Flamengo players celebrate record win
Flamengo etched their name into South American football history on Saturday, becoming the first Brazilian club to win the Copa Libertadores four times after a hard-fought victory over rivals Palmeiras.
The breakthrough came in the 67th minute when former Real Madrid and Manchester City defender Danilo powered a header into the bottom corner from a Giorgian de Arrascaeta corner, sending Filipe Luis’ side into wild celebration.
Palmeiras came agonisingly close to drawing level late on. With just two minutes left in regulation time, forward Victor Roque squandered a golden chance, firing over the bar from close range when it seemed easier to score.
Flamengo nearly wrapped up the contest in stoppage time, but Everton’s low free-kick was pushed onto the post by Palmeiras goalkeeper Carlos Miguel, keeping the champions on edge until the final whistle.
The triumph reinforces the modern dominance of both clubs in the competition; five of the last seven Libertadores titles have been won by either Flamengo or Palmeiras.
The win also places Flamengo coach Filipe Luis in elite company—he becomes the ninth person to lift the trophy both as a player and as a coach, having previously won it twice with the club in 2019 and 2022.
Despite the historic outcome, the match began cautiously. A cagey first half produced no shots on target, though controversy briefly flared in the 30th minute when Flamengo midfielder Erick Pulgar escaped a potential straight red card for a studs-up challenge on Bruno Fuchs.
The fixture added another tense chapter to the teams’ growing rivalry; Palmeiras had triumphed 2-1 the last time they met in a Libertadores final, back in 2021.