Andrey Santos on rekindling Flamengo rivalry and his two-year journey

Having spent more than a decade of his life as a Vasco de Gama player, Andrey Santos is uniquely qualified to detail what Chelsea can expect from Flamengo in our second FIFA Club World Cup fixture.

The rivalry between the two Brazilian clubs run deep. ‘It’s like Brazil against Argentina,’ he says with a smile. 'It’s a big derby, so you have to improve in this game.'

That readiness to prove himself is ingrained in the midfielder. It’s what enabled him to make his debut for Vasco as a 16-year-old, why he was ready to help the club earn promotion to the Brazilian top flight in his first senior campaign, and what led him to join Chelsea.

Two-and-a-half years have passed since Andrey completed his transfer. Important experiences have been gained since, some positive and others more challenging. Yet each has readied him for the demands of being a Chelsea player.

‘When we talk about Chelsea, we have to work to win every competition,’ the 21-year-old says. 'In two years [since being included on our pre-season tour], a lot of things have happened. Now I have my son, I’m married, my whole life has changed. I have more experience, and I think I can be ready for the huge challenge.'

Having spent the 2024/25 campaign with Strasbourg – who Andrey captained on several occasions and helped secure Conference League football – he has rejoined Enzo Maresca’s first-team squad in the U.S. for the Club World Cup.

Whether he features against Flamengo tomorrow remains to be seen, but the Brazil international is looking forward to coming up against a few familiar faces who play for a familiar foe.

'I know very well about Flamengo and they have some good players like Gerson and Danilo, I know them from the national team and it’s a big game for us.

'I know there are many people from Brazil here and the support of their fans is amazing. But we have to be constant and do our work.

'I played for Flamengo’s rival, so when I’m on the pitch, they’re probably not going to say nice things about me! It’s probably going to happen, but it’s football, it’s normal for me. It's not a problem.'

It’s not only Andrey who has connections with Flamengo, though. One of our 2021 Champions League winners, Jorginho, is expected to line up in midfield for the Brazilians, while Chelsea supporters will recognise the club’s head coach, Felipe Luis, from his year at Stamford Bridge.

'My first derby against Flamengo, Filipe Luis played,' recalls Andrey. 'He was so strong and hard to play against. Now he’s a coach and I think I’m more prepared [to face Flamengo].'

The clash with Flamengo also marks the end of our first week Stateside. Andrey has enjoyed the experience so far as it has enabled him to bond with team-mates new and old.

One of those, Moises Caicedo, had the chance to speak with his fellow midfielder after a recent international fixture between Brazil and Ecuador. And Andrey has nothing but glowing praise for our 2024/25 Player of the Year.

'Moises is so special for me,' he says. 'I like the person and the player. He’s so different, such a good guy. He has so much experience, and has been very important to me since I arrived.'

Chelsea's game against Flamengo kicks off at 7pm UK time on Friday. You can watch that and every other game at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 live for free by signing up with DAZN here.

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