot in Brazil’s World Cup squad.

Gabriel Mec: The academy gem took over the No. 10 shirt and did not feel the pressure. With three goals and two assists in 28 matches, the young attacking midfielder lived up to Luís Castro’s expectations and is already drawing strong interest from European clubs. Grêmio moved forward with his contract renewal in May.

Viery: The 21-year-old center-back has turned things around. Out of the plans last year, he seized a starting spot in 2026 and has already surpassed his total number of appearances from the entire previous season.

Amuzu: The Ghanaian, with seven goals this year, was a key player in winning the Gauchão and in the fight against the drop zone. His performances only failed to earn him a World Cup spot because Grêmio chose not to release him for friendlies outside the FIFA international window, which left him out of Ghana’s final squad.

📉 Who disappointed

Tetê: One of the most expensive signings in the club’s history (€6 million), the forward has still not delivered what was expected. Struggling with physical adaptation, he lost ground to Enamorado and has just three goals in 26 matches.

Caio Paulista: Brought in to serve as backup to Marlon, the left-back put together a string of poor performances, was booed by the fans, and dropped to third choice in the position, behind youngster Pedro Gabriel.

Nardoni: The Argentine midfielder, signed from Racing for US$8 million, has yet to justify the investment. He alternated spells in the team, failed to establish himself, and ended the half-season injured.

Wagner Leonardo: The center-back had a half-season marked by indiscipline and loss of status. He was sent off at crucial moments (against São Paulo and in the Gauchão final) and lost ground among the starters.

Monsalve: The Colombian lost prestige. His last appearance came in April, marked by an on-field argument with Arthur during a defeat. He has only 12 matches and one goal this year.

👀 Ones to watch in the second half of the season

Leo Pérez: The young 21-year-old Argentine midfielder started slowly, but improved a lot from April onward, establishing himself as a starter before the break.

Enamorado: The Colombian winger showed plenty of pace and took over the spot that was, in theory, supposed to belong to Tetê. With 31 appearances, he should continue as the starter on the right.

Tiaguinho: The 18-year-old midfielder started the Gauchão as a starter, lost space after the Gre-Nal, but should compete for more minutes in the team’s rotation for the rest of the year.

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

📸 SILVIO AVILA - AFP or licensors