Settled and thriving: Samuel Lino under Leonardo Jardim at Flamengo | OneFootball

Samuel Lino is earning more and more space and establishing himself as a key player for Flamengo in 2026

The World Cup is nearing its end, and Flamengo’s matches are getting closer to officially returning. Amid this scenario, there is huge anticipation to watch Samuel Lino’s performances, as he has shown steady growth throughout 2026. After arriving amid high expectations in 2025, the player has finally hit his stride and taken on a leading role on the pitch.

Samuel Lino had already been taking advantage of openings in the squad even before the world tournament began, maintaining consistency. During the World Cup, however, the player made even more of his opportunities to prove his absolute importance.

In the last round of the Brazilian Championship before the break, Samuel Lino shone brightly. Against Coritiba, two goals and an assist confirmed his good form. In the Algarve Trophy, during the mid-season break, his performances remained strong, with two more goals and another assist in the matches he started.

The player’s numbers stand out: he needs just 108 minutes to be involved in a goal. In the Brasileirão, in 17 matches, the number 16 has four goals and six assists.

WHY HAS HIS PERFORMANCE IMPROVED SO MUCH?

The simplicity of Leonardo Jardim’s instructions appears to be a key factor, according to the player himself. Samuel Lino even said in a recent interview that the coach’s clear communication makes it easier for the group to perform amid such an exhausting schedule.

— We also knew about the situation we went through at the start of the year with Filipe Luís (dismissal). It was an unpleasant situation, but Leonardo Jardim’s impact was very good and very strong, because he gave us confidence, gave us courage and personality. Since he’s Portuguese and a bit reserved, we thought he would be like that, but no. He’s a completely different coach, very open with us. So I think that made us feel a bit lighter, made the atmosphere lighter, even more than it already was. And that helped a lot at the start of Jardim’s time here — he said, before continuing:

— The information Leonardo Jardim gives us is very simple; he doesn’t like filling our heads with information. We try to work on the opponent’s vulnerabilities. And when it comes to the day-to-day, the pre-match, it’s all very simple; there’s not much you can do either because there are so many games close together. So I think this unity in the group, the connection we have between the players, and everything Leonardo has been bringing with his experience, I think that has helped our pre-match preparations even more by making things simpler, lighter — Samuel Lino concluded.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE SQUAD WHEN THE PLAYERS RETURN?

Players called up for the World Cup will return soon. However, if Samuel Lino maintains his recent level, the battle for places in Leonardo Jardim’s team promises to intensify.

In fact, his place in the starting lineup tends to secure itself naturally, since the winger has become the team’s top provider in 2026, with nine assists in official matches.

WHAT IS THE AUTHOR’S OPINION?

“When he arrived at Flamengo, Samuel Lino felt the weight of the shirt, which ended up limiting the football he initially showed. At that first moment, the player stayed too stuck on the left wing, an approach that ended up holding back important traits and stifling his creativity.

Now, however, the scenario is different. The winger has gained the freedom to drift between the lines, and that change has brought huge improvement to his game. Good performances build confidence, and the support coming from the stands helps a lot in the process. The number 16 still misses some chances that could be goals, that’s true, but if he fine-tunes that finishing touch, he becomes a key piece for Flamengo to compete at the top this season,” said Mônica Alves, reporter for Coluna do Fla.

WHAT IS FLAMENGO’S NEXT STEP?

Flamengo face Olimpia of Paraguay in a preparatory friendly. The match takes place at 8:00 p.m. (Brasília time) on Friday (17) at Mané Garrincha Stadium in Brasília. In the friendly, Rubro-Negro will seek a convincing win to regain rhythm before their official commitments.

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