The wait is over. Three of the four main categories of Flamengo's youth football teams will debut this Saturday (26) in their respective state competitions. The Under-16s will play from next Tuesday (29) in the Copa Brasileirinho Internacional, a kind of Brazilian championship for the category, reinforced by some foreign teams. FlaTV will broadcast all competitions live.

The first team to take the field this Saturday will be the Under-15s. Led by coach Leonardo Cherede, the "Garotos do Ninho" (Flamengo's youth team) will have a classic match right in the opening round of the Rio Cup. They will host Fluminense at 9 am in Gávea.

At 10 AM, it's Flamengo's U-20 team's turn to debut in the Guanabara Cup for their category. Led by coach Fabio Matias, Daniel Cabral, Noga and company begin their quest for the 33rd state title in U-20 history by visiting Portuguesa at the Luso-Brasileiro Stadium.

“This is the start of the competitive year for the category, and we have very positive expectations for this season, which will still include the Brazilian Championship and the Copa do Brasil. It's a new work process that will last for another seven or eight months. We know we will evolve a lot throughout the competitions, and we have been conveying this to the athletes. But we are also aware of the importance of starting the Taça Guanabara playing well and beating Portuguesa. We will strive for that,” said coach Fabio Matias.

The Under-17 team, which won everything it competed for in 2021 under coach Mario Jorge, will take to the field for the first time in 2022, hosting Fluminense at Gávea. The match is part of the first round of the Copa Rio.

“This is a completely different team from last year's U-17 team. Our group of athletes for the 2022 season has distinct characteristics. Despite this, I guarantee that our fans can expect a strong and very competitive team, ready to deliver everything that the Institution prioritizes. But it's important to say that we shouldn't expect the same results as last year. I don't mean to say that this team isn't capable of achieving even more than the 2021 team did, since in 2022 we will also play in international competitions in Dallas (USA) and Budapest (Hungary). But everything will be part of a work process built throughout the season, and which will begin in this first game, a classic match against Fluminense. We will work very hard,” concluded coach Mario Jorge.