Coluna do Fla
·16 Januari 2026
Ex-Flamengo star claims he's better than Xavi, Iniesta and others

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Yahoo sportsColuna do Fla
·16 Januari 2026

Despite winning the Copa do Brasil and the Libertadores with Flamengo in 2022, Arturo Vidal's stint at Flamengo was disappointing. However, the Chilean made history in world football, mainly with the national team and major European clubs. In an online joke, the midfielder surprised everyone by putting himself above stars like Xavi, Iniesta, and Pirlo.
The challenge was: “only say something if any of these players is better than you.” Then, the host named the following athletes: Paredes, Tchouaméni, Rakitić, Aranguiz, De Paul, Casemiro, Kanté, Lampard, Gerrard, Rodri, Xabi Alonso, Pirlo, Xavi, and Iniesta. Vidal remained silent until the end of the game.
Vidal put himself above names like world champions Kanté, Pirlo, Xavi, and Iniesta—something the Chilean never came close to. The biggest titles in the former Flamengo player's career are two Copa Américas and the Libertadores with Flamengo. However, the midfielder did win some relevant national titles.
With Bayern Munich (GER), Vidal won three German league titles. At Barcelona (ESP), he won one Spanish league title. The Chilean’s greatest success was with Juventus (ITA) and Inter Milan (ITA), where he lifted five Italian Championships. At 38 years old, ‘King’, as he likes to be called, is still active at Colo-Colo (CHI).
Signed for a hefty price at Flamengo, Vidal was a disappointment despite the two titles. The midfielder played 51 matches, scored two goals, and provided three assists between 2022 and 2023. With little room, especially after disputes with Vítor Pereira and Jorge Sampaoli, the midfielder later signed with Athletico-PR.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.









































