Maicon on new role in Corinthians futsal, looks ahead to 2026 season

In partnership with

Central do Timão

·1 March 2026

Maicon on new role in Corinthians futsal, looks ahead to 2026 season

By Mirella Ramos / Central do Timão Editorial Team

Corinthians officially presented its futsal squad for the 2026 season at an event held at Neo Química Arena. Among the players who spoke about the new cycle was winger Maicon, 21, who is set to take on a more prominent role within the group after the squad’s restructuring.

With the departure of experienced players and the promotion of young talents from the youth academy, the black-and-white shirt recognized that the scenario in the locker room has changed, especially after Deives’ retirement.

OneFootball Videos

Photo: Reproduction / Instagram

“On one hand, there’s no way to fill (Deives’ absence). The greatest player in the history of Corinthians futsal. It’s a very difficult role to fill. I can deliver on the court, but off it, with the leadership he had and everything else he did for us, I think it’s very hard for any other player to do what he did. What we can do is help the younger ones, which was his role, and on the court, give our all, just like he always did and always taught us from a young age: never lack grit, compete all the time. And most importantly, which is to win titles wearing the Corinthians shirt. That’s what he taught us since we moved up to train,” he declared.

Even though he’s young, Maicon is one of the remaining players from previous seasons. Since his debut in 2023, only he, winger Renatinho, and defender Lucas Martins remain in the current squad. For 2026, the club promoted four players from the youth academy: Fellype Bancatelli, Igor Bredof, Lucas Morales, and Nicolas Alves.

Commenting on the arrival of the young players, the winger spoke about the role of welcoming them into the squad.

“For me, saying this is different, because I’m still very young. I don’t have that much experience to teach, but what I’ve been through, I can share with them, what I’ve lived. Always welcoming them very well, treating them very well. Regardless of everything, they are my friends on and off the court. I believe they can break through in the main team, as other players have done. And I believe they will help us a lot throughout this year,” said Maicon.

The team led by Fernando Malafaia will have a calendar including the Super Copa Gramado, Campeonato Paulista, Liga Nacional de Futsal (LNF), and Copa LNF. The first match will be on March 5th, at 4:00 PM, against Carlos Barbosa, at Ginásio Perinão, in Rio Grande do Sul, for the Super Copa Gramado.

Regarding the competition, which brings together only elite teams of the sport, the winger highlighted the level of challenge.

“I think the (Super Copa) Gramado is very important, because only high-level teams compete. There isn’t a team where you can say, ‘we can take it easy,’ you can’t. And this tournament really helps in this National League format. Every game will be like a final, every game will be competitive. There are no more dull games, so we have to go in 100%, because everyone wants to show themselves against Corinthians, everyone wants to give something extra, so we have to want it more than the others,” he declared.

Maicon also projected the team’s performance throughout the year, after the experience gained in the previous season.

“The expectation for this year is high. With the experience we gained during 2025, I hope that if we compete for five titles, we win at least three, always wanting more than what happened last year. We’ve been doing very well these three weeks, training is very good, the players are very competitive, and I believe we can win major competitions this year with everyone performing well,” he stated.

Corinthians begins 2026 betting on squad renewal and maintaining competitiveness in the main national futsal competitions.

See More: