On the morning of last Friday (19), the partnership between Flamengo and Espírito Santo Futebol Clube was made official, in Vitória, the capital of Espírito Santo, for the exchange of experiences and even athletes in the youth categories. Flamengo's president, Eduardo Bandeira de Mello, explained how the idea came about and the importance of the relationship between the entities.

"The partnership was born from Flamengo's intention to strengthen its ties with the Espírito Santo fans, who are mostly red-and-black, and to prospect talent in a region that has always been a breeding ground for stars. 

It involves the exchange of athletes and cooperation in the sporting and management areas," said the red-black leader.

To begin, three young players from the Espírito Santo club will be integrated into the youth ranks, into the U-20 team: defensive midfielder Christopher, midfielder Marcinho, and forward Rozário. All of them played in this edition of the São Paulo Junior Football Cup for Espírito Santo. After beating Avaí, the Garotos do Ninho are in the semifinals of the competition and will face Portuguesa for a spot in the final.

"We're very happy that Flamengo is looking at us and choosing us as a partner club. And such a big brand is getting involved with our football, we all benefit. This can only bring positive results for all clubs. It's not just a partnership for exchanging players; it's much more than that. We'll meet more often to discuss the next phases, until we put Espírito Santo football at the top. We're very honored to have been chosen by Flamengo," said Enrico Ambrogini, CEO of Espírito Santo.

The red-black club's goal is to be more actively present in all regions of the country, always adopting the same partnership model. In December, the first was announced, with the União Sports Center, in Ceará.