The results of Fluminense, Botafogo and Vasco

Much has already been said about the champion Flamengo, so it is worth observing how the other three Rio come out of the dispute with different feelings: Fluminense and Botafogo occupied the group of the first seven and will participate in the next Libertadores; Vasco had another difficult year and finished just two points above the relegation zone.

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There’s still a Copa do Brasil semi-final on the horizon for Fluminense at the end of the year, but there’s no doubt that, Flamengo aside, the Tricolor’s best performance in Rio is this season. Of course, it is possible to criticize the choices of the coach, the shortcomings such as that of the team at the center forward position and certain market actions. But after a very bad year 2024, the current season is another in which Fluminense has a sporting result significantly higher than its level of investment.

Rio’s runner-up behind Flamengo is something natural in football’s current economic order. But this year 2025 had an unforgettable journey in the Club World Cup and, in the Brazilian Championship, the guaranteed fifth place in the victory against Bahia was obtained by a team that has a lower investment than the four who were above it in the table — and also than that of the competitors who were behind, like Botafogo.

The other good news is that the last part of the season brings the team the best performance of the year. Acosta’s adaptation to midfield allows the team to be less dependent on scenarios in which the opponent gives him spaces to counterattack. In addition, Martinelli is going through an excellent period, and the tricolor is once again able to put more pressure on its opponents. Zubeldía’s work is good.

As for Botafogo, the stakes go beyond sixth place. It is a fact that the black and white team spent much more on the market than Fluminense and Mirassol, the biggest surprise in the history of racing points. But the great disappointment of the season was to see the team never emerge as a candidate for the feat. No investment guarantees victory, but the 16 points that separate Botafogo from the Brazilian champions do not correspond to the cost of their football. They are more part of the planning which delayed the actual start of the season, the constitution of the squad and the successive arrivals and departures of players.

Regardless, Davide Ancelotti’s team finished the year in full growth, especially in the offensive part, with a great contribution from the return of Montoro. The biggest reinforcement for 2026, besides a center forward who offers more guarantees, is perhaps a little stability.

As for Vasco, it is curious that 2026 can still end in euphoria with the title of the Copa do Brasil and the direct place with the Libertadores. But this is not the current prediction: the team will not enter the semi-finals with Fluminense as favorites. After a period of good results, the home stretch saw seven defeats in eight games, with many defensively shaky performances and fewer offensive resources than expected from Fernando Diniz’s side. In an economically fragile Vasco, currently in receivership, the mid-year window has met defensive needs, but reality is still slowing an increase in thefts. The defeat in Belo Horizonte, even with a reserve team, leaves a very bad image.

Different performances and one thing in common: directions which could be significantly transformed in 2026. Fluminense can create its SAF, Vasco needs to find a buyer and Botafogo is experiencing the uncertainty of a shareholder conflict. Performance on the field also happens behind the scenes.

There is a dose of cruelty in the relegation of Ceará and especially Fortaleza. The most important thing is that the fall is due to the salvation of Internacional, target of frequent accusations from clubs for non-payment of signings and pivot of actions to delay the execution of these debts. When a club with exemplary management like Tricolor Ceará falls and Colorado is saved, it becomes clear that financial fair play will arrive late in Brazilian football.

Speaking of the economic scenario, the Brasileirão concentrated the points at the top of the ranking. Flamengo and Palmeiras, owners of the highest revenues, were joined by Cruzeiro this year, with high investments from their owner. The trio’s 225 points are the second-best top-three performance in the competition’s history with 38 rounds, behind only 2019. Palmeiras, with 76 points, broke the record for a runner-up.