Flamengo bets big on a Spanish gamble | OneFootball

Saúl Ñíguez has become the 18th European to sign for Flamengo, marking the club’s first acquisition from the continent in six years, according to Globo. The Spanish midfielder landed in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday evening, meeting fans and posing with club banners at Galeão International Airport. His three-year contract, finalized last Sunday, was followed by medicals and his official introduction on Wednesday. Saúl completed his first training session with the squad this Friday but is yet to be assigned a debut date.

In his opening days, Saúl quickly made his presence known on social media, engaging with Flamengo supporters and sharing glimpses into his Rio experience. Lance reports that his posts—ranging from sampling pão de queijo to simply greeting the city—drew immediate attention from fans. Some cautioned the new arrival to be mindful with online comments, particularly during tough spella for the team.

Flamengo’s history with European players extends over a century, beginning in 1913 with Italian Del Nero, who made only two appearances. Early European imports had mixed results; English striker Welfare impressed in a brief stint, notching seven goals in five games during the 1915–16 period, while Portuguese defender Carlos Alves became the first European to win titles with the club, playing 130 matches and lifting the Torneio Extra in 1934 and the Torneio Aberto in 1936.

The club’s squads of the 1930s and 1940s featured a succession of European names, such as German Fritz Engel, who scored 22 goals in 74 matches and played a role in introducing Hungarian coach Dori Kürschner, credited with revolutionizing Flamengo’s tactics. Not all European arrivals made an impact; several — including Spanish midfielder Ruiz and Czech goalkeeper Peter Timko — played only a handful of matches.

A turning point came in 1961 with José Ufarte, nicknamed “Espanhol,” who earned plaudits during his 106-game stint, helping secure the 1963 state title as a key playmaker. However, many others, like Swedish internationals Ahlbergh and Rimbo, had short-lived stays.

The most prominent European figure to pull on Flamengo’s shirt remains Serbian midfielder Dejan Petkovic. Arriving in 2000, Petkovic totaled 121 games and 43 goals across two spells, famously clinching the 2001 Campeonato Carioca with a late free-kick in the final. His return in 2009 helped propel Flamengo to a crucial national championship.

More recently, Spanish defender Pablo Marí, signed at Jorge Jesus’s request in 2019, exceeded expectations, playing a pivotal role in Flamengo’s Brasileirao and Libertadores triumphs before moving on. Players like Andreas Pereira and Jorginho, while holding European passports, do not enter the club’s record of Europeans, as both were born in Brazil.

Saúl Ñíguez enters a lineage of mixed fortunes. While some Europeans—like Petkovic and Pablo Marí—became cult heroes, many others left little mark. Flamengo’s latest European signing arrives amid high anticipation and rigorous scrutiny, both on the pitch and online.