Jean arrived, donned the number 26 jersey, kissed the Flamengo crest, and declared, "This one's worth kissing." In other words, he got off to a good start wearing the jersey. At 30 years old, the defender traded the cold of Russia for the heat of Rio de Janeiro, dreaming of establishing himself as a starter at the club. Despite the long period of inactivity, he says he's ready to take on the responsibility of the Flamengo defense.

Jean's last game was while still wearing a Corinthians jersey, against Barueri last year. He then transferred to FC Moscow in Russia and suffered a sprain, which meant he wasn't able to play a series of games. However, Flamengo's new number 26 assures he's prepared for the challenges ahead, as his preseason with the Russians helped him.

"We did a preseason in January, in Russia. Until mid-March, when the Moscow president decided to disband the team, I trained with the team. After that, I did some work here in Brazil. I'm not at the same level as the other players, but I'll have time to recover during this offseason," said Jean, who believes he'll be ready to play against Botafogo.

Well received by the group, he dreams of a starting spot and believes that working with a coach who has already played in his position, as a defender, can have a positive influence on his football.

"The group is very welcoming, and I think the adaptation will be quick. Every player who arrives wants to be a starter, especially at the biggest club in Brazil. I want to earn my place and the coach. This is the first time I've worked with a coach who was a defender, and I believe this connection will be important," he added.

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Check out a little more about Jean's career at Flapedia.