Libertadores Final: Luiz Henrique, the Young Star of Botafogo's Millionaire Project

Botafogo spent millions to bring Luiz Henrique back from Betis, and with his goals, assists, and brilliant performances, he has justified his high price tag.

The Brazilian right-wing forward Luiz Henrique has justified Botafogo's hefty investment in bringing him back from Spain's Real Betis with goals, assists, dribbles, and game-changing performances, both in the Brazilian Championship and the Copa Libertadores.

The 23-year-old, born in a rural area of Petrópolis, a mountainous municipality in the state of Rio de Janeiro, joined the Rio-based club in February as the largest acquisition in Brazilian football history at the time.

Botafogo, backed by the resources of U.S. magnate John Textor, the club's owner, paid €20 million to bring the forward back to Brazil. His European stint, which lasted less than two years, ended when he left Fluminense in July 2022 and returned to Brazil in February 2024.

Although he was only able to play under coach Artur Jorge in March due to an injury, in just nine months, Luiz Henrique has been a key player for Botafogo, which will face Atlético Mineiro in Buenos Aires for the Copa Libertadores final next Saturday. The team is also fighting for the Brazilian league title.

In 50 games in less than nine months at Botafogo, Luiz Henrique André Rosa da Silva has scored 11 goals (three in the Libertadores) and provided five assists (two in the Libertadores). The team's starter and second-highest scorer is also the leader in dribbles in the Brazilian Championship with 76.

Besides scoring, he has been a key player for Artur Jorge's team, drawing defenders and freeing up his teammates, and showing his ability to break down tightly-knit defenses, a frequent challenge in Libertadores matches at home.

One of his standout performances this year was in a 5-0 victory over Peñarol in the Libertadores semifinals, where he scored once and assisted another goal, earning him the title of Man of the Match by Conmebol.

His stellar performances also earned him a call-up to the Brazilian national team. He has been selected for the last six World Cup qualifying matches and already has two goals and one assist with the national team.

His rise to the national team has been a reward for his early struggles. As a child, Luiz Henrique almost gave up football to focus on judo due to the long daily trips from Petrópolis to Fluminense's training center in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro.

Joining Fluminense's youth teams at 11 years old, Luiz Henrique made his professional debut in 2020 at 19. Now, at the peak of his career with Botafogo, the forward is proud of his achievements.

"A guy who came from the Caragola Valley, not knowing anything, and today I'm the most expensive player in Brazilian history... It fills me with pride, myself and my family. I'm very proud because we went through many difficulties and suffered a lot before reaching here," he says.