Flamengo's Danilo hits back at critics: “No idea where that came from”

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·18 de junho de 2026

Flamengo's Danilo hits back at critics: “No idea where that came from”

See how Danilo’s interview went this Wednesday (17)

People who don’t like Flamengo usually mock Danilo being called up for the World Cup. However, the hero of the club’s fourth Libertadores title came on at halftime against Morocco and improved Brazil’s defensive setup. Asked about his fitness, the Flamengo player assured that he is doing well, even at 34, and fired back at the ‘haters.’

— Ever since my time at Manchester City (ENG), I’ve always said that if you need a fullback to run the flank and provide width all the time, I wouldn’t be the guy. But if you need a player who understands the right moments and closes the spaces, then I’m your man, and very much so —, Danilo began.

Vídeos OneFootball

— But not because of my age or my supposed physical condition — I don’t know where they got that from (laughs) — I’ve always been this kind of player. The Mister is very aware of that, he sets up the strategies well. I took a few chances going forward once or twice, like in the old days —, said the fullback and center back.

SUBSTITUTE OR STARTER?

On the bench for Brazil’s World Cup opener, Danilo came on at halftime against Morocco. After a strong performance, the Flamengo player is expected to be ‘promoted’ to the starting lineup this Friday (19), against Haiti. Asked about the subject, the defender said that the entire squad is equally important.

— The other day I said there was no such thing as starters and substitutes. Maybe I expressed myself badly. Every team has a core group, where there are six or eight players who always play. And five who rotate depending on the strategy. The strategy changes according to the opponent. What happened in the last match (the lineup being announced at the last minute against Morocco) was given exaggerated importance —, he said.

— It’s natural. Today we have a team that is 80% set for Friday. And there are still three or four spots undecided, whether for tactical reasons or because of the coach’s habits (for example). Some choices have no explanation — it’s up to the coach. If the coach tells me I’m going to play today, tomorrow, or an hour before kickoff, my preparation will be the same. Can I say that for everyone? No —, Danilo pointed out.

WHAT ELSE DID DANILO SAY AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE?

Two days before Brazil vs. Haiti, Danilo spoke about other topics. The Flamengo defender commented on Endrick’s current moment, the situation of the Brazilian National Team, and his leadership role within the group. See the player’s other remarks below.

ENDRICK Endrick is a rare gem in Brazilian football. He’s a player with power, a knack for making the difference, a star quality. We want to keep him close; today in training he scored. Yesterday he hit Nannetti (a Flamengo academy goalkeeper) with a shot and almost knocked the kid out of training. That’s exactly what we want to have. We want him to take on as much of a leading role as possible. For me, Casemiro, Neymar… this is our last chance; the National Team will keep going with this younger generation. Whatever we can do to make him feel important, we’ll do. He didn’t come on in the last match because of the Mister’s decision, but he’s a player who will be important. MATCH AGAINST MOROCCO The best way to grow is to face everything clearly. We have to be sure that first half was completely below our capabilities. The lack of a clear identity and the constant changes (at the CBF, of coaches) have an impact on the anxiety (shown in the match). When you have something solid, you hold on to that when things get tough. That’s something we haven’t been able to build. After the match against France, I told everyone we didn’t have the same maturity as they do, or Argentina do. That doesn’t mean we can’t go far. We have to use other mechanisms. Maybe not press so high, give up possession a little, and let the opponent control the game. That is maturity. We have Raphinha, Vini, Endrick, Rayan… When the opening comes, we have people who can score. We’re going to suffer, yes, but when it’s time to put it away, we’ll put the ball in the net and defend the result with our lives. LEADER OR RUNNER-UP It makes a difference because when you’re in a group with three opponents, you want to beat them and be the best. That’s our goal. There are also logistical issues, shorter trips. This is my opinion, but I think the whole group feels the same. If we have to go through in second place but still have a happy ending, so be it. Better to strengthen our connection and keep improving… Then the opponents and logistics take a back seat. COMPARISON WITH OTHER NATIONAL TEAMS The other national teams have improved a lot. The way players are developed and teams are built has evolved in such a way that everyone has become more equal, whether national teams or clubs. The gap between winning, drawing, and losing is very small. Brazil will always be in the front row — unless we become very amateurish in the way we manage players — because so many talented players are born here every day. We have a lot of quality. Brazil hasn’t dropped to a lower level. I didn’t build that legacy; there are many people before me who deserve respect. We have to honor that. We have to have the spirit of sacrifice to put another star on the shirt. CRITICISM OF THE CBF I’ve always been very critical of disorganization. I’ve had a few discussions with Rodrigo Caetano. I have to acknowledge that the work done by the people who took over the CBF has brought greater peace of mind regarding things players shouldn’t have to deal with. Today there is planning and organization that is among the best I’ve seen here. It will bring benefits in the short term, in this World Cup, and in the medium and long term it will help create identity with the players coming through the youth ranks. I truly believe we’ll have a good World Cup, but this direction will bear fruit in the medium term. We just need the resilience to trust the process, which is not always easy. EXPECTATION VS. FRUSTRATION It was alarming (the first half). Internally, there were high expectations of putting in a great performance, dominating, pressing all the time. When the opposite happens, with the opponent creating several chances, it’s not easy to manage. While I was on the bench, my role was to offer a counterbalance. To find some equilibrium. We weren’t going to go from taking punch after punch straight into attack — balance had to come first. We were unbalanced tactically and emotionally. The first thing was to bring that calm into the locker room. Often, running less doesn’t mean less commitment, but more composure. The second half wasn’t exceptional, but we were calmer. It’s normal for there to be more confidence. We talked a lot, maybe even too much. Confidence was very high, but we always spoke in a constructive way. In the end, what counts is the result. If we play well, the chances of winning are always high. FAMILY It’s important to find balance and get away from the tension of the match, the preparation, and training. The usual routine is to work and then go home. To ease that here, we stay together at the hotel, in the game room, and we often meet in physiotherapy for treatment. We try to lighten things up so things on the field go better. Everyone likes different things. I’m more into video games, others like cards — there’s a lot of pent-up energy. Obviously experience matters, but at a World Cup everyone’s emotions are running high. The anxiety is always there. Family is very important, it’s the foundation for every human being, but not even they know the weight of representing the National Team at a World Cup, and you can’t overdo it. Even for our families it feels like a celebration. The celebration only comes when you win the match; before that, it’s all preparation.

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