December 1 – Flamengo became the first Brazilian club to win the Copa Libertadores four times after defeating Palmeiras 1-0.
It was Danilo, the former Real Madrid and Real Madrid defender, who delivered the winner for the Rio club with a 67th-minute header after the showpiece match, dubbed the final of the century, had descended into a war attrition with both sides prioritising a result over playing entertaining football.
With two minutes left on the clock, striker Vitor Roque had the opportunity to equalise but he blasted his attempt over from close range.
In the first half, neither side had an attempt on target and Edgar Pulgar was fortunate not to be dismissed for planting his studs on an opponent.
The final in Lima was hardly an advert for South American football, but Flamengo took revenge for the lost 2021 final against Palmeiras. The two clubs have won five of the last seven Libertadores finals, cementing their – and Brazil’s – dominance of the competition.
The Peruvian capital once again proved fertile ground for Flamengo. In 2019, they defeated River Plate 2-1 in the final at the Monumental Stadium to win their first Copa Libertadores since 1981. The victory wrapped up a perfect year for the club under Portuguese manager Jorge Jesus and kickstarted Flamengo’s recent rise.
As winning finalists, Flamengo will receive $24 million, bringing their total prize money from the campaign to 178 million Brazilian reais ($27.6 million).
Flamengo will represent South America in the intercontinental cup, taking on Cruz Azul of Mexico in the quarterfinals. The winner will meet Pyramids of Egypt in the semis and European champions Paris Saint-Germain await in the final. Flamengo also booked their spot in the 2029 Club World Cup. Earlier this summer, at the maiden edition of FIFA’s revamped 32-team tournament, Flamengo defeated Chelsea in the group stages but fell to Bayern Munich in the second round.
The new South American champions can win the double. They top the Brazilian league table by five points ahead of Palmeiras with two rounds of matches left.
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