Doha: In the end, the final step was one too far. CR Flamengo though came as close as they possibly could, pushing the might of Paris Saint-Germain all the way to penalties in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final.
At the end of a remarkable fortnight where the club claimed four major trophies, the global title ultimately eluded them but not before they went toe-to-toe with European royalty.
As star defender Leo Ortiz exclusively told FIFA post-match, the club will depart Qatar with their heads held high, knowing that they demonstrated the power of Brazilian and South American club football.
“It’s a tough feeling knowing that we were so close to winning the tournament. But this is a tournament that features the best clubs in the world and I think that in the final we played one of our best matches of the year.
“In the end we can be really proud of what we showed on the pitch. Of course, PSG is a strong team and they deserve their success but we also played really, really well.
“They invest a lot and have a lot of quality but we showed that we can compete at that level, not just tonight but throughout the whole tournament.
“Then, in the final we showed also that we can play good football, not just defending all the time but playing aggressively and with an attacking mentality. This is the way we also play in Brazil so again, I’m just so proud of the whole team.”
That pride will clearly be reflected back from the squad towards Leo Ortiz.
The 29-year-old caught the eye during Flamengo’s FIFA Derby of the Americas win against Cruz Azul last week alongside Leo Pereira. That pair reprised their partnership against PSG, where Leo Ortiz was imperious.
Comfortable on the ball and in building up from the back, it was the man from Porto Alegre’s work out of possession that sparkled. Time after time he thwarted some of the deadliest attacking talents on the planet, including recently crowned FIFA The Best Men’s Player award winner Ousmane Dembele.
“I feel very proud of myself to have overcome many tough moments throughout the season. It was the first time that I had suffered an ankle injury in my career so it was a tough thing to overcome.
“I managed to fight my way back though and could show my qualities here at the Intercontinental Cup. Being able to play well against PSG, the best team in the world, in the final gives me even more confidence that I am on the right path."
That’s a path that could very well lead Leo Ortiz back to the Brazilian national team. Having first been called into the Seleção camp for the 2021 Copa America he finally made his debut in March this year in a pair of FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Argentina.
“The Brazilian national team has a lot of guys that can play this position so I know the competition is fierce but to play for Brazil at a World Cup is my dream. Not just to play but to win because we can make history. FIFA
