Cruzeiro Signs 17-Year-Old Goalkeeper Diogo Minelli to First Professional Contract

Brazilian football club Cruzeiro officially signed 17-year-old goalkeeper Diogo Minelli to his first professional contract on Friday. This agreement will keep the promising academy player with the Minas Gerais club until May 2029.

Minelli has progressed through Cruzeiro’s youth ranks, having played for both the Under-13 and Under-15 teams. In the 2026 season, he has been part of the Under-20 squad, making one appearance, and has also significantly featured with the Under-17s, recording 10 appearances.

During his time with the Under-17s, Minelli participated in the Brazilian Under-17 Championship, the Under-17 Copa do Brasil, and both the Minas Gerais Under-17 and Under-20 Championships. In 2025, he was also a member of the Under-20 squad that secured the Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior (Copinha) trophy, marking the club's second consecutive title in the competition.

The professional signing of young talents like Diogo Minelli reflects Cruzeiro’s current strategy, which aims to develop and integrate its own players into the first team, currently managed by Artur Jorge.

This emphasis on "Cria da Toca" (academy-developed players) is already evident in the senior squad through several success stories. Goalkeeper Otávio reportedly took over as a starter after an injury to Cássio, delivering performances that led the board to halt the search for a new name for the position in the transfer market.

Left-back Kaiki, who received his initial opportunities in 2022 and saw significant development in 2025, is now reportedly on the radar of European clubs and was included on coach Carlo Ancelotti’s preliminary list for the World Cup. Forward Kaique Kenji has also been consistently earning more playing time and the trust of the senior team's coaching staff.

According to Yahoo Sports Soccer, this move reinforces Cruzeiro's commitment to nurturing homegrown talent.