Ten years of dedication to Flamengo. Marcelo Lomba is a true example of Flamengo's current squad, serving as an inspiration to young talents seeking a place in the sun in the future. The goalkeeper, who played in Flamengo's debut in the Copa Santander Libertadores, can't hide his pride in being brought up through the youth ranks. Lomba believes the current squad is further proof that Flamengo continues to produce stars at home.

\

"It's emotional for me to talk about the youth academy. I'm proud to be a Flamengo product. A few years ago, some criticized it, but Flamengo's youth academy is very good, it has value, and we do produce stars at home, with great professionals. And the more I can encourage the kids who come through the academy, the more I will do. It's great to be an example for them. Not just me, but also Fabrício, Adriano, who is on the national team... I've been here for ten years. The opportunity took a while to arrive, but I worked hard to get a good reward. It was worth fighting for," he said.

\

The goalkeeper was highly praised by everyone at Gávea. Midfielder Toró was one of them. The number five believes that both Lomba and Fabrício made the most of their opportunities. According to him, this serves as motivation for all the players who feel they're not getting many chances in the starting lineup.

\

"Lomba is a great friend, as is Fabrício, and always being prepared for an opportunity is crucial. There's no point in thinking you're out of the game, thinking the coach won't give you opportunities... You have to always be prepared. For goalkeepers, it's even a bit more complicated, especially because Bruno is a strong goalkeeper who always works hard, but Lomba is there, working, rain or shine, and the opportunity came for him to grab. Fabrício did too. Angelim scored the winning goal for the Brazilian title, but today he felt a little underwhelmed, and Fabrício worked hard to take advantage of the opportunity," he commented.

\

Marcelo Lomba stated that the desire to win a championship for Flamengo's first team is even greater for someone who comes from the youth academy. The goalkeeper says the squad will do everything possible to win not only the Libertadores but also their fourth state championship.

\

"Everyone wants to play for Flamengo, especially those who come through the youth ranks, and when they get there, they deliver. Everyone has potential here. We're competing in the fourth Rio de Janeiro title and the Libertadores, and the fans aren't content with anything less; they want both, and they're right. We have the squad for it, and whatever we can win, we'll win," he concluded.