John Kennedy apologises to Fluminense fans for 2025 mistake | OneFootball

Striker secured the victory over Madureira and recalled past elimination; Lezcano also scored in the State Championship debut

The 2026 calendar kicked off for Fluminense, with John Kennedy playing the leading role in the 2-1 victory over Madureira. The goal that sealed the positive result came at the 28th minute of the second half. Before that, Lezcano had opened the scoring for the Tricolor, and Marcão scored for the opponent. During the celebration, the young striker kissed the badge and brought his hands together in a clear gesture of asking for forgiveness from the stands, an action he explained right after the final whistle:

— That's exactly it, to apologize. Because we know how much they love the club, how much the fans love the club. And I, as a homegrown player, also love Fluminense. So, when I missed the penalty, I felt bad, I was shaken. I know the fans didn't deserve that, so I apologized and said that this year we are coming strong to achieve what we didn't achieve last year — stated the player still on the field.

The reason for the regret dates back to the semifinals of the 2025 Copa do Brasil. On that occasion, in a classic match against Vasco, John Kennedy missed his shot in the penalty shootout. Having scored only two goals throughout the past season, the athlete acknowledged that his performance was below expectations and sees 2026 as the turning point, both in individual numbers and in collective achievements.

— It's always good to score, but with the Fluminense jersey, it's very special. We always have to keep our heads up; football is made of victories and defeats, ups and downs. Last year was below what I expected. I was working hard, but it wasn't what I expected. And this year, I want to change that scenario, redeem myself, pursue titles, score goals, and aim to be a starter, which is what every player wants. I think this year has everything to work out for all of us.

Aiming to maintain a 100% success rate, the Tricolor will play again in the Carioca Championship this Saturday. The match for the second round will be against Boavista, in Bacaxá, at 6:30 PM.

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