Flamengo's history of developing athletes from its youth academy is unquestionable. Throughout the club's glorious years, numerous names have emerged from the red-and-black fields into the world, earning trophies, respect, and idolatry at many clubs. In addition to those who made history and returned to find happiness, the current season has shown us that the work is paying off. On a field packed with "Garotos do Ninho" (Nest's Boys), they stand out for their love of the Manto they've worn since the beginning.

During the 2018 Brasileirão, every match had at least three players formed in the youth academy as starters. Against Corinthians, in the 1-0 victory on Sunday afternoon (3), with the first two changes by Maurício Barbieri, Flamengo had five athletes created in the club on the field at the same time (Vinicius Junior, Lucas Paquetá, Felipe Vizeu, Jean Lucas and Léo Duarte).

In addition to the young names Léo Duarte, Matheus Thuler, Lucas Paquetá, Vinicius Junior, Jean Lucas, and Lincoln, those who also took to the field and began their careers at Mais Querido are Juan, César, and Julio Cesar, who returned to Mengo to retire. Excluding the youngsters who played in the professional team only during the Campeonato Carioca, the red-and-black youth academy was responsible for nine assists (five from Lucas and four from Vinicius) and 17 goals (ten from number 20, five from Paquetá, one from Vizeu, and one from Lincoln) in 2018.

In nine rounds of the Brazilian Championship, the one with the fewest youngsters on the field was the debut against Vitória, in which only Juan, Paquetá, and Vinicius took the field. On the other hand, the big win at Independência against Atlético-MG featured six: Matheus Thuler, Léo Duarte, Lucas Paquetá, Jean Lucas, Vinicius Junior, and Felipe Vizeu.

The number 20 played in all nine of Flamengo's Brazilian Championship matches, starting eight of them, scoring against Ceará (twice) and Chapecoense (twice). Lucas Paquetá appeared in eight matches, scoring against Internacional and Bahia. Jean Lucas and Léo Duarte appeared in seven matches, with the midfielder starting three times and the center-back starting all three. Juan played three times, followed by Lincoln and Vizeu with two appearances. Goalkeepers César and Julio Cesar rounded out the list, each with one appearance.

The statistics also caught the attention of coach Maurício Barbieri, who commented on the fact that the Garotos do Ninho are frequently present in the club's excellent campaign. "They have shown that they have the potential to perform well. Everyone is doing very well. This is the result of a very good investment in the youth academy. Having players trained here tends to increase their level of identification and dedication. The fans must trust them, just as I do," said the coach.

Flamengo shows game after game that its squad is strong and will fight for every possible title. On the field, the young players, accustomed to the weight of the Sacred Mantle, continue to make history every day, dreaming that one day their names will be forever etched in the memory of every fan. And if they continue like this, it will only be a matter of time.

Juan: 14 games, eight wins, five draws and one loss.

Matheus Thuler: eight games, six wins and two losses.

Léo Duarte: 18 games, 11 wins, four draws and three losses.

Jean Lucas: 16 games, 11 wins, three draws and two losses.

Lucas Paquetá: 28 games, 17 wins, nine draws, two losses, five goals scored and five assists.

Vinicius Junior: 30 games, 18 wins, eight draws, four losses, 10 goals scored and four assists.

Lincoln: 11 games, six wins, four draws, one loss and one goal scored.

Felipe Vizeu: eight games, four wins, two draws, two losses and one goal scored.