Cruzeiro statistics: what to expect from the Foxes in 2026?

Cruzeiro finally wrote a new chapter in 2025 after years of difficulties. Those who are already used to football betting know how important it is to study numbers and past campaigns to take the first step toward more accurate predictions.

As we are still at the very beginning of the season, in this special Blaze guide you will find last year’s data to understand how the Foxes have been playing and what can be projected for 2026. Get ready to dive into a sea of statistics from a team that has shined again and strengthened its place among the elite.

Cruzeiro’s 2025 season summary

After overcoming a long period of turbulence, 2025 marked Cruzeiro’s resurgence among the powers of Brazilian football. Under Leonardo Jardim, the Foxes not only found their way back to winning ways, but also fought for titles with real chances of success and thrilled their supporters.

The season was crowned by a historic Brasileirão campaign, in which the team battled for first place with Flamengo and Palmeiras — the reigning champions and runners-up, respectively — at several points. Despite finishing third, the club delivered an excellent campaign that secured direct qualification to the Copa Libertadores group stage after seven long years of waiting, restoring pride to the Celeste Nation. In the Copa do Brasil, Cruzeiro also enjoyed a strong run, reaching the semifinals, where they were eliminated only on penalties after a true clash of giants against the competition’s reigning champions, Corinthians.

The year ended with a change on the touchline. Leonardo Jardim decided to step down as head coach to focus on his mental health, opening the door for a high-profile appointment: the arrival of Tite, who had also stepped away from football months earlier. He returns after a period dedicated to his own well-being and takes charge with the mission of continuing the previous work and raising the team’s level even further. Without a doubt, it was an emotional season for the Foxes, who turned things around and put themselves back on the map of major achievements.

What does Cruzeiro’s squad look like in 2026?

With renewed ambition, Cruzeiro have assembled a competitive squad to take on the Libertadores and push even harder for titles in 2026. The transfer window brought significant reinforcements, and the current squad at Toca da Raposa is as follows:

• Goalkeepers: Matheus Cunha (24), Cássio (38), Otávio Costa (20)
• Full-backs: Kaiki (22), Kauã Prates (17), William (30), Fagner (36), Kauã Moraes (19)
• Center-backs: Fabrício Bruno (29), João Marcelo (25), Jonathan Jesus (21), Lucas Villalba (31), Bruno Alves (20)
• Defensive midfielders: Walace (30), Lucas Romero (31), Lucas Silva (32), Murilo Rhikman (19)
• Midfielders: Gerson (28), Christian (25), Matheus Henrique (28), Ryan Guilherme (23), Vitinho (21), Japa (central midfielder), Jhosefer (central midfielder), Matheus Pereira (29)
• Forwards: Luis Sinisterra (26), Wanderson (31), Kaique Kenji (19), Rodriguinho (22), Keny Arroyo (19), Marquinhos (22), Kaio Jorge (23), Néiser Villarreal (20), Chico da Costa (30)

Cruzeiro squad changes in 2026

Cruzeiro’s transfer market saw major changes in attack, as well as a luxury reinforcement in midfield. The main departure was striker Gabriel Barbosa, who left the club to sign with Santos. Despite interest from several clubs in Kaio Jorge, the Foxes stood firm and chose to keep their top scorer — and the Brasileirão’s leading scorer — in the squad. Another departure was left-back Marlon, who was sold to Grêmio.

The arrivals were even more impactful. The club strengthened the goalkeeping position with Matheus Cunha, former Flamengo goalkeeper, and completed a signing that generated huge expectations: the return of midfielder Gerson from Zenit to Brazilian football for €30 million. With international experience, he is expected to be a key piece in Tite’s project. Together, these moves reflect a bold board committed to preparing the team for the major challenges ahead.

Cruzeiro squad market value

According to Transfermarkt, Cruzeiro’s squad has an estimated total market value of around €156.55 million, with a young average age of 25.7 years. It is a valuable squad with room to grow even further.

The attack concentrates the team’s biggest stars in terms of value, led by top scorer Kaio Jorge, followed by the talented Matheus Pereira among the highest-rated players. The solid defense stands out with Fabrício Bruno, one of the most valuable pillars of the squad. In goal, the experience and reliability of Cássio complete a group that balances youth and experience, making it one of the most promising squads in Brazil.

Who was Cruzeiro’s best player in 2025?

Looking at the season as a whole, one name stood out above all others: forward Kaio Jorge. He was not only the team’s top scorer, with 26 goals in the year, but also one of the main creators, finishing the season with nine assists and establishing himself as Cruzeiro’s most decisive attacking player.

Midfielder Matheus Pereira also deserves mention for his performances. In addition to having the highest average rating in the squad in the Brasileirão on Sofascore, at 7.53, he ranked second in combined goals and assists in the competition, behind only Kaio Jorge.

Just behind them, two players were fundamental in ensuring the team’s solidity in 2025. Center-back Fabrício Bruno was a wall in defense and also led the team in accurate passes per match in the Brasileirão.

Cruzeiro’s offensive statistics in 2025

Goals per match

Cruzeiro displayed efficient, attacking football in 2025. Across 62 official matches, the team scored 86 goals. Focusing only on the Brasileirão, the average was 1.4 goals per match, with 55 goals in 38 games. The origin of the goals shows a squad capable of exploiting well-built plays: 47 goals came from inside the box, six from outside, two from penalties and just one from direct free kicks. The distribution was also balanced, with 30 goals scored with the right foot and 15 with the left.

