The Flamengo delegation embarked this Monday afternoon (27) towards Sardinia, Italy, to compete in the 40th edition of the Manlio Selis International Tournament in the under-14 category. The competition is in line with the new philosophy of the club's youth categories, which follows very specific criteria for the presence of Flamengo. The debut will be next Thursday (30), against Cosmo Sassari-ITA, at the Santa Vittoria Stadium.

One of the requirements for Flamengo's participation in international tournaments is technical skill. The goal is for the athletes, from the younger age categories, to become accustomed to facing significant opponents. The Manlio Selis tournament features teams with a strong tradition, such as Paris Saint-Germain (France), Liverpool (England), Juventus (Italy), Roma (Italy), Atalanta (Italy), Torino (Italy), and Genoa (Italy), among others.

After the first match, Flamengo will play twice on the same day. The team, coached by Fernando Vanucci, will face Ferrini Cagliari and Como on Friday, May 1st, at the same stadium. The competition will have 40 teams divided into 10 groups of four. The first-placed teams and the six best second-placed teams from each group advance to the knockout stage. The round of 16, quarterfinals, and semifinals will follow. The final is scheduled for May 3rd.

Flamengo is the current champion of the Manlio Selis tournament. Last year, the red-and-black team beat Milan 2-1 in the final. They had seven wins, scoring 44 goals and conceding three.