To the sound of the Flamengo marching band, the club launched miniature versions of its mascots, Uruba and Urubinha, yesterday. The presence of players Emerson and Ronaldo Angelim, as well as the Uruba and Urubinha characters themselves, attracted a small crowd to FlaShop, the club's official store in downtown Rio, on Thursday afternoon. There, fans and customers had the chance to take photos and get autographs from the players. “I love them. I always see them at Maracanã and in basketball. They're always entertaining everyone,” commented Simone Lima, 23, a tourism graduate, about the mascots. Another person with the miniatures in hand was Eduardo Gonzalez, 23, who works in the financial market and was passing by. “I thought it was really cool. I had to buy a gift for my three-year-old cousin and I found out about it when I saw the activity outside the store, with the marching band.” According to Eduardo Rosenberg, an executive at Roxos e Doentes, which manages FlaShop, the event was a success. "They are beloved characters that fans adore, and the product reaches an even wider segment of the fanbase: the younger fans."

For defender Ronaldo Angelim, who lost count of the autographs he handed out, the affection from Flamengo fans is impressive. “We’re going through a bad time, but even so, Flamengo fans are loyal. You saw their affection here. This is good for a player, it gives extra motivation, and I was very happy to participate in a celebration like this,” Angelim pointed out.

Forward Emerson also said he was very happy to participate in the event. “That’s why we understand that it’s truly a passion. It’s not just any fanbase. When there’s pressure, we end up understanding why. Because this love really exists. We’re happy, we know they’re always supporting us and we know that ‘wherever you are, I’ll be there,’ as the song says.”

Miniatures – Made from non-toxic vinyl, a rubberized material that poses no danger to children, the miniatures perfectly reproduce the trademark features of the Flamengo mascots: sunglasses and a striking smile, typical of the club's fans. The figures measure 13 cm (Uruba) and 08 cm (Urubinha). The suggested price is R$ 39,90 for the package containing both pieces.

The project was developed by Flamengo's Marketing Department, in partnership with Ninibin. According to Leila Monteiro, the club's Licensing Manager, Flamengo has always heavily exploited the emblems of football and rowing. Now, the club's Marketing Department is looking to explore other audiences. “The passion for football knows no age. It goes from the oldest to the youngest, including children. So, we need to have a more child-friendly language to communicate better with children's minds, so that they identify with this universe. Nothing is better than a mascot to bring the club closer to children. Based on this, we created a mascot,” she explained.

For businessman Rafael de Albuquerque, from Ninibin, the reception to the miniatures exceeded expectations. “Our vultures at the point of sale are selling very well. It's excellent. I am a defender of this passion for football and of all the fan activity that can strengthen this identity,” he stated. “The expectation is excellent. We already had a great response with the mascots, despite the times of crisis, despite not having any festive dates coming up. The expectation is to have sales success,” he added.