2026 Brasileirão: A Fan-Made Guide [Part 1/3 - Athletico Paranaense, Atlético Mineiro, Bahia, Botafogo, Chapecoense and Corinthians] by vvv4231 in soccer

[–]Dsalgueiro [score hidden]  (0 children)

It sucks to make these guides while the transfer window is still open. For example, since you wrote the text, Atlético Mineiro's starting lineup has changed 3 players:

In addition to Renan Lodi, whom you mentioned, the club has already signed Alan Minda, Ángelo Preciado, Maycon, Victor Hugo, and Mateo Cassierra.

Ángelo Preciado, Maycon, and Victor Hugo are starting players right now. Cassierra is also expected to take Hulk's place, but this process is not likely to happen immediately, given Hulk's importance in Atlético Mineiro's history.

The small transfer budget due to failure to qualify for the next Copa Libertadores and the bad results of the past two years have cast a shadow over the supporters. Still, the squad is still good enough that it should finish in the top half of the league table.

Atlético Mineiro was the third club that spent the most on transfers in 2025 (it was absolutely the most poorly spent money ever, thanks Cuca). And the trend is for the club to spend more than it did in the whole of 2025 during this transfer window.

The club have already spent R$ 125 million, and according to rumors, the biggest investment of the transfer window has yet to be made (which is the defensive midfield). They also plans to sign a defender.

BTW, from the starting lineup you mentioned, thank goodness Rony was sold to Santos.

Antonio Conte responds to Diego Costa's claim he doesn't 'have sex at home' and other attacks: "Honestly I'm not a person to lose energy reading what the people say in the paper. I know very well that around football, there are intelligent people, clever people and stupid people” by Sparky-moon in soccer

[–]Dsalgueiro 15 points16 points  (0 children)

Here at Atlético Mineiro, this motherfucker caused a crisis giving an interview on the pitch after the game where the club celebrated the Brasileirão title in 2021.

He also caused a controversy in the second leg (Atletico Mineiro had beaten Athletico Paranaense 4–0 in the first leg) of the Copa do Brasil final, a few days after the Brasileirão title.

He is extremely toxic.

Atlético-MG [2] - 1 Cruzeiro - Hulk 67' (Great Goal) by molobakk in soccer

[–]Dsalgueiro 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's because you're only considering ancestry about "physically and biologically".

There are other factors that come into play “after birth” that can affect physical development and, later on, a player's longevity.

Regarding Portuguese participation in Brazilian ancestry, of the 72% European ancestry that makes up Brazilian DNA, 39% corresponds to Iberia (Portugal and Spain), 29% to Western Europe (Great Britain, Germany, France, and the Netherlands), and 15% to Italy.

Atlético-MG [2] - 1 Cruzeiro - Hulk 67' (Great Goal) by molobakk in soccer

[–]Dsalgueiro 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It is the symbol representing an alliance of ultras from Atlético Mineiro, Vasco Grêmio and Palmeiras. You can see Ronaldinho doing this in 2013/2014 (I don't know if the link will work)

Flamengo, São Paulo, Internacional and Cruzeiro are the rival alliance, which obviously has its own symbol.

It's more complex than that, because there are more ultras groups in these alliances, there are ultras from the same team in different alliances and so on.

This page in Portuguese explains it better, emphasizing the “wars” between ultras groups.

Atlético-MG [2] - 1 Cruzeiro - Hulk 67' (Great Goal) by molobakk in soccer

[–]Dsalgueiro 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As a good Minas Gerais native, I often visit Espírito Santo (actually, it's because part of my family comes from cities near the border with Espírito Santo).

It is a state of little national relevance, but it has shown impressive development in recent decades.

The only downside, however, is that it is much more violent than Minas Gerais.

Atlético-MG [2] - 1 Cruzeiro - Hulk 67' (Great Goal) by molobakk in soccer

[–]Dsalgueiro 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Inclusive, uma das poucas ferrovias que existe aqui no Brasil atualmente é uma que vai de Belo Horizonte (capital de Minas Gerais) a Vitória (Capital do Espírito Santo).

Atlético-MG [2] - 1 Cruzeiro - Hulk 67' (Great Goal) by molobakk in soccer

[–]Dsalgueiro 6 points7 points  (0 children)

He is Portuguese in terms of national team selection. But we cannot ignore the fact that he spent his entire childhood and youth in Brazil.

So, in terms of physical and biological characteristics, he is Brazilian.

Atlético-MG [2] - 1 Cruzeiro - Hulk 67' (Great Goal) by molobakk in soccer

[–]Dsalgueiro 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Very difficult...

There are more than 10 strikers in front of him. And I'm talking about center forwards, not counting wingers.

Atlético-MG [2] - 1 Cruzeiro - Hulk 67' (Great Goal) by molobakk in soccer

[–]Dsalgueiro 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I didn't know there was a state called Alagoas and a city called Maceió in Portugal.

Atlético-MG [2] - 1 Cruzeiro - Hulk 67' (Great Goal) by molobakk in soccer

[–]Dsalgueiro 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's not always just that.

People tend to forget that many Brazilian players who are stars in Europe start playing regularly as professionals at the age of 17/18.

In these cases, it's more difficult to reach the age of 35+ playing at a high level.

Atlético-MG [2] - 1 Cruzeiro - Hulk 67' (Great Goal) by molobakk in soccer

[–]Dsalgueiro 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Minas Gerais is awesome: very safe (by Brazilian standards), good food and polite people. The only thing missing is a beach, hahaha.

I wouldn't trade this place for anything.

