“I won’t play there”: André Lima on Flamengo snub and rejected bid | OneFootball

Flamengo was coached by Vanderlei Luxemburgo in 2014

Flamengo’s current reality makes it almost impossible to believe that former striker André Lima almost played for the Rubro-Negro. However, the Grêmio idol said he would not wear the Sacred Jersey because he supports one of Rio’s rival clubs.

— I’m a Botafogo fan, I’ve never denied it. I used to go to the Maracanã, in the cheap seats. I played for Botafogo, Vasco and Fluminense; I didn’t play for Flamengo because I didn’t want to — said the former player, who added:

— When ‘pofexô’ (Vanderlei Luxemburgo) was at Flamengo, they took Elton. Vanderlei wanted to take me there. I said: ‘I’m not playing there.’ Same thing with Internacional — the Grêmio idol told journalist Duda Garbi’s podcast.

Is the story true?

Unlike what André Lima said, the outlet Extra reported at the time that the player had actually been offered to the Most Beloved. That was because the striker was at BJ Guoan (CHN), hoping to return to Brazilian football.

What was Flamengo like in 2014?

Luxemburgo took over the Most Beloved while the team was in the Brasileirão 2014 relegation zone. After all, his predecessor Ney Franco had gone seven matches without a win, but the ‘Pofexô’-led side finished the campaign in tenth place.

Where did André Lima transfer to?

The Chinese club loaned the former striker to Vitória, where he played in only one match. Then Criciúma even announced him as a signing, but the Santa Catarina club’s board backed out soon after. Still in 2014, Coritiba did the same, and the player ended up being dropped even after training with Coxa.

In 2015, the former center-forward was even without a club until Avaí signed him. At his new team, André racked up controversies, such as secretly using a cellphone hidden in his shin guard to watch a match that mattered to the club.

What is the author’s opinion of André Lima?

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