Emerson Royal names 'culprit' for miss in Flamengo v São Paulo

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Coluna do Fla

·27 Juli 2026

Emerson Royal names 'culprit' for miss in Flamengo v São Paulo

How did Royal perform in Flamengo vs São Paulo?

Flamengo drew 1-1 with São Paulo this Sunday (26) in a match valid for the 20th round of the Brasileirão. After the game, full-back Emerson Royal lamented the missed chance in the final stretch of the match and blamed the protective mask he wears.

— I like it, I’m adapting well to the mask. But yes, in plays where I need to head the ball to direct it, when it hits the mask it’s very difficult. Because it cushions it and sometimes changes the ball’s trajectory — the full-back began.

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— In that play, if I hadn’t been wearing the mask, I believe I would have had a great chance to score. That is also one of my strengths (heading). But it’s part of it. I’m wearing a mask and I have to adapt to it — he added, before concluding:

— It was a game we wanted to win, for sure, but that doesn’t change our confidence. We know this is Flamengo, that we have potential, we know our worth. So we can’t let a bad result, in quotation marks, interfere with our confidence. And now we’ll go to Beira-Rio looking for the three points — Royal concluded.

Why does Emerson Royal wear a protective mask?

Emerson Royal fractured his nose in Flamengo’s 1-1 draw with Estudiantes (ARG) on April 29, in the third round of the Libertadores. Since then, the full-back has worn a protective mask on the area to complete his treatment.

Is Emerson Royal enjoying his best spell at Flamengo?

The match against São Paulo was Emerson Royal’s second straight game as a Flamengo starter. As such, the full-back pushed back against the criticism and said he is living through one of the best moments of his career.

I’m going to disagree with you. I believe I’ve been having a very good season, not just after the break for the World Cup. What is said outside, I try not to look at. I know my value, my potential, what I can offer. I’ve been doing that since the start of the year. (…) I believe I’m in one of the best moments of my career, not just here at Flamengo. This is where I feel physically at my best; technically I’ve improved a lot as well with the arrival of (Leonardo) Jardim. And I believe I still have a lot to grow, a lot to learn, and I’ll keep going down this path,” the player said.

What are Royal’s numbers in 2026?

Flamengo completed the signing of Emerson Royal in July 2025, after Wesley was sold. Since then, the player has been competing for the right-back spot with Guillermo Varela. In the 2026 season, the No. 22 has made 23 appearances and provided four assists.

What is Flamengo’s next match?

With Emerson Royal available, Flamengo return to the pitch this Wednesday (29) to face Internacional. The match will take place at 7:30 p.m. (Brasília time) at Beira-Rio Stadium, for the 21st round of the Brazilian Championship.

So, as tradition dictates, Coluna do Fla brings you all the details of Flamengo in the 2026 season. So stay tuned to the website, social media, and YouTube. In addition, Prime Video (streaming) will broadcast the match against Internacional.

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