The day has come to celebrate another year of the institution I'm madly passionate about—alongside the more than 40 million Flamengo fans who make up the immense fan base of our Mengão. And for yet another year, I have the honor and privilege of addressing the nation as president of Flamengo, a position I've held for almost five years.

 

But before taking on this great responsibility, during all the previous 59 years, Flamengo has always been my great passion, without any merit on my part: raised in a completely red-and-black family, without any exception, I was born a Flamengo fan and will remain so until I die – as our popular anthem so aptly says.

 

Today, I wish Flamengo to remain infinite and unshakable, even though we know that not even eternity is enough for such a colossal institution, which touches the lives of those who wear red and black as much as—and greatly!—the lives of those who don't have the joy of knowing what it's like to be a Flamengo fan. Thank goodness we do. And we can celebrate not just today, but every day.

 

Red-black greetings,

 

Eduardo Bandeira de Mello