Vitão opens up about the pressure of playing for Flamengo

In partnership with

Coluna do Fla

·10 juillet 2026

Vitão opens up about the pressure of playing for Flamengo

Vitão is available to Leonardo Jardim during Flamengo’s mid-season break

Flamengo continue preparing to face Benfica (POR) this Saturday (11) in the final friendly of their mid-season break being held in Portugal. On the eve of the match, center back Vitão gave an exclusive interview to Coluna do Fla and spoke openly about the pressure of wearing the Rubro-Negro shirt.

— It’s different when you play for one of the biggest clubs in the world, it’s definitely a different kind of pressure, but I’m prepared. My whole career has been under pressure, I try to handle it in the best way possible, I try to turn that pressure into something positive, into something good. AndI’m happy and I hope to repay it in the best way possible,” he said, before concluding:

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— The level of training here is extremely high. I try to make the most of every minute I get on the pitch, with the more experienced players, speaking about my position, Danilo, Léo Ortiz, Léo Pereira, they’ve all played for the Brazilian national team. Like I said when I arrived here, I want to learn as much as possible from them, keep improving, so that when I get my opportunities I can make the most of them,” Vitão concluded in an interview with Coluna do Fla.

How important is the mid-season break for Flamengo?

In addition, Vitão also commented on the importance of Flamengo’s mid-season break. Rubro-Negro’s goal is to maintain the players’ physical rhythm with the remainder of the 2026 season in mind after the end of the World Cup.

It’s very important, not just for me but for the whole team, to build rhythm, because when the competitions restart they’re going to demand a lot from us. And speaking personally, it’s been very important for me, because I’m getting minutes. I’m also managing to show a bit of my work in matches to the coach. I want to show him as much as possible so he realizes he can count on me, whether it’s for five, ten, or 90 minutes, I’m ready,” said the center back.

What are Vitão’s numbers during Flamengo’s mid-season break?

Vitão started both of Flamengo’s matches during this mid-season break, against River Plate (ARG) and Lausanne Sport (SUI). In the meantime, the center back has totaled 167 minutes on the pitch. The defender, who partnered João Victor in central defense in both matches, commented on his partnership with the promising Rubro-Negro academy player.

Very smooth, João is a very talented kid, with a lot of quality, and he was already with the first team when I arrived. He’s a kid who listens, and we’ve been helping each other a lot. He talks to me a lot and I talk to him a lot too. Even though he’s young, we always have to learn from the younger players as well as the more experienced ones. I think it’s a partnership that has worked out well, not only in training but also in matches, and we hope to put in another great performance without conceding any goals,” said the center back.

What is Flamengo’s next match?

With Vitão available, Flamengo face Benfica this Saturday (11) in the final friendly of Rubro-Negro’s mid-season break, being held in Portugal. The match kicks off at 3:30 p.m. Brasília time at Estádio Algarve, the same venue as the first two matches.

As usual, Coluna do Fla is following every detail of Flamengo’s mid-season break and friendlies in Portugal. With on-site coverage from Rock Hudson and Simon Lédo, stay tuned to the website, social media, and YouTube. Finally, Band (free-to-air TV), GE TV (YouTube), and SporTV (pay TV) will broadcast the match.

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