Vasco lose half their 2025 goals, new headache up front | OneFootball

The departures of Pablo Vegetti and Rayan highlight an immediate problem for Vasco: the loss of half of the team's goals scored in 2025. In total, the Cruzmaltino found the net 94 times last season, and 47 of those goals came from the duo.

Vegetti was the team's top scorer of the year with 27 goals, while Rayan ended the season with 20 goals. Together, they accounted for approximately 50% of Vasco's offensive production, a figure that underscores the impact of their departures on the planning for 2026.

After the duo, the players with the most goals for Vasco in 2025 were Philippe Coutinho and Nuno Moreira, both with 11 goals, which reinforces the team's reliance on Vegetti and Rayan to decide matches.

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Vegetti celebrates a goal alongside Rayan in Vasco vs. Cruzeiro — Photo: Alexandre Durão

How the departures impact Vasco's offensive planning

The negotiation of Rayan with Bournemouth, England, and Vegetti's move to Cerro Porteño, Paraguay, significantly alter Vasco's offensive setup for the season. Besides the technical impact, these losses require a reformulation in the playing model and the distribution of responsibilities within the squad.

Internally, Rayan's sale is seen as a milestone in the club's current cycle. Vasco is trying to establish itself as a selling team without sacrificing competitiveness. The influx of financial resources increases the board's bargaining power in the market, helps settle debts, and allows for more ambitious signings within the budgetary reality.

Despite this, Fernando Diniz was straightforward in commenting on the difficulty of finding replacements:

The coach believes that the young player would have room to grow even more in Brazilian football but understands the market movement and the club's need to make the sale.

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Vasco da Gama vs. Flamengo in the Carioca Championship held at Maracanã Stadium on January 21, 2026. Photos: Matheus Lima/Vasco.

Redistribution of protagonism and pressure on the squad

With the departure of Vegetti and Rayan, Vasco not only loses goals but also clear on-field references. Vegetti was the team's central finisher, responsible for sustaining the offensive play in moments of pressure, while Rayan offered depth, speed, and individual imbalance capability. The absence of this duo forces the squad to take on new collective responsibilities.

Players like Philippe Coutinho and Nuno Moreira, who already had a significant role in 2025, are now even more demanded in terms of offensive production. The internal expectation is that the number of goals will be more evenly distributed among the players, reducing the dependence on a single top scorer — something that did not happen last season.

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Vasco da Gama vs. Flamengo in the Carioca Championship held at Maracanã Stadium on January 21, 2026. Photos: Matheus Lima/Vasco.

What options does Vasco have to make up for the loss of goals

To try to minimize the impact of the departures, Vasco has already moved in the market. The club secured the signing of Brenner, who arrives to take on the role of the number 9, as well as winger Marino Hinestroza, a player known for speed and mobility, characteristics valued by Fernando Diniz.

Even so, the board continues to search for another forward for the offensive sector, especially someone who can play on the wings and contribute directly with goals and assists.

In the short term, Diniz has resorted to internal solutions. Against Flamengo, for example, GB was used in Rayan's position. In the second half, after Barros's expulsion, the coach opted to remove the forward and strengthen the midfield with the midfielder Hugo Moura, highlighting the moment of adjustments and tests in the offensive sector.

The coming months will be decisive to understand if Vasco will be able to redistribute the goals within the squad or if it will need to speed up new signings. The performance of Brenner, Hinestroza, and other players monitored by the club is likely to directly impact the results in national competitions and the fans' perception of the new sporting cycle of the Cruzmaltino.

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