Flamengo player still hopes for career dream, sends Palmeiras message | OneFootball

Léo Ortiz, of Flamengo, still holds on to his desire to go to the World Cup

The Brazilian National Team squad for the World Cup will be announced next Monday (18). Some Flamengo players will be called up, but one ‘long shot’ is still keeping hope alive: Léo Ortiz. One of Flamengo’s standouts against Grêmio, the center back said he still hopes to make Carlo Ancelotti’s list, even knowing it will be difficult.

— Of course we dream about it. Playing for Flamengo and having already been part of the national team group, you always have that expectation, but I’m very level-headed about it. I’m very calm about it and I know the result will come from what I do here. What I do on the pitch is what will take me to the national team —, Léo Ortiz began.

— I have to stay focused on Flamengo, on improving and maintaining a high level. It’s the biggest competition in the world, and if the opportunity comes, I have to be at my very best to represent the Brazilian national team shirt —, said the defender.

Léo Ortiz played a decisive role in Flamengo’s win over Grêmio. The center back delivered a beautiful long pass to Emerson Royal, who set up Jorge Carrascal to score. With the result, Mengão cut the gap to Brasileirão leaders Palmeiras.

WHAT DID LÉO ORTIZ SAY ABOUT PALMEIRAS?

After the results of the 15th round, Flamengo are four points behind Palmeiras, with a game in hand. The São Paulo side only managed a draw with Remo in Belém. Asked about the battle with Abel Ferreira’s team, Léo Ortiz said he thinks it is too early to ‘focus’ on the opponent’s results.

— A great round for us. We were left with a strange feeling in the previous match after letting the draw happen at the end and missing the chance to move closer to Palmeiras, but now we were fortunate to win and they drew —, commented Léo Ortiz.

— I think it’s too early to be thinking about their results; we have to focus on ours, on winning every game at home or away. Happy with this win here, it’s a difficult place to play, and I’m sure many teams will drop points here —, he concluded.

WHEN IS FLAMENGO’S NEXT MATCH?

Flamengo will try for another win in the Brasileirão on Sunday (17), against Athletico-PR, in Curitiba. Before that, however, the Rubro-Negro side will travel to Salvador to face Vitória in the fifth round of the Copa do Brasil. Kickoff is at 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time) at Barradão.

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