Calegari – Fluminense’s ball-playing right-back
Life at youth level in Brazilian football can come at someone very fast as circumstances can dictate young players having opportunities or losing opportunities. In December 2019, Calegari was playing for the Brazilian U17 side while preparing for the Sao Paulo State youth Championships with the Fluminense youth side. Six months later, Fluminense’s first choice right-back, Gilberto had complications with the renewal of his contract as his agent and the club squabbled for the Brazilian side to release the player for a move to Portuguese giants, Benfica. This gave Calegari the opportunity to stake his claim for the first choice right-back position at only 18-years-old as he has taken it with both hands.
The teenager was born in Cuiaba as he started playing football at the age of 7, as a striker for Uiraparu school as he trialed for a side in Sao Paulo but was not given the opportunity to join the side as he was considered too young. However, he was undeterred as he travelled to Sao Paulo every three months for testing, showing a tremendous force of will to maintain and improve his fitness before playing in a tournament with his side at the age of 12. Fluminense scouts would be watching as they informed him and his family of their interest before he decided that moving the Brazilian side would be beneficial for his career.
In the youth categories at Fluminense, Calegari participated in sides that won an astounding five titles as he participated with Brazil at U15 and U17 level before Fluminense signed him to a professional contract at the age of 16. He rose through the academy of the Xerem as the senior playing staff accepted him with open arms when he made his debut against Athletico Paranaense while he had a difficult outing against Botafogo but made a goal-line clearance for the goalkeeper, Muriel to show his gratitude by promising to buy him lunch. At 18, he would have had the opportunity to impress at the South American U20 Championships that were set to take place in February but were cancelled as Calegari had just started getting involved with the Brazilian U20 side.
Away to Sao Paulo, he showed a facet of his game that is key as he is press resistant by nature as he can pass with both feet from the right touchline, dribble into the centre to evade pressure and connect with teammates. His strength allows him to wriggle out of tight situations as one of his favourite manoeuvres is to fake like he is turning towards the touchline to force his marker to adjust his body shape before swivelling inside to drive the ball forward and look to thread passes into the attacking line. Against Sao Paulo, he had a moment where he twisted and turned out of pressure on the right flank to move inside and work combinations with the midfielders.
The 18-year-old continued to impress throughout the game as he has the physical toughness to make crucial tackles while showing that he is a brilliant crosser on the overlap as well as being strong in the air. The 18-year-old has developed into such a well-rounded fullback at such a young age as he is one of a few talented young fullbacks coming through the ranks at Brazilian youth level. Away to Corinthians, he showed his defensive resolve in pushing up to get touch tight with his opposition winger to outmuscle him and regain possession as the young right-back is much more comfortable in regaining possession in the pressing phase rather than the defensive phase. The youngster also had movement where he played a pass into the centre and moved into the box to get on the end of a cross.
Fluminense either position Calegari in a deeper role or as a higher positioned fullback, in the half-space or stretching play in the wide zone of the attacking line as the 18-year-old does not have the blistering pace and athleticism to cover the flank effectively as if he is caught in a higher area, he will be caught out by his winger. He can provide short bursts over small distances while using his physique to shield and nudge players away from the ball as that helps him on the overlap but Fluminense and their Head Coach, Marcao prefer to involve him in build-up sequences so they can utilize his distribution from the right flank.
Away to Corinthians, Calegari lost possession and was caught out by his winger a few times before as he needs to show more consistency in holding and carrying the ball despite being a good passer. However, the 18-year-old regained possession, spun out of a challenge before finding Fred in between the lines with a beautiful pass to the nine space. He then worked a combination to move into the centre before taking up a position in the half-space and looking to receive the ball. The teenager also made a mazy run into the centre before turning and spreading the ball for a teammate on the right flank. In the second-half, he utilized the same manoeuvre, dribbling into the centre to work a pass for a teammate in the wide areas.
