Two naturalized Brazilians who previously played for Armenia's national futsal team — Luan Müller and Javier Zanotto — have reached the final of the UEFA Futsal Champions League, which will take place on May 4.
Julio Zanotto helped Kazakhstan’s Kairat reach the final by providing two assists in the semifinal match against Spain’s Cartagena (3-2). Goalkeeper Luan Müller kept a clean sheet for Spain’s Palma, leading them to a 3-0 win over Sporting with a confident performance. In addition, Luan scored his team's third goal.
The final will be contested between Kairat and Palma on May 4.
It’s worth noting that currently both players are ineligible to represent Armenia, but their time with the Armenian national team played a crucial role in the development of futsal in the country. Luan Müller, named the world’s best futsal goalkeeper in 2024, previously played for Yerevan club Leo and earned over 40 caps for Armenia. His involvement with the Armenian team helped him return to top-level competition after a serious injury, and later he went on to win the Champions League twice with Palma.
Julio Zanotto began playing for Armenia in late 2023 and also contributed to the team's progress. With and without their involvement, Armenia's futsal team made history by qualifying for the final stage of the European Championship — EURO 2026 — for the first time ever.