A story still in its infancy, but with a past full of red-and-black enthusiasm and a future that looks bright. Goalkeeper Thiago, who has been in the spotlight in recent weeks with his outstanding performances in the São Paulo Junior Football Cup, reached the pinnacle of his short career in the penalty shootout. Against Corinthians, he saved two shots and was instrumental in the title.

Thiago Rodrigues da Silva, born in Rio de Janeiro, turns 20 years old in June 2016. And, according to his own account, half of this story was built at Mais Querido.

"I started playing soccer when I was 5. My mom always liked sports. We lived in Vila Valqueire, and my mom took me to a club there to see what sports I could do. There was indoor soccer, which I liked and started playing there. A few years later, I went to Cascadura. There, I had a friend who also played for Flamengo. His mom said they needed a goalkeeper at Flamengo. So, in 2006, I came, tried out, passed, and I've been here ever since," he says.

The goalkeeper has been a Flamengo fan since childhood and doesn't hide his joy at playing for Flamengo. Thiago turned heads during the competition with some fine saves and chooses his favorite on the road to the Copa São Paulo title.

"For me, my best performance was against Red Bull, in both matches - both in the first round and in the second phase. The save that stood out to me the most was in the game against São Paulo. It was 1-0 and Banguelê made a header that I was able to save," he analyzes.

His penalty saves in the final against Corinthians also left a mark on him.

"There's no way to explain the emotion, especially for being a Flamengo fan. Saving a penalty in such an important competition and being crowned with this title... Speechless," he says.

Thiago had a tense moment during the penalty shootout. After saving a penalty, he had the chance to seal the victory. However, he failed to capitalize, and his penalty was saved by the opposing goalkeeper. The youngster says he was unfazed.

"I was confident at the time of the shot, especially because I had saved a penalty. When I missed, I felt a chill down my spine, but on the next kick I was confident I could save another one. I feel more excitement when saving a penalty than scoring one, being a goalkeeper (laughs)," he recalls.

The number 1 of the under-20 team has already had experience with the professional team, but keeps his feet on the ground when talking about the future.

"We're gradually gaining ground, getting used to the moments and gaining experience to handle the pressure in good times and bad. I think the responsibility of playing for Flamengo is huge. I want to become a professional here, wear this jersey and play at the Maracanã for Flamengo. Always taking one step at a time, patiently seeking my place and embracing every opportunity," he projects.

Thiago draws inspiration from training with the main team.

"I trained with the professional team last year and I really look up to Paulo Victor, both as a professional and as a person. He always helps us with advice; he's a great friend," he reveals.

The Copa SP title brought the young goalkeeper to prominence, demonstrating his love for the red-and-black fans. Even though he's accustomed to winning titles with the red-and-black youth academy, Thiago stated that the Copinha has a different significance.

"The Flamengo fans are incredible. When we entered Pacaembu Stadium, even with a lot of Corinthians fans, we could hear our fans cheering. It was also a pleasant surprise when we arrived at Gávea Stadium and there were a lot of fans to welcome us. It takes a while for it to sink in; we still don't understand what it's like to be champions of the Copa SP. But social media, for example, gives us a taste. Instagram is booming! (laughs)," he laughs.

You can watch the chat with the red-black prospect this Saturday on FlaTV, exclusively on Canal Premiere.