Last Wednesday (20), the guest of FlaTV's Virtual Chat was Argentine Franco Balbi. Two-time state champion, NBB and Super 8 Cup champion, the FlaBasquete star spoke about his most memorable moments wearing the Sacred Mantle. Check out some excerpts from the interview below.

Titles for Flamengo
"It's very important to arrive at a giant club like Flamengo and win titles from the start. It's really cool that our team has received all this recognition, but personally, it's incredibly satisfying to arrive here and be crowned champions right away. Being able to celebrate titles with our fans is wonderful."

Most important achievement
"Every title has its own special flavor, but I think the NBB was the most important because Flamengo hadn't won the competition in a few years. I also consider the Super 8 Cup important because it allowed us to qualify for the Champions League, which was one of our goals for this season."

Best foreigner/point guard in the NBB
"Actually, I was taken aback by this choice. I arrived at the club with the goal of trying to do my best and, as I said before, winning titles with Flamengo. It was a surprise to me, even though I knew that by winning titles I could be named the best foreign player and point guard of the competition. I was very happy and excited to be chosen among the many players who play here. The truth is, there are many good foreigners and Brazilians in my position. So it was a great joy to be recognized for everything you do on the court."

Trajectory in basketball
"I started playing basketball at age five, when my father took me to the gym for the first time. He was a soccer player and wanted me to join. But then, I saw a basketball commercial on TV, liked it, and decided to play. I started in the youth ranks of a team in my city. There in Argentina, you can start playing basketball at age five, which is the lowest age. So I went through the youth ranks until I was 16, when I joined a professional team, also in my city. I played for two teams there, Ciclista and Argentino, as well as other clubs in the country, until I joined Flamengo."

Red-black Nation
"It was at Maracanã that I first encountered the Flamengo fans. I was deeply impressed by the passion they have, bringing such positive energy to the field. Later, when I met them in the basketball gym, which is smaller and the music is even louder, it was really cool to play and receive such recognition from the nation."

Click here and watch the Virtual Chat in full on FlaTV.      


The basketball teams of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo rely on resources from their sponsors – BRB, TIM, AmBev, Rede D'or, IRB Brasil RE, CSN, Brasil Plural, EY – via the Federal Incentive Law/Ministry of Sports (IR) and State Incentive Law/State Secretariat of Sports, Leisure and Youth (Seelje) of Rio de Janeiro, in addition to support from the Brazilian Club Committee (CBC).