Football Season Guide

Fortaleza kept breaking records and finished 4th, in 2024, with more points collected than in any other season on the club's history. Besides, they reached quarter-finals in Sul-Americana. Fortaleza has achieved the final of Campeonato Cearense, as it is their obligation, but failed to beat their arch-rivals Ceará in the final. Manager Juan Pablo Vojvoda is, these days, the club's biggest icon. He has been on the job since 2021 and has became an institution within the club. His ability to reinvent the team's tactics in slower periods is second to none. For 2025, Fortaleza had minimal changes. David Luiz is a big name signed for the back, but it's questionable on whether the former Brazilian international will add anything significant, now that he is 37 and had a poor season with Flamengo, in 2024. Centre-back Avila, left-back Diogo Barbosa and especially Pol Fernandez in midfield are definite improvements on the team that only saw sometimes starting Cardona, injury-prone Hércules and reserve winger Machuca leaving. Pol Fernandez is indeed a statement-signing, as Fortaleza managed to bring a first team option from Boca Juniors, something unimaginable a couple of years ago. Lucero, at 33, still looks fresh and thirsty for more goals. Wingers Moisés, Pikachu, Marinho and Breno Lopes are excellent partners that will rotate to support the Argentinean in attack. There are multiple options in midfield that should live around the new reference Pol Fernandez. At the back, the options are the same as last year plus Luiz, Avila and Barbosa. The latter looks the likeliest to become an instat first team option.