Flamengo faces Manchester City in the final of the Fattorie Donna Giulia Youth Cup in Italy

Early in his tenure as Flamengo's U-20 coach , Bruno Pivetti commented on his decision to leave professional football behind to take over the club's youth academy . To date, the coach has gone six games unbeaten, with four wins and two draws.

Bruno Pivetti, Flamengo U-20 coach: "I received invitations from professional teams"

Last Friday (15), Pivetti participated in Mengocast, Flamengo TV's official podcast , and detailed the reasons that led him to accept the red-black invitation , even after playing for several professional teams such as Vitória, Tombense, CSA, Goiás, Guarani, Chapecoense, Náutico, CRB and Operário.

"First, the club's grandeur. I've made it a goal in my career that when a club the size of Flamengo called me, I would only have one decision: accept . I came to add to and contribute to this great story," he emphasized.

According to the coach, despite receiving offers from professional teams after leaving Operário, the solidity of the youth academy project influenced his decision: " When I see a solid project with good ideas, it lights up my eyes . I received offers from professional teams, but I chose the best working conditions. Flamengo 's U-20 team is a mini-professional team. The structure, good players, and ideal working conditions made me accept the challenge," he explained.

IMMERSION IN THE VULTURE'S NEST

Living an intense routine, Pivetti revealed that he is literally "immersed" in Flamengo . With his family in Campinas, the coach has lived at Ninho do Urubu since arriving: " This idea of a professional who works 24 hours a day, in my case, is literal . I'm immersed in Ninho, I've been living here for almost a month. I experience the club all the time, and the facilities are fantastic," he stated.

NEXT U-20 GAME

Pivetti's next challenge will be this Saturday (16), when Flamengo faces Bangu, at 10 am (Brasília time), in Moça Bonita, for the third round of the Campeonato Carioca Sub-20. The match is the last for the Garotos do Ninho before the Club World Cup final , when Mengão faces Barcelona next Saturday (23) at 4:30 pm, at Maracanã.

Flamengo continues its active transfer market and has finalized the signing of Isaac Gomes, a 16-year-old striker from Fortaleza, to bolster its U-17 squad. This is the first investment by the new youth academy management, led by president Luiz Eduardo Baptista and manager Alfredo Almeida , according to the Flazoeiro channel and the Flabase portal.

The club acquired 70% of the player's economic rights for R$800,000, a move that reinforces its strategy of seeking promising talent from different regions of the country . The negotiations also involved football director José Boto, who has also worked with Flamengo 's youth teams.

ATTACKER PROFILE

Isaac Gomes, a fast and skillful winger, caught the attention of Flamengo 's scouting department for his performances for Fortaleza in the 2025 Brasil Soccer Cup, where he stood out for his technical ability and physical stature .

HISTORY WITH FLAMENGO

A Rio native, Isaac had already been scouted by Flamengo in 2017, when he tried out for futsal at age 8. His family, then living in Junco do Seridó, Paraíba, even organized bingo games and campaigns to make the trip to Rio possible. Although he wasn't selected at the time, he remained on the scouts' radar .

In 2022, playing for Grêmio Recreativo Pague Menos (GRPM/Tirol), he again participated in evaluations at Ninho do Urubu, this time in field soccer . He received positive feedback, but was advised to stay in Ceará to develop technically and physically, with the promise of a return—now fulfilled, in 2025.

Flamengo's U-20 team demonstrated superiority by defeating Maricá 3-1 in an away match for the second round of the Taça Guanabara. Matheus Gonçalves was a standout performer, directly involved in two goals in the first half. The first half featured three decisive plays that secured the Rubro-Negro's two-goal lead at the end of the first 45 minutes.

Matheus Gonçalves started the action with a shot from outside the box that hit the crossbar. In the 43rd minute, he pounced on a loose ball inside the box and fired a precise shot into the right corner, leaving the opposing goalkeeper with no chance . Just before halftime, Daniel Sales made a run down the right and crossed for Guilherme, who capitalized on the Maricá defense's mistake and doubled the lead.

SECOND HALF BRINGS REDUCTION TO THE OPPONENT

Early in the second half, Maricá threatened with a free kick that sailed over the crossbar . However, in the seventh minute, the home team managed to pull one back through Wendel, who pounced on a rebound after a shot hit the post. Maricá responded quickly: Daniel Sales combined passes with Guilherme and delivered a cross that nearly resulted in a goal, saved by the opposing goalkeeper on two consecutive occasions.

In the 17th minute, Guilherme was fouled on the edge of the box, and Matheus Gonçalves took the shot , but the ball hit the crossbar. Flamengo sealed the victory in the 23rd minute with a quick counterattack: João Alves passed the ball accurately to Guilherme, who crossed for Iago to finish with precision, making it 3-1. With the advantage, the Rio de Janeiro team controlled the result until the final whistle.

FLAMENGO'S NEXT CHALLENGE

The Rubro-Negro U-20 team returns to action on the 16th at 10 a.m. , facing Bangu in Moça Bonita in the third round of the Guanabara Cup. The team is looking to maintain its positive streak and strengthen its campaign in the state competition.