From Flamengo to Rome—and the courtroom: two journeys you didn't see coming | OneFootball

Former Flamengo players continue to leave their mark across football, both on and off the pitch. Two recent stories, detailed by Lance, illustrate the breadth of their impact and changing fortunes.

Wesley, the 21-year-old right back who emerged through Flamengo’s ranks, has just completed a move to Roma that ranks among the most significant in the club’s history. Arriving in the Italian capital, Wesley was greeted at Fiumicino Airport by enthusiastic Roma supporters, media, and club officials. The deal, valued at an initial €25 million with potential for a further €5 million in add-ons, places him alongside the club’s record departures, now just behind the likes of Vinícius Júnior and Lucas Paquetá.

Wesley leaves Flamengo after 152 appearances, having become a mainstay in their back line, especially during Filipe Luís’ tenure as manager. His time with the senior squad included six goals and as many assists, a respectable return for a defender in such a competitive environment. Before agreeing terms with Roma, Wesley attracted interest from the likes of Barcelona, Bournemouth, Atalanta, and Zenit, but Flamengo held out until they felt the terms matched his value. Previous negotiations ranged from loan offers with purchase options to significant outright bids, many of which the club turned down in pursuit of the right deal.

Wesley’s farewell to Flamengo was marked with gratitude and optimism. Upon departing, he expressed thanks for his development at the club and looked forward to new challenges in Serie A. Roma, for their part, see him as a key addition for the 2025/26 season.

Meanwhile, another former Flamengo favorite, Roma (Paulo Marcel Pereira Merabet), has taken a very different path in life. After a career spanning clubs in Brazil, Korea, Belgium, Mexico, Oman, Portugal, and Albania, he retired from playing in 2011. As reported by Lance, Roma pursued a childhood interest in law, inspired by his family’s background in the legal profession. He graduated with a law degree at 37 and opened a practice in Belém, focusing on sports and labor law, providing consultancy to athletes and sporting professionals.

Beyond his legal work, Roma remains connected to the game as president of Santa Rosa, a traditional club in Pará now playing its second consecutive season in the state’s top division. Under his leadership, Santa Rosa is targeting further professionalization and an eventual place in Brazil’s national competitions.

Despite his off-field commitments, Roma’s connection to Flamengo runs deep. He recently attended the Supercopa do Brasil to support the team and, in a lighthearted interview, compared himself favorably to Michael, another ex-Flamengo attacker, highlighting his enduring confidence and strong bond with the Flamengo fanbase.

These contrasting journeys illustrate both the export power of Flamengo’s talent pipeline and the different paths available to former pros, shaping the game from the elite European stage to grassroots football governance.

(Information from Lance.)

Photo by Ricardo Moreira/Getty Images