Jogo Hoje tracked the numbers around Botafogo’s squad management, and the headline is as blunt as it gets: they have 14 foreigners on the roster, but in CBF competitions they can only name nine related players per match. That constraint turns every week into a numbers game where trust, adaptation and negotiation all collide.
The numerical problem of Botafogo with foreigners
With 14 foreigners on the roster and only nine allowed to be related per CBF match, Botafogo’s limite de estrangeiros is not theoretical. It’s the kind of structural pressure that forces a rodízio de elenco, reshuffles hierarquia interna, and makes minutagem decide who stays in the conversation. And when you’re also trying to protect minutes, avoid painful benching decisions, and handle players at different stages of adaptation, the math stops being “background noise” and becomes the main plot.
To make matters spicier, the hierarchy among the foreigners has already started to move, with the possibility of Barboza exiting looming over the pecking order. If a domino falls at the top, who benefits? Who gets squeezed?
Who played the most with Franclim Carvalho
From the moment Franclim Carvalho took over, every foreigner has seen action except Cristhian Loor, the goalkeeper who is still waiting for his first minutes under the new coach. In the usage chart, Cristian Medina and Kadir are the clear leaders by matches played, and both numbers tell the same story: the coach leaned on them early and often.
- Cristian Medina: 7 matches with Franclim Carvalho, including 6 starts
- Kadir: 7 matches with Franclim Carvalho, including 3 starts
That split between appearances and titularidade is the tell. Medina’s starts outnumber Kadir’s, so Medina sits closer to the “default XI” zone, while Kadir looks more like a flexible piece the coach deploys with tactical intent. In a squad drowning in foreigners, that’s not a small distinction.
Who lost space and is stuck at the back
On the other end of the pecking order, three foreigners are tied to the same low usage level so far: Chris Ramos, Jhoan Hernández (currently featuring for the U20), and Lucas Villalba. All three have only 2 matches to their name with Franclim Carvalho.
- Chris Ramos: 2 matches
- Jhoan Hernández: 2 matches
- Lucas Villalba: 2 matches
But the real cold splash is this: among those low-usage names, Tucu Correa, Chris Ramos, and Lucas Villalba have not started yet. When the coach is already managing the relacionados ceiling of nine for CBF games, not starting isn’t just “lack of minutes.” It’s a position in the hierarchy that’s waiting to be earned back, week after week.
Minutes played and what it reveals about the hierarchy
Appearances show frequency, but minutagem shows authority. And the minutes leaderboard is led by Alexander Barboza, which matters even more given the ongoing negotiations and the chatter about a potential move to Palmeiras in the second half. After Barboza, the next names in the minutes mix are Cristian Medina, followed by Bastos and Ferraresi. In a roster with 14 foreigners fighting for nine matchday slots, that pattern is basically a hierarchy snapshot.
Put it together and you get the practical reality of the limite de estrangeiros: when Franclim Carvalho has to pick nine relacionados players for competitions under the CBF umbrella, the coach doesn’t just choose talent. He chooses availability, trust and fit. Medina’s starts plus high match involvement suggest a “keep close” role. Kadir looks like the tactical option that still gets minutes without demanding the same starting spot every time. And the players with two matches and zero titularidade are living on the margins of the rotation.
The practical effect of the nine-related limit
Here’s the part that turns this into a headache for the staff: with only nine foreigners allowed to be named per match in CBF competitions, Botafogo’s foreign group doesn’t just rotate. It gets sorted. That’s the rodízio de elenco effect with a hard ceiling, and it forces a constant recalculation of hierarquia interna based on who can deliver minutes without risking the whole tactical plan.
And if Barboza’s situation changes, the pecking order won’t be “updated.” It will be rewritten. That’s the kind of uncertainty that makes every training week feel like a trial run for the matchday list.
O Veredito Jogo Hoje
Botafogo’s foreigners aren’t being managed like a squad; they’re being managed like a spreadsheet with feelings. Medina and Kadir are the only ones who’ve earned consistent trust through titularidade and match involvement, while Villalba and Chris Ramos are paying the price for a system where the relacionados limit punishes anyone who can’t convert minutes into starts. That’s why this feels polêmico: the limit doesn’t just restrict the coach, it reshapes careers in real time. And right now, Franclim Carvalho’s hierarchy is already clear.
— Nerd Estatístico, JogoHoje.esp.br
Perguntas Frequentes
How many foreigners does Botafogo have on the roster in 2026?
They have 14 foreigners on the roster.
Who are the most used foreigners by Franclim Carvalho?
Cristian Medina and Kadir lead the usage with 7 matches each under the new coach.
Which Botafogo foreigners still haven’t started a match with the new coach?
Tucu Correa, Chris Ramos, and Lucas Villalba have not started yet with Franclim Carvalho.
