Flamengo v Palmeiras: How South America’s Biggest Game Took Over a Continent

Why Flamengo v Palmeiras Became the Clash That Defines an Era

When this year’s Copa Libertadores kicked off, the big question floating around South America was simple enough: could anyone finally stop the Brazilian takeover?
Months later, the answer is a loud, definitive no. Once again, the continent’s most prized club trophy will be draped in yellow, green and blue—because the final is yet another all-Brazilian showdown. And not just any showdown. It’s the modern rivalry, Flamengo v Palmeiras, meeting again on the biggest stage, this time in Lima on Saturday night.

You can feel the weight of history already. The winner will become the first Brazilian club to lift four Libertadores titles, and all of their recent successes have come in this era of Brazilian supremacy. Before 2019, both giants had just one title each. Since then? Either Flamengo or Palmeiras have walked away with the trophy in five of the past seven seasons. The numbers hardly feel real.

It mirrors what has happened domestically too. One of the pair has been crowned Brazilian champion in seven of the last 10 years. Flamengo have recently gained the upper hand, opening a five-point cushion with two matches to go, but whether they close it out or slip at the last moment barely matters to the wider story. This is the rivalry that now shapes Brazilian football. This is the game that dominates the continent.

And the fascinating part? Flamengo v Palmeiras is not a century-old feud or a clash loaded with generations of hostility. It’s a modern phenomenon—born from a new football economy and the rise of two clubs who found stability, money, and purpose at the same time.

How These Two Became the Continent’s Superpowers

Emerson Royal celebrates Palmeiras

The Brazilian takeover of the Libertadores didn’t come out of nowhere. A decade ago, the financial landscape of South American football shifted dramatically, and Brazil adjusted faster—and better—than anyone else.

Flamengo’s rise was almost inevitable once they sorted their long-term debts and stabilized their off-field chaos. They are a monstrous institution—maybe the biggest club outside Europe—rooted in Rio de Janeiro but supported nationwide. Their mass appeal stretches back to the 1930s, when the club cleverly repositioned itself by signing three of the biggest Black stars of the era and embracing a more populist identity. When radio broadcasts spread their matches across the country, they captured hearts across Brazil’s vast landscape.

Palmeiras’ presence in this duopoly is the more surprising twist. Many would assume that spot should belong to Corinthians, the giant of São Paulo. But while Corinthians have stumbled financially, Palmeiras—backed by calculated stadium deals and sharp management—have become one of Brazil’s best-run clubs.

Historically tied to São Paulo’s Italian community and once known as Palestra Italia, Palmeiras reinvented themselves long before modern football demanded it. Now, they produce and sell elite prospects, reinvesting profits into depth and quality at a level unmatched in South America.

Flamengo have cashed in on the likes of Vinícius Júnior, Lucas Paquetá and Matheus França. Palmeiras have gone even harder—selling Estevão, Endrick, Luis Guilherme, and Vitor Reis for enormous fees. Each sale strengthened the base and funded squads capable of going toe-to-toe with European clubs for talent. It has created two machines that feed success back into themselves.

Flamengo v Palmeiras: From 2021 to the ‘Final of the Century’

Abel Ferreira and Filipe Luis

These sides last met in the Libertadores final in 2021, a dramatic night that saw Palmeiras win 2-1 thanks to an extra-time mistake from Andreas Pereira—who, in a dramatic plot twist, now plays for Palmeiras.

But the version of Flamengo v Palmeiras arriving in Lima is bigger, stronger, richer and far more star-laden than either side was three years ago.

Flamengo have added Jorginho, Danilo, former Tottenham full-back Emerson Royal, and the Atlético Madrid duo Saúl and Samuel Lino. Palmeiras countered with goalkeeper Carlos Miguel, winger Ramón Sosa from Nottingham Forest, the return of Andreas Pereira, and the huge signing of Vitor Roque—Brazil’s most expensive ever domestic purchase.

Between them, they field lineups full of internationals and foreign stars. Flamengo’s semi-final XI featured half a dozen non-Brazilians plus Jorginho. Palmeiras rolled out four foreigners and added two more from the bench. This is modern Libertadores football—Brazilian in badge, global in talent.

It’s little wonder Saturday’s clash has been hyped as the “final of the century.”
Money. Power. Talent. Identity. Two sporting projects at their peak. And at the centre of it all, two managers shaping the next chapter.

Two Coaches With Europe Written All Over Their Futures

Brazil has not traditionally produced coaches at the same rate as it produces players—but the new generation is changing that narrative.

Filipe Luís, Flamengo’s coach, is one of the brightest young minds in the country. The former Atlético Madrid and Chelsea full-back retired two years ago, took over Flamengo’s youth sides, and stepped up to the senior team after their early Libertadores exit last year. Smart, thoughtful and eager to innovate, he has the tools to become one of the most influential Brazilian coaches of the next decade.

On the other side stands Abel Ferreira—a Portuguese mastermind who has become a force of nature in Brazil. Five years at Palmeiras is unheard of longevity in Brazilian football. In his touchline fire, tactical clarity and ability to tweak matches on the fly, you can see shades of a young José Mourinho.

His players have always raved about him:
“He always has a plan,” they say.
And that plan—whatever he conjures for Lima—is the great unknown of this final.

Why This Final Will Look Nothing Like the Last Meeting

The teams met just over a month ago, with Flamengo winning 3-2 after tearing up their usual playbook and going direct instead of filtering everything through Jorginho. Palmeiras pressed high, Flamengo adapted, and the scoreline didn’t quite reflect the difference.

But Saturday will be its own beast. Flamengo’s star striker Pedro is out injured. Gonzalo Plata, who often fills in centrally, is suspended. Filipe Luís can’t simply replicate October’s approach.

Palmeiras are navigating their own adjustments. After losing Estevão and stumbling at the Club World Cup, Ferreira tweaked his attack—shifting Vitor Roque to the left channel and pairing him with Flaco López. It worked, but it left their defensive shape vulnerable.

With players exhausted from Brazil’s chaotic calendar, Ferreira could opt for caution—his natural instinct in major finals. A back five isn’t out of the question, especially to counter Flamengo’s habit of stretching teams and creating surprise overloads through Guillermo Varela on the far side.

This could easily become a tense, tactical, gritty battle—more chess match than festival. But that won’t lessen the magnitude. Whatever happens, it will be dramatic. It will be emotional. And it will be remembered across South America for years to come.

Because Flamengo v Palmeiras isn’t just a rivalry anymore.
It’s the match that defines a footballing era.