Player worries about lack of opportunities due to World Cup call-up

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Three days after celebrating the Brazilian title with Flamengo, Fierro returned home and was surprised by an Emperor-style reception. The player watched the Chilean Championship final between his former club Colo-Colo and Universidad Católica.

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"The fans greeted me with a song similar to the one the red-and-blacks sang for Adriano. They asked me to come back. I was thrilled. I spent 15 years of my life there," he declared.

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Of the entire red-and-black squad, the foreigner is the only one who can boast that he actually has six national titles. Five with Colo-Colo and one with Rubro-Negro.

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"I won the Chilean Championship in 2002 and then four consecutive times. And at Flamengo, it was different. This generated a lot of talk in Chile. Especially because I'm the fourth Chilean to win the Brazilian Championship. Before that, only Tapia (Santos), Figueroa (Inter), and Maldonado (Cruzeiro and Flamengo) had won it," he said.

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Hired in the second half of 2008, Fierro struggled during his first few months at Gávea. He had few opportunities under Caio Júnior, who requested his signing, and was no longer considered for selection under Cuca.

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Due to his inactivity, he lost his spot on the Chilean national team. When Andrade took over, things improved. He didn't become a starter, but he received more opportunities. To the point that Andrade mentioned him on the very first day of preseason.

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- Fierro is a player I can trust. Whenever he comes on, he gets the job done.

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Check out four questions for the Chilean:

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GLOBOESPORTE.COM: Did you ever think about leaving Flamengo?
Yes, I thought about it a lot. I was going through a difficult time, not playing. A few possibilities arose, like returning to Colo-Colo, and I was close to leaving. But when Andrade arrived, things improved, and I gained confidence.

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But doesn't the affection from the Colo-Colo fans, who asked you to come back, move you?
It's hard to come back now, despite all the support from the fans. But this is a World Cup year, and I need to play. If I keep playing the way I have, it will be difficult to get called up. But I don't want to think about that right now.

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In Chile, you were nicknamed "the gunslinger" because of your accuracy with mid- and long-range shots. However, at Flamengo, that characteristic has disappeared. Is it time to let go?
I hope so. It's all about confidence. At Colo-Colo, I played on the right, and every time I shot, it was either a goal or a goal threat. I know I have that quality.

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Do you think your quiet, more reserved personality may have hindered you during your years at Flamengo?
No, I've always been a laid-back guy. Even without opportunities, I'll never cause trouble or disrupt the work environment.