He began to show initiative to tuck inside when opposition counter-attacks were progressing on the opposite flank to make crucial tackles and interceptions while also remaining aware of when to track his man to the back-post. In possession, he continued to move into the centre to act as a build-up conduit by working passes to teammates as he lobbed a pass for a teammate in one sequence before moving into the half-space to receive possession and use his body to shield the ball and maintain possession before moving the ball for a teammate in the central spaces.
At home to Sport, Fluminense faced a deeper and more rigid low block as their Head Coach, Marcao was constantly calling for Calegari to receive possession, cajoling players to play the ball to their right-back while encouraging the 18-year-old to push forward and be more aggressive with possession while lifting his spirits whenever he made a mistake. The youngster would dribble into the central areas but was not able to find any open passing lanes so would turn and work a back-pass for the centre-back. However, the 18-year-old would work a pass down the line for Luiz Henrique before threading another pass into the half-space for the young winger. He would then receive possession in the half-space to turn away from two players before putting in a well-timed challenge to regain possession from Junior Tavares who stamped on Calegari’s leg before being sent off.
Later in the game, 19-year-old midfielder, Matheus Martinelli worked a fantastic pass for Calegari to get in behind his marker and cut-back for Lucca to have a header deflected past the goalkeeper. Both Lucca and Calegari said in their post-game interviews that this was a move practiced on the training ground to get Calegari into optimal crossing positions in the half-space. The 18-year-old right-back would cut inside and dribble into the centre to facilitate a switch ball before he cut inside again and used his left foot to thread a pass to the half-space for a teammate in the pockets. Calegari would another crossing opportunity from the half-space as he received the ball in the box, allowing the ball to roll across his body to square as his teammate was unable to finish.
“During the few days we had for this game, we trained some of these moves from the forward to go inside, giving the runner to the side to go to the end line. And what was trained ended up giving result in the game, since in one of these passages it ended up resulting in the move that originated the winning goal of our team,” said Calegari in his post-match interview.
At home to Coritiba, he started the game in the same way that he starts most of his games, lobbing a pass for Michel Araujo in the half-space before flicking a pass to the wide zone and making a run into the half-space to receive possession, hold off a marker before being fouled around the box to earn a free-kick. The 18-year-old then received a lobbed pass in behind to go through on goal and hammer an opportunity off the crossbar. He regained possession to drive into the centre and work an interchange with a teammate before looking to play the ball in behind to John Kennedy but he overhit the pass. He would then pick up a yellow card for a rash challenge before regaining possession cleanly to work a one-two with Matheus Martinelli to thread an amazing pass to Felippe Cardoso in the nine space.
The 18-year-old fullback is not blessed with blistering pace but would thrive in a system where he would be involved in build-up play, tucking inside as an auxiliary centre-back or midfielder where he could use his progressive passing and combination play in build-up sequences. He prefers to gradually overlap his winger as this could be integral when a winger receives a switch ball and Calegari makes a timed overlapping run to create a 1v1 situation for his winger. However, he prefers to tuck inside and receive possession in the half-space to work connections and make his short bursts into the box to cut-back for crossing opportunities. He will need to improve his crossing as he is capable of playing lovely deliveries but can also add too much spin on deliveries which curl behind his target. His lack of pace can be issue but he would be better suited to a style such as Ajax Amsterdam’s where the fullback makes late timed runs and can also be positioned in the half-space during approach play.
Calegari has been one of the star performers for Fluminense this season as if he continues progressing and makes the right moves in his career, he could play at the highest level as he only turns 19 next month. The U20 South American Championships could have been beneficial in allowing him to demonstrate his ability at youth level, but he has continued to be one of his team’s most consistent performers. He is currently tied down to a contract till 2025 but financial restrictions caused by the pandemic could make him available on the market. The teenager has Italian heritage as Serie A could be one of the better moves for him in the short term as he should be striving to make the Brazilian Olympic squad.
