Football Season Guide

Red Bull Bragantino’s 2025 season was one of mid-table consolidation in Série A, finishing 10th after a campaign marked by inconsistency, tactical adjustments and a prolonged spell away from the top-six race. They reached the round of 16 in Brazilian Cup, but exited before the latter stages, and had no continental involvement, making league stability the primary achievement of the year. On his second season at the club, creative midfielder Jhon Jhon established as the main reference of the club, being not only the top scorer but also the top assister in 2025. His technique was the team's strongest weapon in every game. Vagner Mancini arrived at Bragantino for the last 8 rounds, last season, and achieved his goal: kept Bragantino among the elite of Brazilian football. To keep him on board, while an understandable reward for the mentioned achievement, it's not in line on what the club seems to stand for, as Mancini doesn't have the profile that usually the club searches for. Mancini is a pragmatist, and hardly a promoter of young talents. It will be a surprise if Mancini keeps his job for long as this match-up seems artificial. It has been a relatively quiet transfer window for Bragantino. The balance is positive, nonetheless, as no first team regular has left while there was three new signings that can turn into first team options really quickly. Goalkeeper Tiago Volpi might be the first real threat to Cleiton, in six years; Gustavo Marques arrives from Europe experience with a status that can put him directly on the XI, perhaps alongside the promising Alix Vinicius; Uruguayan Ignacio Sosa looks like an instant option for Mancini, in midfield. The major concern relies on the star Jhon Jhon, who has been linked with a departure and is absolutely unreplaceable in the current squad. There are, of course, some other talents on the squad, like the two left-backs Vanderlan and Juninho Capixaba, the attacking midfielder Gustavinho and the eternal striker Eduardo Sasha. However, they are all far behind Jhon Jhon in terms of game-deciding skills.