Flamengo completed another important milestone in its youth academy planning by participating in the 9th La Liga FC Futures tournament, held in Orlando, United States. It was an intense and educational week for the youngsters, who had the opportunity to explore another country and compete in a high-level tournament featuring established clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Racing Club, Palmeiras, and Orlando City, among others.

The red-black team played five matches, reached the semifinals and ended its participation in fourth place in the competition, played in the 7-a-side football format. The delegation boarded on Tuesday (7) and arrived in Miami the following day, continuing by bus to Orlando, host of the tournament. The return to Rio de Janeiro took place on Monday morning (13).

Participation represented another important step in the development of young athletes, beyond the results. Flamengo's youth academy director, Alfredo Almeida, emphasized that these experiences have immeasurable impacts on the athletes.

"International experiences like this broaden the competitive repertoire, encourage adaptation to different playing styles, and strengthen not only sports development, but especially human development—fundamental values ​​in building athletes and citizens better prepared for challenges on and off the field," said the director.

The matches were played at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, inside Walt Disney World, in Orlando. The title went to Atlético de Madrid, who defeated Palmeiras 3-1 in the final.