São Paulo captain backs overhaul, eyes 2026: "Boosts competitiveness" | OneFootball

São Paulo is preparing for a new year in the women's football calendar. With three competitions to compete in, captain Aline Milene has high expectations and commented on the initial pre-season work. The team underwent a major overhaul, with arrivals and departures, and enters 2026 with renewed hopes in the pursuit of a title.

São Paulo returned on January 5th and has since continued activities at the Morumbis Social Complex in the capital of São Paulo.

“The first impressions are great. I really liked the environment we are experiencing at the start of 2026 and also the team model that was assembled. We increasingly understand the importance of the collective as a whole, and the work of the staff in bringing these pieces and reinforcements was fundamental,” stated the attacking midfielder.

“I believe that to achieve our goals, we need to maintain consistency from the start of the season until the last day, to stay alive in the fight for titles,” she added.

São Paulo will compete in three tournaments this season: the Campeonato Paulista, Copa do Brasil, and Campeonato Brasileiro. The start of Série A1 is scheduled for February 15th. The number of clubs has been increased from 16 to 18 participants.

Captain approves overhaul

São Paulo underwent a major overhaul to strengthen the squad in 2026. Twelve players left the club at the end of last season: Anny, Darlene, Day, Julia Kerolyn, Jé Soares, Kaká, Majhu, Maressa, Milena F., Millene, Nathane, and Taty Senna. Meanwhile, Yasmin Cosmann was loaned to Botafogo until the end of the year.

To replace the departures, the Tricolor was active in the transfer market and signed a total of 12 new players: goalkeeper Yasmin; defenders Tayla, Rafa Soares, Camila Barbosa; full-backs Clara and Anita; midfielders Cris, Vanina Preininger, and Maricel Pereyra; and forwards Soraya, Gadu, and Mylena Carioca.

The overhaul was approved by Aline Milene, who appreciated the arrival of new players to maintain high internal competitiveness among the athletes.

“The reinforcements come to add a lot and further qualify the squad. We made good signings and I believe that with a more homogeneous group, we will be able to perform at our best level. This also increases internal competitiveness and gives us more rotation throughout the season. I am sure that 2026 can be a great year for the team, and we will strive to maintain this consistency from the first game,” said the midfielder.

In addition to the arrivals, São Paulo also announced a series of contract renewals with important squad members, such as Bia Menezes, Carol Gil, Vi Amaral, Carlinha, and Camilinha. Aline Milene was also among them and extended her contract with the Tricolor until the end of 2027.

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