Mariléia dos Santos hails youth setup and Corinthians Women’s rise | OneFootball

One of the pioneers of Brazilian women’s football and a former Corinthians player, Mariléia dos Santos, known as Michael Jackson, highlighted the importance of strengthening youth categories for the continued growth of the sport in the country. Present at the launch of the 2026 Women’s Copinha, held by the São Paulo Football Federation (FPF) last Wednesday (23), the former player compared the current structure to the period when she played and also spoke about the Brabas’ leading role and the increase in crowd attendance at stadiums.

Mariléia built a career closely tied to the history of Brazilian women’s football and also wore the Corinthians shirt. A former forward, she played for clubs such as Radar, Saad, Santos, Internacional, Vasco da Gama, and Torino, in Italy. For the Brazilian National Team, she played in the 1995 World Cup and the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. After retiring from the pitch, she also began working in roles related to the development of women’s football.

Photo: Reproduction / Instagram

The fourth edition of the Women’s Copinha will be played between November 24 and December 12. For Michael Jackson, the existence of competitions aimed at young athletes represents an important change compared to the scenario faced by her generation, which did not have a consolidated development structure.

Addressing the topic, the former athlete used her own journey to argue that the development of women’s football needs to start from the youth levels. She also praised the FPF’s initiative in providing a calendar and competitive space for the players.

“You can’t start building a house from the roof, right? In my time, there was no youth system. But I’m very happy with the evolution of women’s football, and today I’m here to take part in the launch of the Women’s Copinha. This is very important. Congratulations to the São Paulo Football Federation for providing this for our youth system, because our youth players need space and competitions so they can play the football they love so much,” she said.

Michael Jackson celebrates Corinthians’ leading role

Michael Jackson’s connection with Corinthians also came up during the interview. The former player wore the black-and-white shirt during her career and closely followed a very different period from the one the sport is experiencing today.

Speaking about the Brabas’ recent performances, she highlighted the quality of Brazilian athletes and expressed pride in watching Corinthians on the field. For the former player, the football displayed by the black-and-white team also represents the progress the sport has made over the past decades.

“(The feeling) is one of pride, because Brazil has excellent athletes. So, to see a team like this, with all its responsibilities, and to see Corinthians on the field, is a huge source of pride. It’s seeing our girls playing, shining on the field, which is their runway. And it’s beautiful football to watch,” she said.

Corinthians’ current leading role is also the result of a path of achievements built since the sport was reactivated at the club. In addition to their prominence on the pitch, the Brabas have also started playing in matches with large crowds, a scenario far removed from what many of the pioneers of women’s football in Brazil faced.

Growth in the stands also represents an achievement

Michael Jackson linked the increase in fan attendance to the work done by previous generations. In the former player’s view, the structure and visibility enjoyed by athletes today are also the result of a path started by women who played when the sport had far fewer spaces to develop.

Speaking about the crowds recorded in recent matches, she also recalled a Brazilian National Team game played in 1995 at Parque do Sabiá, in Uberlândia.

“It’s a huge source of pride. It’s knowing that everything I did, what my generation did back then, was worth it, because today we are reaping the rewards. Our girls now have space to play and practice the football they like. And then you have a final drawing 40,000, 50,000 people. I hope they bring in even more, because in 1995 we drew 70,000 people for the Brazilian National Team at Parque do Sabiá,” she recalled.

The statement comes at a time when Corinthians is also posting significant numbers in the stands. Last Monday (21), 9,755 fans watched the black-and-white side’s 1-0 win over Bahia at Neo Química Arena in the second leg of the Brazilian Women’s Championship semifinal.

The Brabas’ all-time record, however, is significantly higher. In 2024, 44,529 people were at Neo Química Arena to watch Corinthians’ 2-0 win over São Paulo in the second leg of the Brasileirão Feminino final. The result confirmed the team’s sixth Brazilian title.

Copinha expands the development calendar for young players

The scenario highlighted by Michael Jackson also gains importance with the staging of another edition of the Women’s Copinha. The competition gives youth categories a nationally relevant tournament at the end of the season and brings together young players seeking the next step toward professional football.

Corinthians will once again be part of the competition. The Brabinhas were drawn into Group B, named Copan, alongside Red Bull Bragantino, Atlético-MG, and Ação-MT. The final is scheduled for December 12 at Canindé.

The participation comes at a time when the club maintains teams in different age groups and seeks to establish a connection between youth development and the professional squad. Players such as Jhonson and Duda Mineira, for example, came through the black-and-white youth system before earning their place with the Brabas.

For Michael Jackson, this very structure represents one of the main differences between the reality faced by her generation and the current scenario. The existence of youth categories, along with dedicated competitions, allows young players to gain experience before reaching the professional level.

Brabas return to Neo Química Arena for another final

The growth mentioned by the pioneer will have another chapter this Saturday (26). At 4:30 p.m. (Brasília time), Corinthians and São Paulo face off at Neo Química Arena in the first leg of the 2026 Brazilian Women’s Championship final.

It will be a repeat of the 2024 national final, precisely the match that ended with the Brabas’ all-time attendance record. According to information published by Meu Timão, the expectation for the first Majestoso of this final is approximately 20,000 fans.

The return leg will be played on October 3, also at 4:30 p.m., at MorumBIS. The biggest champion in Brasileirão Feminino history, Corinthians reaches the final seeking the eighth title in its history and its sixth in a row.

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