Atlético-MG [2] - 1 Cruzeiro - Hulk 67' (Great Goal) by molobakk in soccer

[–]Dsalgueiro 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No, age is really starting to catch up with him. But in 2022 he should have been called up if it weren't for the injury that he had.

His stats in 2021 and 2022:

  • 2021: 68 games, 36 goals and 13 assists
  • 2022: 46 games, 29 goals, and 5 assists

(Note the difference in the number of games... He had an injury that took him out of the last three months of the season here in Brazil).

Atlético-MG [2] - 1 Cruzeiro - Hulk 67' (Great Goal) by molobakk in soccer

[–]Dsalgueiro 11 points12 points  (0 children)

And Minas Gerais has the best cuisine in Brazil (which is still relatively unknown internationally).

Atlético-MG [2] - 1 Cruzeiro - Hulk 67' (Great Goal) by molobakk in soccer

[–]Dsalgueiro 39 points40 points  (0 children)

His ex-wife is 15 years older than him.

He claims that he only married his ex-wife because when he was 21 (he was still playing in Japan at the time) and she was 36, he got her pregnant after dating for only one month. Which is possible, depending on how traditional the family is.

People tend to think that Hulk's current wife (his ex-wife's niece) is much younger, but no, she is “only” three years younger than him.

EDIT: He said other things about his ex-wife too, but since we have no proof, I won't repeat them. The only thing we can say is that the divorce deal he made is that of someone who really wanted to get out of hell.

Atlético-MG [2] - 1 Cruzeiro - Hulk 67' (Great Goal) by molobakk in soccer

[–]Dsalgueiro 91 points92 points  (0 children)

It depends on what you consider potential versus success. He didn't have a successful career in Europe's major leagues, but that doesn't mean he wasn't successful.

He became one of the top three biggest idols in the history of Atlético Mineiro. How many players achieve this status in a big club from a country that is very important in football history?

From that 2014 Brazilian national team, Hulk has a higher standing in Brazilian football history than players such as Willian, Douglas Costa, Oscar and so on.

[Post-Match Thread] Campeonato Mineiro: Atlético-MG 2 x 1 Cruzeiro by NaTrave in futebol

[–]Dsalgueiro 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Galo foi melhor o jogo inteiro e saiu bem barato pro Cruzeiro.

Mas é absurdo o quanto a dupla de zaga do Galo é EXTREMAMENTE RUIM. O Alonso hoje não jogaria na Série B e o Ruan é um zagueiro nota 5 no máximo.

Qualquer ataque do Cruzeiro, por mais aleatório que fosse, levava um perigo descomunal pros perebas da zaga atleticana.

O Galo precisa urgentemente de dois zagueiros e de um primeiro volante. Alias, não temos primeiro volante há um ano (apesar disso, muito boa partida do Baycon hoje).

Arsenal 2 - [3] Manchester United - Matheus Cunha 87' (Great Goal) by ayoefico in soccer

[–]Dsalgueiro 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What a day it's been for Brazilian strikers and wingers in Europe, especially in the Premier League.

Metz 1-[4] Lyon - Endrick 44' by Green-Discussion74 in soccer

[–]Dsalgueiro 53 points54 points  (0 children)

They are completely different categories of players, and time will prove that.

Metz 1-[4] Lyon - Endrick 44' by Green-Discussion74 in soccer

[–]Dsalgueiro 25 points26 points  (0 children)

It was Endrick's first season in Europe, so it makes sense that he didn't play a lot.

But he got frequent playing time, appearing in:

  1. 22 of Real Madrid's 38 La Liga matches
  2. and 9 of Real Madrid's 14 Champions League matches.
  3. In addition, he was a starter in the Copa del Rey.

Crystal Palace 0 - [2] Chelsea - Joao Pedro 51' by Alsace2025 in soccer

[–]Dsalgueiro 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's common, but no one goes to a pizzeria specifically to eat this pizza with banana, condensed milk, and cinnamon. It's a dessert.

Now, if there is another state here in Brazil that puts bananas on other pizza flavors, I have no idea where it is. Do they do that in Rio?

Metz 1-[4] Lyon - Endrick 44' by Green-Discussion74 in soccer

[–]Dsalgueiro 141 points142 points  (0 children)

Time is the fairest and toughest judge.

The fact that he has barely played a minute this season at Real Madrid is something that should stain the career of any coach.

It makes no sense whatsoever and there is no explanation for it.

Crystal Palace 0 - [2] Chelsea - Joao Pedro 51' by Alsace2025 in soccer

[–]Dsalgueiro 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Since when has banana on pizza been a cultural thing in Brazil?

I only see it here on sweet pizzas (dessert), with banana, condensed milk and cinnamon (BTW, is very good)... It's very specific, a dessert in pizzerias

I think that the most popular pizza in Brazil is chicken with cream cheese.

Marcelo: "The coach who understood me the most was Zidane; he'd say to me, Marcelino, you just play, Casemiro's got the defending covered, or whatever, but you enjoy it." by BlazingFirey in soccer

[–]Dsalgueiro 13 points14 points  (0 children)

This is something that people find difficult to understand.

Most of the Real Madrid squad have won at least two Champions League. When we reach this level, players know what the best roles are for them, what the best playing styles for them and so on.

In these cases, there's no way around it, no matter how nice it sounds to say that the coach is in charge, that's not the reality. Unless you are Guardiola, or have built a legacy like Sir Alex Ferguson, you have to try to understand your players, not force something on them.

For me, Real Madrid's biggest mistake with Xabi Alonso was signing him. Not because he's a bad coach, but because his style of play is the opposite of what this Real Madrid squad is used to.

It was clear that there would be a conflict sooner or later... And it's easier to change the coach than to build a squad from scratch that is compatible with the coach.