With a R$293m release clause, wonderkid debuts for Flamengo | OneFootball

Youngster made his debut for Flamengo in the U-16 Copa Rio

Cristian Araújo took his first step on Sunday (07) in his journey wearing the Flamengo shirt. Signed by the Rubro-Negro side in May, the midfielder made his official debut in a 2-2 draw against Boavista in the U-16 Copa Rio, in a match played at the Saquarema team’s Training Center.

“It was very special to make my debut for Flamengo. The draw wasn’t the result we wanted, but I’m happy to be available to the team and to start building this new chapter together with the squad,” the player said after his first game wearing the Sacred Jersey.

Shortly after arriving at the club a month ago, Cristian felt discomfort in his hamstring and spent a week receiving treatment. Recovered, the midfielder returned to training last week and played the entire first half in the match against Boavista. “I’m very confident about this return. I worked very hard to get here, and now I want to do my best to earn my place at Flamengo,” he said.

SO HOW ARE FLAMENGO DOING IN THE U-16 COPA RIO?

With the result, Flamengo remain in third place in Group B with seven points and now face a decisive clash to move closer to the top spot. On Wednesday (17), the Rubro-Negro will take on leaders Nova Iguaçu at 11 a.m. at Ninho do Urubu.

SO, IS HE HERE TO STAY?

At 16, Cristian signed a contract with the Rubro-Negro until 2029, with a release clause set at 50 million euros for overseas clubs (R$ 293 million at the current exchange rate). Those figures reflect the club’s belief in the young midfielder’s potential.

The player joins Flamengo after standing out in Mirassol’s youth ranks, where he drew attention from clubs in Brazil and abroad while wearing the No. 10 shirt in the Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior. With his debut now completed, Cristian officially begins his journey at Flamengo and continues his adaptation process with the aim of earning more playing time throughout the season.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.