Jorge Valdívia says he was better than Arrascaeta and Lucas Paquetá | OneFootball

Jorge Valdívia has sparked debate by saying he was better than Arrascaeta and Lucas Paquetá during his playing days, as Paquetá’s return remains a major talking point in Brazilian football. On ESPN, the former Palmeiras idol compared himself with Flamengo’s creative pair.

He added that he was below Raphael Veiga, the Palmeiras midfielder who has been a leading rival to Flamengo’s number 10, Arrascaeta, in recent seasons.

Valdívia made 402 club appearances across Colo-Colo and Palmeiras among others, scoring 66 goals with 81 assists. His honours include one Copa América, two Copas do Brasil and one Série B title.

Arrascaeta has dominated Brazilian football in recent years and is Flamengo’s joint-most decorated player alongside Bruno Henrique. The Uruguayan has 166 goals and 165 assists in 609 games, with three Libertadores, three Brasileiros and three Copas do Brasil.

After building his career in England, Paquetá returned to Brazil as the costliest signing in the country’s history, with Flamengo paying 42 million euros, around R$ 260 million, to sign the midfielder from West Ham. He has played 362 games, scoring 63 and assisting 39, and has won a Copa América and a Conference League.

With Arrascaeta and Paquetá available, Flamengo face Botafogo on Sunday 15 at 17:30, Brasília time, at Estádio Nilton Santos in the Carioca quarter-finals.

Source: Coluna Do Fla