There's no denying it: Flamengo is well-served when it comes to goalkeeping. And, if every good team starts with a strong number 1, Flamengo fans know they can trust every option they have for the position. One of them is young Marcelo Lomba, who this December 18th celebrates 23 years of dedication and love for Clube de Regatas do Flamengo. Applauded from a young age, Lomba earned the admiration of fans and other players at Gávea and is on his way to becoming a great goalkeeper.

The goalkeeper has always been treated as a gem at the club and is considered a tremendous talent. In his brief career, he earned numerous call-ups to the U-15 and U-17 national teams, including winning the South American Championship with Brazil. It was in the junior category that Lomba burst onto the scene. He was one of the key players behind the club's two-time Rio de Janeiro state championship, in 2005 and 2006, and also participated in the 2005 Copa Record and Copa Cultura victories, as well as the 2006 Rio-São Paulo Tournament.

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After so many achievements and accolades, there was no way the goalkeeper wouldn't be promoted to the professional ranks. And that's what happened. By 2006, Marcelo Lomba was already the second-choice goalkeeper on coach Waldemar Lemos's team. Lomba arrived to be Diego's immediate backup, as he had been in the youth ranks before Diego's promotion to the professional ranks in 2004. That year, Lomba would play two more matches, but as everyone knows, in the goalkeeper position, it's not common for the backup to get many chances. Even more so after the arrival of Bruno, who earned the starting spot, leaving Diego and Lomba to alternate in the fight for a spot on the bench.

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Even so, young Marcelo continues working hard to one day take over Flamengo's number 1 jersey, and build on the tradition of Flamengo's goalkeeper, a position held by so many great Brazilian football idols. Lomba's résumé rivals many of them. As a professional, the goalkeeper has won the Copa do Brasil in 2006, the Campeonato Carioca in 2007, 2008, and 2009, and, most recently, the Campeonato Brasileiro.

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Twitter - Marcelo Lomba has become even closer to his fans thanks to the microblogging site Twitter. The goalkeeper created a profile on the page, which has become increasingly popular among Brazilians. He chats with fans, provides information on training sessions and some of the club's special features, and runs promotions giving away shirts, cleats, and other club-related items. Lomba already has over 5100 followers and left a birthday message.

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"Tomorrow (today) is my birthday, but I already got the present in advance on the 6th (the sixth national championship)," he celebrated.