He has the quality - Flamengo coach tips Jackson to join list of top strikers

Flamengo coach Filipe Luís has weighed in on Nicolas Jackson's controversial red card against Chelsea in the FIFA Club World Cup, acknowledging the dismissal was warranted but backing the young striker to achieve great things in the future.

Jackson, who had only been on the pitch for four minutes, received a straight red card from Salvadoran referee Iván Barton for an aggressive studs-up challenge on Flamengo's Ayrton Lucas during Chelsea's 3-1 defeat on Friday.

The incident marked Jackson's second red card in just four appearances for the Blues, having also been sent off for a forearm on Newcastle's Sven Botman in a Premier League match last month.

His disciplinary record also includes 10 yellow cards in the Premier League during the 2023-24 season.

As a result of this latest sending-off, the 24-year-old Senegalese international will be suspended for Chelsea's upcoming Club World Cup match against Esperance Sportive de Tunis next week.

Despite the clear disciplinary issue, Filipe Luís, a former Chelsea defender himself, expressed a surprising amount of support for Jackson.

While agreeing with the referee's decision, he believes this "little mistake" won't derail Jackson's potential.

Speaking after the game, Luís stated, "Jackson is so good and he is young and he has the quality the club needs. He will surpass this little mistake. I think the red was clear, but it is just a small detail for a big player, and he can be one of the biggest strikers in the world."

Luís's bold prediction offers a contrasting perspective to the widespread criticism Jackson has faced, particularly from Chelsea legend John Obi Mikel, who labelled the incident "stupid, stupid, stupid."

Jackson himself has issued a public apology via Instagram, expressing anger at himself and taking "full responsibility" for the incident, though he maintained it was not intentional.