Coluna do Fla
·1 de abril de 2026
Léo Pereira denies Endrick and helps Igor Thiago score 1st for Brazil

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Yahoo sportsColuna do Fla
·1 de abril de 2026

Brazil and Croatia were tied 1-1 when Endrick went down inside the box — penalty. The Lyon (FRA) youngster picked up the ball to take it, but Léo Pereira took action that changed what happened next. Igor Thiago then took the kick and put the five-time world champions ahead.
Léo Pereira was near the bench. From there, Carlo Ancelotti was shouting for Igor Thiago to take the penalty. So the Flamengo center back ran toward Endrick to pass along the Italian coach’s instruction.
After Léo Pereira’s message, Endrick handed the ball to Igor Thiago. The Brentford (ENG) striker finished with great composure, sending the goalkeeper one way and the ball the other. But that was not the Flamengo defender’s only role in a goal during the match.
Besides “taking” the penalty away from Endrick, Léo Pereira was involved in Brazil’s first goal against Croatia. After a corner taken by Modric, the center back cleared the ball and started a counterattack for Matheus Cunha. The midfielder found Vini Jr, who dazzled and set up Danilo Santos to open the scoring.
In the second half, Croatia equalized. But Igor Thiago and Gabriel Martinelli, in stoppage time, secured Brazil’s win in the final match before the World Cup squad announcement, which will take place on May 18. Another Flamengo representative, Danilo, is guaranteed to be on the list.
Now, Danilo and Léo Pereira are expected back at Flamengo this Wednesday (01). On Thursday (02), the Rubro-Negro face Bragantino in the ninth round of the Brasileirão. Kickoff is at 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time), with full coverage from Coluna do Fla.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.









































