Star. Every player who wears the Flamengo jersey, besides talent and grit, must possess a kind of celestial predisposition. He must be part of a select group of those chosen to wear the jersey of Brazil's Most Beloved. Young midfielder Fernando, who arrived at Gávea seeking to shed his image as "Carlos Alberto's brother," has already proven himself to be a shining star upon his debut with the Sacred Mantle.

"It's Fernando's time, my time has come. I was already doing a good job and now I'm at Flamengo. I came in a bit suffocated and even played as a defender (after Álvaro was sent off), but I think I made the most of it. I respect all the players, but my goal is to play," he said.

Fernando started his first season on the right foot. Or rather, diving headfirst into his luck, winning over the red-and-black fans. In the 40th minute of the second half, Flamengo tied the match with Duque de Caxias, and still had a man down. But, as usual, the team from Gávea didn't give up. The midfielder, who had already shown his star power when he came on early in the first half to replace the injured Willians, stood out for his strong marking performance, but there was still a surprise in store for him and the nation.

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A well-placed header gave him his first goal for Flamengo and its first victory in the competition. Even so, the player is humble and isn't yet certain he'll stay in the starting lineup.

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"I joked with Mezenga that I had imagined he would score the goal. I was caught off guard by Willians' injury and I made the most of the opportunity. We had to chase after they scored, and that's exhausting. We applied pressure and managed to turn the game around. Then we lost Álvaro and they equalized. I was happy to score the winning goal. I dedicate it to my wife," he added.