“Obsession”: president eyes 2029 Club World Cup, Xerém, youth plan | OneFootball

Mattheus Montenegro revealed a shift in infrastructure investments toward the youth ranks, defended coach Zubeldía, and set a return to the Club World Cup as the tricolor administration’s daily goal.

Fluminense already has its clear guiding star for the coming years. During his appearance on the Setor Sul Podcast, president Mattheus Montenegro made it clear that the club’s participation in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup was an institutional turning point. Now, the board’s non-negotiable objective is to be present in the 2029 edition of the global competition.

The president described a return to the tournament as a true “obsession” for those who live the club’s day-to-day. “Anyone who was there knows what we experienced and how important it was for the brand’s internationalization. Any executive sitting in Fluminense’s chair has to think every day about how to get back there in 2029. We really miss what we did in 2025,” Mattheus said, stressing that, to achieve that, it will be essential to combine tactical planning with the strength of the fans in knockout matches.

Infrastructure: The focus shifts to Xerém

To support these future ambitions, Fluminense is redirecting its structural efforts. With the Carlos Castilho Training Center considered “100% complete” in terms of high-performance equipment for professional football, construction of the hotel on site has been pushed to the background. The top priority now is the youth academy.

“We decided to focus on Xerém. We’re carrying out a major project there. The accommodation area will be on the upper level, and we’re moving the gym and other departments to the lower level, near the pitches. The idea is to mirror in Xerém what we now have at the professional training center. The work began in December and is moving ahead steadily,” the president detailed, praising the special affection the fans have for the youth categories.

Youth Academy vs. Signings and Confidence in Zubeldía

Xerém’s talent factory also came up when the subject turned to the first-team squad. Asked about the reduced use of young players in the current starting team, the president did not shy away and explained the dynamic by pointing to the club’s financial growth.

“Xerém is being used less because we’ve been signing more players, it’s simple. When you sign more players by spending money, the academy loses a bit of space,” he argued. However, Montenegro made a point of stressing that the institutional goal of keeping one-third of the squad homegrown still stands. “When they (academy players) come in and earn their place, they arrive much more prepared because they train in a squad that has been strengthening itself,” he added.

To lead this squad, coach Luis Zubeldía continues to enjoy full backing. Faced with any rumors of instability, the president was emphatic: “He has 100% of our support. He is a very well-prepared coach, and we, who are there day to day, know how hard he works and how dedicated he is. At no point was his departure ever considered. I’m confident he can lead us to great things this year.”

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