The U-15, U-16 and U-17 Ninho Boys returned to the George Helal Training Center at the beginning of the week, and kicked off the 2023 season. Between January 30th and February 3rd, the athletes underwent exams, underwent evaluations at the Medical and Physiology Department, and went to the field for their first training sessions.

In 2022, the "Mais Querido" won 44 youth soccer titles, breaking the record for most trophies lifted in a single season. It's with this spirit that the U-15 squad will face regional, national, and international competitions. Coach Leonardo Cherede spoke about what he hopes to develop with the athletes throughout the year.

"Expectations are the best possible. It's a competitive team, a team that has performed well in previous years, so I believe we'll work to stay at the top, reaching the finals of major competitions. And when we talk about Flamengo, we obviously have to talk about titles, about achievements. Let's work! It's a group with quality and ambition, and that's what we'll continue to show. Courage, ambition, and intensity in our daily lives, so we can deliver everything we can on the field," he commented.

The Garotos do Ninho's debut this year, however, will be at the end of the month in the U-16 Olaria Renovado Cup. Now leading the 2007 generation, coach Eduardo Zuma is working to be competitive in the first match of the year with the new group, and seeks to develop the team enough to showcase the red-and-black DNA in the 2023 international competitions. Among them, the Flamengo Adidas Cup, known as the main organized youth soccer competition in Brazil, which, in its very first edition, was won by the Garotos do Ninho.

"First, I want to congratulate the club for the organization in representing the athletes. We started training this week. The athletes are still adapting to the idea of ​​training and matches, and this will facilitate their understanding and adaptation to the training stimulus. Regarding the first championship, we expect it to be competitive. We'll try to see all the players in the matches we'll play in this first commitment. We'll give everyone opportunities so that throughout the year we already have a competitive baseline for the beginning of the season, and we'll gradually determine which players will have more opportunities. International competitions are important for the boys' development. I think participating in tournaments with quality fields, quality opponents, and different schools will help them develop and learn things that they don't have the opportunity to experience in our daily lives and in national and regional championships. It's a unique opportunity for individual and collective growth for all the athletes in the category, for sure," he said.

Finally, the U-17 category boasts a strong generation poised to win titles in 2023. Responsible for five titles last season, the 2006 generation returned this week hungry for more trophies. In addition to the Brazilian Championship, the category qualified for this year's Copa do Brasil, as well as other regional and international tournaments, such as the Adidas Generation Cup. With a full calendar, coach Leonardo Ramos commented on the season's expectations and the new group's development.

"In this first week, we did what we usually do: assess the players' performance and, based on that, draw up a development plan for tactical, physical, technical, and mental aspects. In the first half of the year, we have the Copa do Brasil, the Adidas Generation in the United States, and the Copa Rio. This is a generation that has had many positive results, with players playing at the U-20 level, and we believe we can count on some of them this year. And the idea is to have the Rubro-Negro DNA here, playing forward with an imposing manner, seeking victories, as we do. This generation, in particular, is treated with great care and affection, because their results have been very positive. Expectations are high that they will develop a game that reflects Flamengo's style and, consequently, achieve victories. We have a very busy year ahead of us, but we believe that with our work and the control we have, we will be able to do well in all of them," he concluded.