Gerson has undergone a transformation on and off the pitch in 2024. Having been plagued by a kidney problem that threatened to end his football career, the central midfielder has taken on the captain’s armband at Flamengo and is looking to cement his place in the Selecao starting XI.
Last week’s events did him no harm in that sense. Five days after playing the full 90 minutes – and playing well – in Brazil’s 4-0 win over Peru, he led his Flamengo team in a valiant effort away at Corinthians, with 10 men on the pitch for the majority of the game, as they secured their place in the final of the Copa do Brasil.
After the match, he spoke like a true leader when making reference to the sending-off of his team-mate Bruno Henrique.
“I said that we would try and get to the final for him, because he deserves it. I have so much respect for him, he always fights to the end and we had to do the same for him”, said the Flamengo captain, formerly of Olympique Marseille and AS Roma.
At the age of 27, Gerson has had his best season to date. In a year of ups and downs for Flamengo, he has been the constant. At times it has looked like the team have been inspired by his style of play, remembering to keep their heads up.
The Rio de Janeiro native is emerging as a key part of the side that will head to the USA next year to contest the first edition of the expanded FIFA Club World Cup™.
His influence goes way beyond just his four goals and six assists: he showed his class on the ball against Corinthians and was pivotal in regaining possession for his team, as they tried to avoid being overwhelmed in the second half. What makes this an even more impressive performance is the fact that he was fighting off a fever merely hours before kick-off.
“Gerson brings life to Flamengo, he makes us a complete team. There are no faults in his game, I don’t see anything that I don’t like”, said his current head coach and former team-mate, Filipe Luis, in an interview on CharlaPodcast.
It is quite some turnaround for somebody who, in February, received some bombshell news. Gerson went to the hospital with severe abdominal pain, and he was diagnosed with hydronephrosis as a result of a kidney infection. His condition required urgent surgical intervention.
Following the surgery, he spent several days in hospital and weeks away from the pitch, as he waited for the scarring to heal and the catheters to be removed. After a month and a half out, he was able to return to action. This was an eye-opening experience for Gerson, who revealed that he feared his career could be over.
“That was a tough time. As an athlete we know that there is always a risk of injury, but this was not a football-related injury”, he said in a collective interview with the Brazilian national team. “Going back a few months, I could have been given the news that I could no longer play football because of the surgery, and here I am today.”
With the departure of Everton Ribeiro at the end of 2023, there was a vacant captaincy role during Gerson’s absence. After the midfielder’s return, however, then coach Tite made his choice.
“His day-to-day behaviour is exemplary, in the changing room, the way he conducts himself”, the former Flamengo and Brazil coach told FIFA. “The way Gerson conducts himself should be applauded, his loyalty and integrity in the way his actions back up his words. He has proven to me that he is an incredible person as well as athlete and he always wants to get better.”
Having been called up by Brazil for the two international windows since the Copa America, Gerson has earned himself a place in Dorival Junior’s team. He came off the bench during the two September fixtures – against Ecuador and Paraguay – but it was in the October window that his minutes on the pitch really started to increase.
In the game against Chile, in Santiago, Gerson replaced Lucas Paqueta at half-time and helped Brazil to turn the game around, coming away 2-1 winners. Before the latest game against Peru, the midfielder showed his leadership abilities as he demanded a better performance from his compatriots.
“We need an immediate impact. We need to get the fans on side right from the warm-up. We need to show people that we want to win this match as soon as the first whistle blows, being more organised but playing our way”, he said.
And that is exactly what happened. He won a place in the starting lineup and was the only one of the midfielders and forwards who played the full 90 minutes in the comprehensive 4-0 win. Following his impressive display against Corinthians, he is expected to keep his place in the starting lineup for the November fixtures against Venezuela and Uruguay.
“I think everything is coming together nicely at the moment, the physical, technical and mental parts of my game. It is one of the most significant periods of my career so far”, he said. “Football is tough. As much as we all want to stay at the highest level we can, we all go through ups and downs. I am always focused on being the best I can be, and that will not change. I am always thinking about being prepared to help my team, whether that’s Flamengo or the national team.”
