The Mais Querido under-16 football team has already entered the field as champions to compete in the last round of the Guilherme Embry Tournament, which is in its 5th edition. The boys drew 3-3 with Botafogo, on Tuesday morning (27.10), at CEFAT, in Niterói, at the opponent's youth academy training center.

Flamengo opened the scoring in the first half with Marques, but their opponents turned the game around, extending their lead, and the half ended with a 3-1 victory for Flamengo. Flamengo equalized in the second half thanks to a goal from the competition's top scorer with ten goals, Fabrício, and a stunning strike from Andrade. But the 3-3 scoreline was a minor factor in the match marked by the presentation of the trophy and medals to Flamengo.

The Most Beloved secured the title in advance on October 13th, after beating Fluminense 2-1 at Gávea. Leading the boys was Marcio Torres, assistant coach to Gilmar Popoca in the under-17s, who was given the task of leading the under-16s group. Marcinho, as he is known, has already won the São Paulo Cup and was a three-time OPG Tournament champion, but had never won a title as a coach and celebrated the unprecedented achievement, both for the club and for himself.

"This was my first year as a full-time coach, with the mission of bringing the title. It's tense, because the responsibility is great, but when the victory and the title come, it's incredibly satisfying," he said. The team manager also analyzed the Mais Querido's participation in the competition.

"This championship is a tribute to a huge Flamengo fan, who attends every game, wherever the youth team plays. The boys deserve congratulations on their excellent campaign. We didn't lose a single match in the final stage and finished six points ahead of our opponents. It was a respectable campaign, as we played some great games," he said.

Already thinking about the next season, the U-16 manager spoke about his expectations for the future, with a promising team.

"This group is very strong. We have players who excel in team play, and next year they will work alongside the 'Generation 2000,' who excel both collectively and individually. This chemistry has everything it takes to succeed, and we will compete in every championship to win," said the coach, referring to the under-15 team, which has been winning titles and providing several players for the Brazilian national team in that category.

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