Inside Fluminense: How To Create Intelligent, Adaptable Players

Few clubs in the world can match the player production record of Fluminense. From Thiago Silva and Marcelo to Richarlison and Fabinho, their academy has shaped some of the game’s most complete modern players. On this week’s Modern Soccer Coach Podcast, Gary sits down in Rio de Janeiro with André Medeiros, the man who has helped shape Fluminense’s methodology for over 25 years. Recorded during Gary’s recent visit as part of the TetraBrazil Tour, this conversation dives deep into how Brazil’s most respected academies view player development, coaching, and the evolving game.

André shares incredible insights on:

• Why respect sits at the very top of Fluminense’s core values.

• How coaches are taught to see themselves not as the center of the process, but as facilitators of player growth.

• The club’s belief that “we don’t build players — we develop them,” focusing on character, adaptability, and intelligence.

• The balance between athleticism, speed, and decision-making in the modern player.

• Why the future of football might see positions disappear entirely, replaced by fluid, dynamic systems built on player versatility.

Beyond tactics and systems, André speaks passionately about the human side of the game — education, psychology, cooperation, and humility — all foundational pillars of how Fluminense produces not just great players, but great people.

🎧 Listen to the full interview below: 🇧🇷 Special thanks to TetraBrazil for making this Brazil Tour possible. Learn more about their exclusive team tours and coaching exchanges at tetrabrazil.com.