How Plata won back his place at Flamengo under Jardim | OneFootball

In under a month, Gonzalo Plata has gone from fringe figure to starter under Leonardo Jardim at Flamengo, after being omitted for the 22 March draw with Corinthians.

According to Globo.com, Flamengo initially sought to shield the Ecuador international and resolve matters internally. President Bap ruled out negotiating the 25-year-old, who is under contract until 2029, to avoid devaluing a key asset.

Jardim then spoke plainly with Plata, offering trust matched by better training habits. Restoring the winger became a priority, and with few natural wide options, Flamengo could not afford to lose him.

Plata was fined for his behaviour and told to adjust his routine, a lapse the club views as overcome. Strong displays for Ecuador against Morocco and the Netherlands helped, and he is seen as practically confirmed for the World Cup.

Since then he has made six squads, featured in the last five and started wins against Cusco, Fluminense and Bahia. After the Cusco game in the Libertadores, Jardim said he had returned from the national team more focused and was now showing his value.

Early in Jardim’s tenure he saw little action, with late cameos against Fluminense in the Carioca and Botafogo in the Brasileirão, and he was unused versus Cruzeiro and Remo. The omission was attributed to concentration, attitude and physical commitment. Internally he tests well physically but is inconsistent technically. In 2026 he has one goal and one assist in 16 games.

Source: Globo.com