The George Helal Training Center will be hosting Flamengo's youth academy this week, which will see the team return to training at the end of January. After another record-breaking season of titles, winning 44 in 2023, the "Garotos do Ninho" (Ninho Boys) returned to training after undergoing clinical, nutritional, and physiological reassessments. While the U-20 team returned to training with an eye on upcoming competitions, the U-17, U-16, U-15, and subsequent categories began preseason training, striving to once again develop winning athletes with the Rubro-Negro DNA.


Mengão's U-20s return with an eye on the Libertadores and a trip to Morocco

The 2024 season for the final training stage had already begun in December with preparations for the São Paulo Cup and the Campeonato Carioca representing the professional team in the first rounds. This Tuesday (30), the Garotos do Ninho met and began preparations led by Mario Jorge and the committee for the Conmebol Libertadores competition in the category, which will be played in March in Uruguay. Mengão will know their opponents next week, when the group draw will take place, and will only travel at the end of February, on the 29th.

The U-20 B category also has an important commitment in February. Mengão will compete in the U-19 International Tournament in Morocco and travel to the African country on the 17th. Shortly after their successful run in the Copinha, reaching the semifinals, coach Raphael Bahia took over the category and began planning.

Generation 2007 arrives at the U-17 with good expectations

The U-17 category returned early on Monday morning (29), when they participated in evaluations by the DSAR (Department of Health and High Performance). Blood tests were taken, as well as weight, height and fat level. Then, the athletes underwent activities with physiotherapy and physiology. The Garotos do Ninho went to the field in the afternoon of the same day and had their first contact with the technical committee, now led by former athlete Filipe Luís.

Also on Tuesday, the U-16s went through the entire clinical and physical evaluation process, the same as the U-15s on Wednesday morning (31). The 2008 and 2009 generations were presented to their technical committees, led by Eduardo Zuma and Vinicius Durante respectively. Planning continues throughout the week for the other categories.

Debuts

The Garotos do Ninho's first official match will take place on February 20th. And that's two categories playing on the same day. The U-16s will kick off the Copa Olaria, where Mengão is seeking its second championship, and later the U-19s (or 20-B) will debut in the International Tournament in Morocco. In early March, the U-20s will return to action in the CONMEBOL Libertadores, the category's main competition of the year, while the U-17s and U-15s will debut in the Copa Rio on March 9th, initially.