Flamengo won its fourth Copa Libertadores title by defeating Palmeiras 1-0 in the final played at the Monumental Stadium in Lima, Peru.
Defender Danilo, former Real Madrid and Juventus player, defined the match in the 67th minute with a header after a corner kick taken by Giorgian de Arrascaeta.
“I scored the goal with the team of my life,” said the defender, who arrived at the club this year after a long career in Europe.
Danilo achieved a historic record by becoming two-time champion of the Libertadores and the Champions League, after his successes with Santos and Real Madrid.
With this victory, the Rio team added its coronations in 1981, 2019 and 2022, and became the first Brazilian team to win four times in the continental competition.
The victory ensured the seventh consecutive consecration for Brazilian teams, which reached 25 titles and equaled the number achieved by Argentine teams.
Fla equaled the marks of River Plate and Estudiantes de La Plata and was behind Independiente (7), Boca Juniors (6) and Peñarol (5). In addition, he obtained a prize of 24 million dollars, his qualification for the 2029 Club World Cup and the right to compete in the Cup Winners’ Cup against Lanús, champion of the Copa Sudamericana. Verdao received 7 million dollars.
At the end of the match, the Uruguayan De Arrascaeta highlighted the team’s performance and celebrated his third victory of the competition together with Bruno Henrique.
“I’m very happy, we deserved to win for everything we did,” he said.
Regarding the difference between the Copa Libertadores and the Champions League, Jorginho, a nationalized Italian midfielder and member of Chelsea, champion of the “Champions” in 2021, stated that: “They are all very difficult. This one has been very difficult.”
A club legend
Filipe Luis, coach of Flamengo, won his first international title as a coach after just one year in charge.
The Flamengo coach applauded the “individual and collective efforts” of his team to win the 2025 Copa Libertadores.
“I always thought big and today Flamengo provides that possibility for me and the players. I am very grateful,” he said.
“It’s a very special moment for me. It means a lot because there are many hours of work and at the end of the day, a coach is judged by the results,” he said after the game.
The former Chelsea and Atlético de Madrid player began his coaching career in January of last year in the youth categories (U-17 and U-20) of Mengao.
He retired with this same team with which he won two leagues (2019 and 2020), a Cup (2022) and two Super Cups (2020 and 2021), in addition to a pair of Copa Libertadores (2019 and 2022) and the Recopa Sudamericana in 2020.
He will be a dangerous rival
Flamengo will face Cruz Azul, next December 10, in the “Derby of the Americas”, which will be played in the 2025 Intercontinental Cup, in Qatar.— AP