Who is Isac, the youth defender called up by São Paulo to face Fortaleza | OneFootball

Coming off four consecutive defeats, São Paulo is trying to find its way back to victory. The Tricolor visits Fortaleza on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. (Brasília time), at Arena Castelão, in a match valid for the 25th round of the Brazilian Championship. And the squad that traveled to Ceará features a new addition.

Due to the absences in São Paulo’s defensive sector, coach Hernán Crespo has given a golden opportunity to a young academy player. The center-back Isac, 18 years old, has been called up for the professional team for the first time and is on the list of players who may face Fortaleza.

But after all, who is Isac?

Isac is a native of Brejo Santo, in Ceará. The defender had his first football experiences at Sport, where he began his career playing for the U-17 and also the U-20 teams. However, he didn’t stay there long, as he was bought by Red Bull Bragantino still in 2022.

At the Bragança Paulista club, Isac stood out for the U-20 team, especially in 2024. That year, still under coach Pedro Caixinha, he made his professional debut—playing about 20 minutes in a 1-0 defeat to Guarani, in the group stage of the Campeonato Paulista.

Also in 2024, Isac was called up for the match against Vasco, in the 22nd round of Série A, but did not leave the bench. With his performance in the youth ranks and his future potential, the defender caught São Paulo’s attention, which signed him permanently in February this year, with a contract until the end of 2027.

Isac, São Paulo U-20 defender (Photo: Rubens Chiri / São Paulo FC)

This season, Isac has been an important piece for São Paulo’s U-20 team. The defender played 24 matches, starting in 16. In the national U-20 league, for example, he played 12 games and averaged 3.8 clearances per match, as well as recovering 7.8 balls per game. He also had a 90% pass accuracy rate. The data is from Sofascore.

The youngster also has experience with Brazil’s youth national teams. The defender was even called up and was part of the squad that won the South American U-17 Championship in 2023.

Isac seems to have impressed Crespo’s coaching staff. The 18-year-old had already trained with the professional squad in August this year, but had never been called up. Now, due to numerous absences in defense, he has earned his first opportunity with the senior team. It remains to be seen if Crespo will give the youngster his debut.

Major absences in defense

Coach Hernán Crespo will have a tough time picking São Paulo’s defense against Fortaleza. Four out of the five center-backs in the squad are unavailable: Arboleda is suspended, while Alan Franco (right thigh overload), Rafael Tolói (left thigh injury), and Ferraresi (left adductor injury) are all injured.

As a result, the only available option in the main squad is Sabino. The young midfielder Negrucci can play as an improvised center-back and is expected to start alongside him. The lack of players in the defensive sector may force Crespo to rethink the 3-5-2 system he has been using since his arrival.

Thus, as the only natural center-back traveling with the rest of the squad, Isac should at least be on the bench against Fortaleza. In case of need or emergency, the youngster may be called upon by Crespo.

São Paulo’s situation in the Brasileirão

São Paulo has stalled in the Brasileirão standings and currently sits in eighth place, with 35 points. The Tricolor is going through a rough patch this season and, besides being eliminated from the Libertadores, is suffering a streak of four consecutive defeats.

Upcoming São Paulo matches

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