After a turbulent 2002, Clube de Regatas do Flamengo began a new era in its history in 2003. The club didn't win any major titles, despite reaching the Copa do Brasil final against Cruzeiro. However, from that season onward, with the exception of 2005, the club won some competition every year (and in most of them, it came out on top). The year was also marked by the victory in the State Rowing Championship, a tournament that hadn't been held in Gávea for five seasons.

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The team begins the year with a preseason in the city of Resende, where they face a local national team, winning 2-0. As the CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation) had decided that the new Brazilian football calendar would emphasize the Brazilian Championship, scheduled to begin in March, with home-and-away matches and a points system, the regional championships were duly discontinued. The Copa Sudamericana was also created, featuring several South American teams.

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At the beginning of the year, Flamengo began competing in the State Championship, a single-round competition between 12 teams. The Guanabara Cup would be awarded to the top four teams, with the top four teams competing in a quadrangular round. In the Carioca Championship, the team started off strong, being widely considered the favorite to win. However, in the final stages of the season, the team lost games and fell out of contention.

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In the Copa do Brasil, Flamengo put together a strong run of matches, eliminating opponents like Remo, Vitória, and Sport, reaching the final to face Cruzeiro, a great team that year, which went on to win the Campeonato Mineiro, the Copa do Brasil, and the Brasileirão. In a spirited display, in a packed Maracanã stadium with over 80 spectators, Flamengo managed to secure a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the final. However, in the return match at the Mineirão stadium, the blue team prevailed 3-1 and won the title.

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In the first Brazilian Championship with points, Flamengo started poorly and remained inconsistent throughout. Despite this, through ups and downs, the team ended up finishing the competition in eighth place, without being threatened by relegation. 2003 also saw the first edition of the Copa Sulamericana. Flamengo was eliminated in the first round, losing its matches against Internacional and Santos.

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The standouts on that team were goalkeeper Julio Cesar, full-back Athirson, and the newly signed Felipe, Fabiano Eller, and Fernando Baiano. Also featured were Jônatas, Jean, Rafael, and André Bahia.

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Other Sports: Returning to the glory days of the sport that spawned it, Flamengo celebrated a title in the 2003 Olympics. After five years without a win, the club prevailed in the Rio de Janeiro Rowing Championship. In the final regatta, Flamengo was trailing Vasco da Gama, and on its anniversary, it won the championship in spectacular fashion.

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But no sport stood out as much this year as futsal. Flamengo performed exceptionally well in the competitions it competed in. It won the two main Rio titles of the year: the Adult State Championship and the Adult Metropolitan Championship. In Olympic Gymnastics, Flamengo won two more titles with the Hypólito brothers. It won the Brazilian Individual All-Around Championship with Daniele Hypólito and the Brazilian Individual Youth Championship with Diego Hypólito. In swimming, Flamengo won its third Carioca Winter Absolute Championship. And in judo, it won the Lightweight Olympic Circuit and the 7th International Judo Cup.

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Time of Year: Defeat in the final of the Copa do Brasil
Character of the Year: Fernando Baiano
Game of the Year: Flamengo 1 x 1 Cruzeiro, first game of the Copa do Brasil final
Top Scorer of the Year: Edilson and Fernando Baiano, with 16 goals

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To check out all of Flamengo's games in 2000, click here.
For more information about this year, visit this article on Flapedia.