The boom of esports in Brazil

Welcome back to the Brazil Sports newsletter! The international transfer window came to a close last week and we take a look at the biggest moves made by Brazil’s clubs. The Copa Libertadores last 16 ties were concluded in a positive week for domestic sides, and we delve into the world of esports in Brazil. All that, and much more. Happy reading!

The ins and outs of the international transfer window

Back in 2011–2012, Brazilian football enjoyed a short but sweet period of prosperity. The currency was strong, sponsorships were keen on getting a slice of the game, and Brazil’s clubs had more money to spend than ever. Santos had the cash to convince Neymar to sign a new contract and ward off Barcelona, Flamengo signed Ronaldinho Gaúcho, Botafogo managed to bring in Clarence Seedorf. Squads were strong and the football was exciting.

However, as the country’s economy began to slow down, before diving into a long recession, the effects were clear on the domestic football league. Lucrative sponsorships were harder to find, and clubs were less prolific in transfers, no longer able to compete for big names.

This year’s international transfer window has come as some relief, then, with a number of quality players making their way to the Brazilian league. We look at who did what:

Reigning champions Palmeiras made waves by signing former Chelsea and Brazil national team midfielder Ramires. At 32, there are perhaps concerns about how astute the club has been in handing him a four-year contract, but Ramires’ natural fitness and conditioning has always been a big part of his game, leading many to believe he still has a good few years left in him.

Elsewhere, the club brought in center-forward Luiz Adriano from Spartak Moscow. The striker grabbed the headlines in the early 2010s for his Champions League performances for Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk, equalling Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of scoring nine goals in a group stage in 2014. He had an underwhelming spell at AC Milan before returning to form at Russian side Spartak Moscow.

Rio de Janeiro side Flamengo also grabbed headlines with their transfer business, bringing in Brazil’s reserve left-back Filipe Luis from Atlético Madrid, and fellow national team full-back Rafinha, from Bayern Munich.

Their marquee transfer, however, was in repatriating Roma’s 22-year-old playmaker Gerson, in a deal worth BRL 49.7m. This was the largest fee ever paid for a Brazilian player by a Brazilian club, with only Argentinian Carlos Tévez...