Marcos Braz dismisses claims De La Cruz was a Flamengo mistake

In partnership with

Coluna do Fla

·28 Juli 2026

Marcos Braz dismisses claims De La Cruz was a Flamengo mistake

De La Cruz has been at Flamengo since 2023, when he left River Plate (ARG)

Nicolás De La Cruz often sparks debate at Flamengo, as he deals with recurring physical problems. However, congressman Marcos Braz, the club’s former vice president, stressed that Flamengo made the right call in signing the Uruguayan in 2023, since he was important in 2024.

– First of all, I’m not a doctor. Second, he was more than recommended by the coaching staff. And third, he played in World Cups and for River Plate (ARG). How did it not work out? Technically? Sportingly? He was important in 2024 –, said Braz, who added:

Video OneFootball

– I speak about this very naturally. The player passed the medical exams. It’s very superficial to say there was a procedural error. De La Cruz was handled through the same process as other signings –, he told Basticast on Monday (27).

What is De La Cruz’s situation at Flamengo?

Rodolfo Landim’s administration, with Braz, paid 16 million dollars (R$ 77.7 million, at the exchange rate at the time) to sign the player from River. However, the midfielder’s absence from some matches became a topic in the media.

The player’s name was even involved in a controversy with José Luiz Runco, the club’s former head of the medical department. In a WhatsApp message, the doctor said that De La Cruz is not capable of playing competitive football, which led to his dismissal.

“He has a chronic and irreparable injury in his right knee, and also an injury in his left knee (…) And as for a transfer, only if there is some club interested for another reason and not for playing competitive football,” the doctor said in July 2025.

What are De La Cruz’s numbers at Flamengo?

In 2026, the Uruguayan played in 19 of the 40 matches Flamengo have had so far. So, that figure is 16 games fewer than Pedro’s total, the highest in the squad. On synthetic pitches, for example, the midfielder is rested.

Over his entire spell so far, he has four goals and seven assists in 94 matches. So, just as a point of curiosity, in 2021, the Uruguayan played 48 matches for River Plate, which was the most appearances in a single season in his career.

What is the author’s opinion on De La Cruz and Braz?

Of course Braz is not going to admit the mistake. And the issue is not even the player’s quality. Everyone knows De La Cruz is a great player. But a team that plays 80 matches a year needs players who are available more often,” said João Vítor Reis of Coluna do Fla.

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