Players to Watch at the Florida Cup - Corinthians

Players to Watch at the Florida Cup

The four clubs participating in the Florida Cup represent the best in South America and MLS, and the following players have won numerous titles and individual achievements over the past decade. Here’s who will make the biggest impact at this year’s Florida Cup...

Corinthians

Cássio

Birthplace: Veranópolis, Brazil

Cássio is one of the top goalkeepers in Brazil, appearing 450 times for Corinthians. In 2019, he played in 67 games and recorded 27 shutouts, 7 of them coming in Corinthians’ Paulista championship season. He has won four Paulista titles and two Brasileirão titles, and was a pivotal member during the club’s victory in the Copa Libertadores in 2012. At the Club World Cup that same year, Cássio earned the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player after Corinthians defeated Chelsea 1-0 in the final. The Brazilian international was with Brazil at the World Cup in 2018 and won the Copa America in 2019.

Fagner

Birthplace: São Paulo, Brazil

Fagner, an elite outside defender, has been one of the most reliable players for Corinthians since returning to his boyhood club in 2015. In 2019, he appeared in 60 games, second most for the club, and had 5 assists in the Brasileirão. Fagner’s only goal of the season on October 19^th was the 11,000^th goal scored in club history. At the international level, he played in nearly every game at the 2018 World Cup and won the Copa America in 2019.

Luan

Birthplace: São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil

Luan joined Corinthians this offseason after six years at Grêmio where he scored 77 goals and was named South America’s Best Player after leading Grêmio to the Copa Libertadores title in 2017. A crafty striker who can set up teammates as well as finish, Luan will make an immediate difference for Corinthians in a withdrawn striker role. In 2019, Luan scored 9 goals and had 10 assists in 36 games despite missing the end of the season due to injury. As a Brazilian youth international, Luan won the Gold Medal at the 2016 Olympics, scoring three times to lead the host nation to their first Olympic title.