Samuel Lino on Flamengo, Pedro link-up and Brazil return dream | OneFootball

Samuel Lino is one of Flamengo’s top individual standouts in 2026

Samuel Lino is enjoying an excellent and steadily improving spell at Flamengo. The team’s leading provider this season, the forward spoke about his strong personal form, the dream of returning to the Brazilian National Team, the tactical change under Leonardo Jardim, and his strong chemistry with Pedro in the mixed zone after the 4-0 thrashing of Chapecoense on Wednesday (22).

His outstanding form on the pitch naturally brings back the dream of wearing the Brazilian National Team shirt. Asked about the possibility of being called up by Carlo Ancelotti, Samuel Lino showed calmness and confidence in the daily work being done at Flamengo to reach that goal.

— Yes, I do dream of returning to the National Team. I’m happy to be in a good moment. And the National Team has just gone through a World Cup, so there’s some time now before coming back. And I hope that during that time I can keep doing my best here at Flamengo, putting up numbers so I can get on the National Team’s radar —, he said.

HOW DOES HIS CHEMISTRY WITH PEDRO WORK?

The understanding on the pitch has brought important results for Flamengo. In total, the forward has 15 assists this season, with ten decisive passes in official competitions and five contributions in friendlies played during the World Cup period. In addition, strike partner Pedro has scored 22 goals in official matches and friendlies, leading the club’s scoring charts. Therefore, the duo’s partnership has been paying off for the Rio de Janeiro side.

— Football is a huge responsibility when you step onto the pitch wearing the Flamengo shirt. But then there’s the other side. We’ve always dreamed of being football players since childhood. So when we go onto the pitch, we want to enjoy it, even with the responsibility. Pedro and I, and I think all of us too, Flamengo’s players, want to enjoy the game with responsibility. Pedro and I are understanding each other, and that has been really good —, he said.

HOW DID THE TACTICAL CHANGE TRANSFORM HIS PERFORMANCES?

Samuel Lino’s improvement is directly tied to the tactical freedom currently given by Leonardo Jardim. Adapting to new roles on the pitch has allowed him to take a greater part in building plays, which is reflected in the key passes that help the attacking system.

— I think that, of course, (Leonardo Jardim) helped me a lot, but it was also very much about my good form. The biggest part of it comes from my mindset, which has changed a lot —, the forward revealed.

WHAT ROLE DOES HE PLAY IN THE TEAM?

The versatility shown by Lino in recent matches highlights his collective dedication for the sake of results. Regardless of whether he plays more centrally or out wide, according to the forward, the main commitment remains the success of the group.

— Yes, I’m happy to be able to help Flamengo, and that’s my goal: regardless of the position, I want to help the team on the pitch —, he stated.

WHAT IS FLAMENGO’S NEXT MATCH?

With Samuel Lino available, Flamengo return to the pitch on Sunday (26), when they face São Paulo. The match, valid for the 20th round of the Brazilian Championship, will take place at 7:30 p.m. (Brasília time) at the Maracanã. This way, a home win would keep the rubro-negro side right on the heels of leaders Palmeiras.

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