Adriano, Bruno, Andrade, Álvaro, Maldonado... there are several candidates for the title of biggest name in Flamengo's Brazilian Championship triumph this year. All of them played a significant role in the sixth title, but there's no denying that the greatest symbol of this title is Dejan Petkovic. The foreigner's trajectory this year is intertwined with that of the team. He arrived at the club in May, much like Flamengo itself, at the start of the Brazilian Championship, and then, over time, with Andrade taking over, he blossomed, demonstrating the style of football that made him famous at the beginning of the decade, and led the club to its sixth national title in history.

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Having provided the assist for the title-winning goal, scored by defender Ronaldo Angelim, Petkovic was grateful for the trust he received from the group. Upon his return to the club, the midfielder was heavily criticized for being at the end of his career.

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"This year was wonderful for me, unforgettable. I just want to thank everyone. I received so many honors this year, so much joy. I can't forget it. It was a wonderful group. They say I arrived and lifted this group up, but that's not true. It was this group that lifted me up. I was lucky to be part of this group, to be a leader. I just want to thank them for everything they did for me," said Pet.

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It's hard to avoid comparisons between 2009 and 1992. The title campaigns were very similar and, if 17 years ago, Rubro-Negro had the experienced maestro Junior, this time, that role fell to the foreigner Pet.

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"I'm happy that they've now compared me to Júnior, who led the team to the title in 1992. I'm old in age, but I'm young in spirit. Everything that happened to me at Flamengo was wonderful," celebrated the number 43, who dedicated the title to the red-and-black fans. "These fans are wonderful, incredible. What a celebration it was. They deserve this title so much. I'll never forget what I saw here at Maracanã."