Top scorers

As mentioned earlier, Kaio Jorge finished as the team’s top scorer with 26 goals, 21 of them in the Brasileirão and five in the Copa do Brasil. The second-highest scorer was Gabriel Barbosa, with 13 goals before his departure: six in the Brasileirão, five in the Campeonato Mineiro and two in the Copa Sudamericana. Midfielder Matheus Pereira ranked third with seven goals, all scored in the Brasileirão.

Goal frequency

Kaio Jorge was a true goal machine. Considering all competitions, he needed just 133.6 minutes to score. In the Brasileirão, his efficiency was even higher, with one goal every 124 minutes. Gabriel Barbosa, the second most efficient scorer, found the net every 177.7 minutes overall and every 183 minutes in the league.

Shots

In the Brasileirão, Cruzeiro created 2.3 big chances per match, averaging 13.5 shots per game, with 4.8 on target. Kaio Jorge led with 3.0 shots per game and 1.4 on target, followed by Matheus Pereira with 2.0 shots and 0.9 on target. The team’s top scorer also missed the most clear-cut chances, with 19 in total, an indication of how often he was involved in dangerous situations.

xG

The Brasileirão expected goals (xG) metric once again confirms Kaio Jorge’s attacking dominance. His xG of 17.35 was the highest in the squad, and the fact that he scored 21 goals in the competition, outperforming expectations, highlights his efficiency as a finisher. Midfielder Christian ranked second with an xG of 6.11, followed by Gabriel Barbosa with 5.59.

Cruzeiro’s passing statistics in 2025

Assists

Throughout 2025, Cruzeiro recorded a total of 51 assists across all competitions, showcasing a collective and creative style of play. In the Brasileirão alone, there were 41 assists, led by Kaio Jorge with eight, followed by Matheus Pereira and William with seven and six respectively.

xA

The expected assists (xA) metric measures the quality of passes leading to goals and places Matheus Pereira as the Brasileirão’s top creator. He posted 6.7 xA and contributed seven assists during the competition. He was responsible for the most dangerous passes on the team, followed by William and Wanderson, with 3.69 and 3.26 respectively.

Possession and average passes

Unlike more dominant teams, Leonardo Jardim’s Cruzeiro favored a more objective possession style. In the Brasileirão, average possession was 47.7%. The team completed 297 accurate passes per game, with an efficiency rate of 81.7%. Accuracy was higher in the defensive half (89.2%) than in attack (70.9%), reflecting a squad that valued quick transitions.

Accurate and key passes

Most of Cruzeiro’s build-up play in 2025 started from the back. Center-back Fabrício Bruno led in accurate passes per match with 40.1, at an 87% success rate, followed by Lucas Villalba and Lucas Romero with 36.8 and 36.4 respectively. In key passes — those that create chances — Matheus Pereira led the team with an average of 2.3 per game, reinforcing his role as the team’s playmaker.

Cruzeiro’s defensive statistics in 2025

Clean sheets and goals conceded

In 62 matches throughout the year, Cruzeiro recorded an impressive 26 clean sheets — 42% of their games without conceding. In the Brasileirão alone, there were 17 clean sheets. Overall, the team conceded just 51 goals, averaging 0.82 per match, while in the league the average was 0.8.

Tackles, interceptions and clearances

In the Brasileirão, Cruzeiro players were proactive defensively, averaging 16.2 tackles per match. Full-back Kaiki was one of the team’s best in this area, with 2.9 per game. Interceptions averaged 8.6 per match, led by Lucas Villalba with 1.5. In clearances, Fabrício Bruno was the standout, averaging 6.8 per game.

Yellow and red cards

Cruzeiro’s defensive intensity came at a cost. In the Brasileirão, the team averaged 2.8 yellow cards per match, with defensive midfielder Lucas Romero the most booked player, collecting 12 yellow cards. The team received five red cards overall in the competition, with no single player standing out — all were isolated incidents.

Cruzeiro goalkeeper statistics in 2025

The last line of defense was guarded by a legend: goalkeeper Cássio. Signed in 2024, he was the undisputed starter in 2025, playing 55 matches and totaling 4,887 minutes on the pitch. His contribution was vital: he recorded 23 clean sheets and conceded only 43 goals during the year. In addition, he saved three penalties, making him one of the main pillars of the Foxes’ campaign.

The backup goalkeeper was Otávio Costa, who featured in just eight matches. Matheus Cunha has since been signed as reinforcement and arrives to compete for the position with Otávio.

Play responsibly at Blaze

Now that you are up to date with all the essential data about Cruzeiro, it is time to remember the most important point of all: these statistics are from last year, and the 2026 campaign may be completely different. Although football betting is permitted in Brazil thanks to MESP Ordinance No. 125 of December 30, 2024, it is still crucial to bet responsibly.

Before placing your bets, remember to study all available data and statistics. You can also consult our Sports Betting Encyclopedia to learn more about the rules of each market and the main risks involved — whether to your mental health or your finances. Play responsibly, always remembering that betting is simply a form of entertainment, never an investment or a source of income. Never risk funds that are essential to your daily life.

Ready to find out what 2026 has in store for Cruzeiro? Take a look at our Sports Betting page and follow the team’s journey with us!