There is no shortage of historical figures and idols during Flamengo’s 130 years. Only two of them have lifted 15 trophies in the red and black jersey.
Giorgian De Arrascaeta and Bruno Henrique will be looking for 16th place on Saturday (29), at the Monumental Stadium in Lima. What’s more, they are working to become the first to lift the Copa Libertadores three times as athletes from the same Brazilian club.
They are the only ones remaining on the pitch from continental victories in 2019 and 2022, with coach Filipe Luis and assistant Rodrigo Caio, now former players, sitting on the bench. And they have the opportunity to expand their enormous importance in red and black history.
They both arrived at the club in 2019, a year in which a historic run of achievements began. Since then, in addition to the aforementioned Libertadores, the Red and Black have won the Carioca Championship five times, the Brazilian Championship twice, the Copa do Brasil twice, the Brazilian Super Cup three times, and the Recopa Sul Americana once.
The list still does not include this year’s Brazilian championship, which is practically guaranteed. With two rounds to go, the team has a five-point lead over second place, and according to mathematician Tristao Garcia, the chance of lifting the cup is 97%.
Only Arrascaeta and Bruno Henrique have experienced this entire sequence on the pitch. They continue, each in their own way, to play an important role in the team.
The 31-year-old Uruguayan remains the team’s great technical reference and wears the captain’s belt. A midfielder with precise steps who likes to appear in the penalty area, he is having his best season as a goalscorer. He scored 23 goals and distributed 17 assists in 59 matches with Flamengo.
“You know a lot about Arrascaeta, who comes on the field, takes the ball and makes his move. It’s very difficult to find a guy who always provides more than ten assists and ten goals every season,” said Filipe Luis.
“But I see another Arrascaeta. He has silent leadership, very strong in the dressing room. He is not a leader only because of his seniority, he is a leader because he speaks. He is the first to do it, the first to train, and he pushes his teammates to do it as well. He is one of the most ambitious players I have been with here at Flamengo. It is no coincidence that he is living this moment, perhaps the best in his career,” added the coach.
Bruno Henrique’s style is different, and 2025 was different too. The 34-year-old striker from Minas Gerais doesn’t have bad numbers – 15 goals and two assists in 56 matches – but he has had technical ups and downs while dealing with proceedings linked to accusations of participating in an illegal betting scheme.
He was punished with a 12-match ban in a preliminary trial at the STJD (Supreme Court of Justice for Sport). However, Flamengo managed to freeze the punishment until the final ruling, in which the athlete received only a fine.
Bruno Henrique remains accused in public justice. Investigations showed that he shared information with bettors about the yellow card he would receive in the 2023 match in Brasilia. He denies this, but the court accepted the complaint submitted by the Public Ministry in the Federal District.
While waiting for the next steps of the process, the attacker plays. He is currently experiencing his best phase of the season: after 12 matches without scoring, he has scored six goals in the last six matches. He will be a reserve for most of the year, and will likely start in the Libertadores final, against Palmeiras, due to Pedro’s injury.
Filipe Luis said: “I have always believed in him. Often times, a player’s stages raise doubts among the fans, in the press, but I have never stopped believing. He is a decisive and historic player. He is in a great physical and mental moment and reaches perhaps his best moment in the Grand Final.”
The coach talks about Arrascaeta and Bruno Henrique more than they talk about themselves. The Uruguayan “silent leader” prefers secret statements. The Brazilian is not accustomed to giving interviews, although he has one foot that has remained in the popular imagination.
Still in his first year in Rio de Janeiro, he said after a match against Vasco that Flamengo was “on another level” compared to their arch rivals. The pronunciation gave rise to jokes, memes and a legal dispute over the use of the Oto Patamá trademark.
In “oto patamá” he and Arrascaeta are in red and black history. This level may rise on Saturday in Lima.