In Monaco, where the Mediterranean light can make a strong start to a season feel even brighter, Vanderson has found his rhythm again. The Brazilian full-back, 25, has returned to regular football after a frustrating previous campaign interrupted by two muscle injuries in his left thigh, and his recovery has restored both his place at club level and his hopes with Brazil.
He had started Carlo Ancelotti’s first two Brazil matches, against Ecuador and Paraguay, and appeared well placed in the race for the 2026 World Cup. Instead, the injuries repeatedly stopped him just as he was building a run of appearances. Vanderson said the central aim of the new season was simple: remain fit, play consistently and be ready when international opportunities returned.
That opportunity arrived emphatically on 29 September. Vanderson scored two minutes into Brazil’s 4-2 win over Australia, striking from inside the area to open the scoring. He described his first goal for the national team as a moment beyond what he had imagined, reflecting on a journey from Brazil to European football and now to the international stage. He wants to experience that feeling again, but says the priority is making the most of every call-up and every match.
His revival has also coincided with a new influence in the Monaco dressing room: Filipe Luís. The former Brazil and Flamengo defender has taken charge at the Principality club, which briefly led the French championship, and Vanderson believes working daily with a coach who understands the demands of full-back play has given him another route to improve.
Lessons from a former full-back
Vanderson said Filipe Luís has brought a sharp focus on detail and a level of tactical understanding that has helped the squad. The Brazilian coach is constantly involved, he said, whether correcting players, joining training exercises or offering individual advice. His work has made a particular impression on Monaco’s French players, many of whom had known less about his coaching background before his arrival.
For Vanderson, the connection is especially valuable. He arrived in Europe from Grêmio knowing he needed to alter parts of his game after a relatively short period of senior development in Brazil. He said he had kept an open mind through the work of Monaco’s successive coaches, but sees Filipe Luís as an example in his position and intends to absorb as much as possible from him.
The two have also spoken about Brazil and the longer road to the 2030 World Cup. Filipe Luís had his own disappointments after missing the 2010 and 2014 tournaments despite establishing himself in Europe. Vanderson said their message to each other has been to take the process step by step: improve at Monaco first, address the areas that need work and allow the larger ambition to grow from there.
The defender believes his injury problems were partly explained by an inadequate build-up to last season. After his first Ancelotti call-up and the two starts for Brazil, he felt club changes, including changes around the coaching staff, disrupted his preparation. Having played heavily in 2024-25, he did not feel he entered the following campaign as well prepared as he should have been. Monaco identified the issue with him, and he says a better pre-season programme has so far delivered the minutes he needs.
There is still disappointment over missing the most recent World Cup, but Vanderson has chosen not to dwell on what cannot be changed. A new season, improved conditioning and Filipe Luís’s arrival have given him a fresh point of reference.
Monaco’s encouraging opening also included a notable victory over Paris Saint-Germain. Vanderson began the match but was substituted with PSG leading 1-0, watching from the bench as Monaco turned the contest around. He said the team had prepared carefully for a side whose style and level have remained consistent for several seasons, and praised the commitment of his teammates after the change.
He also stressed that Monaco have historically competed well against PSG, home and away, but remains realistic about the French title picture. Paris retain the financial strength and status of clear favourites, while Monaco’s immediate target is to improve on last season and return to the Champions League after failing to qualify for this campaign. If they can establish themselves in the race, he believes larger ambitions may follow.
Before then, the European calendar continues, with Monaco due to face Freiburg in the Conference League on Thursday. For Vanderson, every club fixture is part of the same patient climb: stay available, grow under a former international full-back and turn an interrupted cycle into a more durable one for Brazil.
Looking back at the player first called up in 2023, Vanderson says the person has not changed greatly, but the experience has. Three years around the national team, along with the painful absences caused by injury, have added perspective. In Monaco, he is now trying to make that education count.
