Former Flamengo full-back backs Pedro for World Cup: “I see Romário”

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Coluna do Fla

·5 Mei 2026

Former Flamengo full-back backs Pedro for World Cup: “I see Romário”

Pedro still dreams of a spot at the 2026 World Cup

One of Flamengo’s standout players in recent matches, Pedro is still chasing a place in the 2026 World Cup with the Brazilian National Team. A former full-back for Mengão, Gilberto backed the No. 9’s inclusion in Carlo Ancelotti’s final squad and compared the striker to Romário.

Pedro, for me, is currently the best center forward in the country. Pedro has always been a different kind of player, even when he was still at Fluminense. So today, wearing the Flamengo shirt, he’s a player you can’t overlook, because he’s someone who sometimes gets very few chances in a game and still manages to score inside the box. He positions himself extremely well; he’s a clinical finisher. Obviously, not to make an unfair comparison, I see a lot of Pedro in the image of Romário. Because Romário often didn’t touch the ball much, but when he did, he was able to finish and score. Sometimes he touched the ball twice and scored two goals. And to me, Pedro is that kind of player. I think he’s different. Of course, Léo Pereira, Danilo, for example, whom Ancelotti has already said are already called up, and Alex Sandro also has a chance of going. But I think Pedro is an athlete coming from the outside and, in my opinion, he should wear the Brazilian National Team shirt at a World Cup,” Gilberto said in an interview with ‘Lance!’.

When is the final Brazil squad announcement?

It is worth noting that the official Brazil squad announcement for the World Cup will take place on May 18. Thus, coach Carlo Ancelotti will begin preparing the squad on the 25th of the same month, while the trip to the United States will be on June 1.

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What are Pedro’s numbers for Flamengo in 2026?

Pedro is Flamengo’s outright top scorer in the 2026 season. After all, so far, the No. 9 has played 26 matches, with 16 goals and four assists. As a result, the striker has established himself as an undisputed starter under Leonardo Jardim.

What is Flamengo’s next match?

With Pedro available, Flamengo continue preparing for their next game. This Thursday (07), the Rubro-Negro face Independiente Medellín (COL) at 9:30 PM (Brasília time) at Atanasio Girardot Stadium, in the fourth round of the Libertadores.

So, as tradition dictates, Coluna do Fla will bring all the details of the match between Flamengo and Independiente Medellín through YouTube, the website, and social media. However, ESPN (pay TV) and Disney+ (streaming) will broadcast the Libertadores match.

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