Emerson Royal on Flamengo: "I was always a fan and didn't know" | OneFootball

Emerson Royal claims Maracanã atmosphere turned him into a fan

On Tuesday (29), Flamengo held the first press conference for right-back Emerson Royal as a new team member. In the interview, the new number 22 revealed that he has always been a fan of the "Most Beloved" team, which intrigued those present.

– I have always been a Flamengo fan and didn't know it. We know internally how difficult it was to come here. I want to thank Flamengo for the effort they made to get me here. I have played at Maracanã as an opponent, and it's incredibly difficult to play against Flamengo at Maracanã. Your legs tremble. The new players, who have never experienced this, will definitely feel it and get goosebumps. It's a beautiful celebration. I wanted to leave this message to the fans to express my gratitude -, stated Royal.

However, the defender was questioned again about his passion for the red-black team. The player then explained that it was related to the scene he witnessed on Sunday (27), when he was at the stadium for the first time as a team member. On that occasion, Royal watched the victory over Atlético-MG by 1-0 in the Brasileirão.

– Everyone has a favorite team when they're young, and since I'm from São Paulo, I didn't support Flamengo. When I felt the warmth of the fans, the stadium, and being on Flamengo's side now, I thought: “how did I not know this? How have I never supported Flamengo? – highlighted the new player.

What was Royal's team?

According to an interview with the channel Desimpedidos in 2017, the right-back had declared himself a Santos fan and stated that he wanted to play there one day. In 2023, Emerson Zulu, the player's father, also confirmed his son's Santos origins.

Offensive right-back?

In the Flamengo press conference, Royal also emphasized the importance coach Filipe Luís will have in his journey. The new number 22 revealed that the coach has given him the freedom to attack as much as he wants on the right flank during games.

– He has already talked to me, told me what he wants from me, told me to dribble and go forward. And when the coach says that, there's a risk because I'll go for all of them (laughs) -, said the player, who was bought for nine million euros (R$ 58 million) from Milan (ITA).

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