2010 is a special year for world soccer. After all, another World Cup will be held in South Africa mid-year. However, for players under 18, another traditional annual World Cup will be the most important event on the national soccer calendar. The ball rolls this Sunday for Flamengo's debut in the 41st edition of the São Paulo Junior Soccer Cup. The red-and-blacks face Sport Club Shallon, from Roraima, at 14 p.m. at the Joaquim de Moraes Filho Stadium.

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The Gávea team is in Group S of the most important tournament in Brazilian football, and in addition to Shallon, they will face Paulista and Taubaté, the home team. The young Flamengo team is confident about the competition. Since winning the 2007 Octávio Pinto Guimarães Cup, Flamengo has not won a title in the junior category. Therefore, their motivation for the Copinha is even greater.

 "I'm very confident in the team, the group is very united, our focus is on the title, especially because we didn't win anything in 2009 and we're going all out for the Copinha," said striker Lucas Quintino.

The competition is the biggest showcase for youth football in Brazil, and as such, the players hope to perform well not only collectively but also individually, to achieve their biggest dreams, such as attracting the interest of European clubs and even being promoted to Flamengo's professional team.

"We all know that the São Paulo Cup is a great showcase. I know that if I do well I could be sold to a team abroad or even be integrated into the professional squad, which is my biggest dream, but I can't be anxious, because that could affect my performance on the field," added Lucas, one of the top scorers for Flamengo's youth team last season.

Flamengo's schedule in the Copinha is as follows: the Red-Black team debuts this Sunday, the 3rd, against Shallon, at 14 pm, with live coverage on SporTV. Then, on Wednesday, the 6th, Mengão faces Paulista de Jundiaí, at 16 pm, and concludes its participation on Friday, the 9th, against the home team, Taubaté.

Taubate: Taubaté is a Brazilian municipality in the state of São Paulo. Located in the Paraíba Valley mesoregion, it is 123 km from the state capital of São Paulo, 280 km from the city of Rio de Janeiro, 90 km from Ubatuba on the northern coast of São Paulo, and 45 km from Campos do Jordão in the Mantiqueira Mountains.

It is the second-largest industrial and commercial hub in its mesoregion, home to companies such as Volkswagen, Ford, LG, Alstom, Usiminas, Embraer (distribution center), among others. The municipality is also home to the Army Aviation Command. It is also the birthplace of writer Monteiro Lobato.

According to an estimate made by the IBGE, in July 2009 the municipality had 273.426 inhabitants, ranking 11th among the most populous cities in the interior of São Paulo and being the 25th largest municipality in the state. The name of the city originates from the Tupi language, and means elevated village (taba) (ybaté).

Foundation: December 5, 1645 (364 years) (elevation to town)
Gentilic: Taubaté
Motto: Per aspera pro Brasilia ("Every sacrifice for Brazil")
Mayor: Roberto Peixoto (PMDB)(2009 – 2012)
Area: 625,916 km²
Population: 273.426
HDI: 0,837 (SP: 21st) - high UNDP/2000
GDP: R$ 5.398.601 thousand (BR: 63rd) - SEADE/2006
GDP per capita: R$ 19.872,64 SEADE/2006

Joaquim de Moraes Filho Stadium: The stadium was founded in 1967. Until then, Esporte Clube Taubaté played its matches at the Municipal Stadium in Praça Monsenhor Silva Barros, the Bosque field. In 1954, the club's board set the goal of building a new stadium.

In 1965, then-mayor Felix Guisard Filho enacted municipal law No. 115, donating 38.300 m² of land to Esporte Clube Taubaté, located in the former Parque das Nações, for the construction of a new stadium. The club also received 45 million Cruzeiros Velhos (old Cruzeiros) for the completion of the new stadium.

In May 1958, a large brick drive coordinated by a club leader was launched in the city. The drive received the full support of the employees of the Jute Manufacturing Company, including the collaboration of its manager. Ten years later, on January 14, 1968, the stadium was inaugurated, named after the club's then-president, Joaquim de Morais Filho.

The opening match was against São Paulo Futebol Clube, the 1967 São Paulo State Championship runner-up. The score was 2-1 for São Paulo. The stadium's attendance record came in the match against Corinthians, held on June 11, 1980. The paying crowd was 21.272.

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Name: Estádio Joaquim de Morais Filho
Nickname: Joaquinzão
Location: Taubaté, SP, Brazil
Construction: 1967
Opening: January 14, 1968
Owner: Taubaté Sports Club
Lawn: Natural grass (105 x 68 m)