Flamengo, the most popular club in Brazil
[photo=quadro1.JPG id=141 align=right]Brazil largest football club – with an estimated 40 million supporters – Clube de Regatas do Flamengo was founded on the 15th of November, 1895 as a rowing club by rowers José Agostinho Pereira da Cunha, Mário Spindola, Nestor de Barros, Augusto Lopes, José Félix da Cunha Meneses and Felisberto Laport.
The rowers would gather at the Café Lamas, in Largo do Machado, and decided to form a rowing. They could only afford a second hand boat, which they called “The Pherusa" and had to undergo a complete restoration before it could be used in competition. The team’s debut came the 6th October 1895, when they sailed off the Caju Point, from the Maria Angu beach, having the Flamengo beach as their destination. However, strong winds turned their boat over and they nearly drowned, before being rescued by a fishing boat. During the works to repair the Pherusa, the boat was stolen and never seen again. The group then had to save up money to buy a new boat, the “Etoile", renamed “Scyra". On the 15th of November, the group gathered at Nestor de Barros"s manor, at the Flamengo beach and founded the Flamengo Rowing Club, also electing its first board.
However football was not played by Flamengo and it didn’t start until a group of dissatisfied players – ironically from eventual arch rivals – Fluminense Football Club broke away from the club following a fight with the board. The group of players (Othon de Figueiredo Baena, Píndaro de Carvalho Rodrigues, Emmanuel Augusto Nery, Ernesto Amarante, Armando de Almeida, Orlando Sampaio Matos, Gustavo Adolpho de Carvalho, Lawrence Andrews and Arnaldo Machado Guimarães) went to Flamengo"s because the team"s captain Alberto Borgeth, who also left, was also a rower for Flamengo. Admittance of the new members was eventually approved on the 8th November 1911 and after winning an internal battle against the Club"s participation in football tournaments, the members officially created the football team on christmas eve 1911.
[photo=quadro2.JPG id=141 align=left]Their first official match was played on the 3rd of May 1912 and is, to this day, the highest scoring game for the club, as the team defeated Mangueira 16 x 2. The first Fla x Flu (probably the most famous derby in Brazilian football, in which Flamengo plays Fluminense) was also played in that year, on the 7th of July, and was won by Fluminense, 3×2. Flamengo finished in 2nd place in the Rio State championship that year with Alberto Borgerth finishing highest scorer with 17 goals. In 1913 Flamengo once again finished runners up in the competition losing out to América. But success wasn’t far away, in 1914 Flamengo won their first state championship and managed to successfully defend the title in 1915. Flamengo have gone on to win the title a record 28 times, most recently in 2004.
One of Flamengo’s most famous players during these early days was Leônidas da Silva. He started playing for the club in 1936. As one of Flamengo"s first black players, he was instrumental in giving the club a working-class image and turning it into the most popular club in Brazil. Domingos Antonio da Guia or Domingos ‘the divine’ as the Uruguayans nicknamed him, also enchanted Flamengos supporters between 1935-1943 further adding to the belief that Flamengo was a club for the people no matter what race or background.
Over time, the club has picked up various different nicknames "Fla", "Mengo", "Flazão", “Mengão" and "Rubro-negro" in reference to red and black, the clubs official colours. The club"s mascot is the Urubu which is a type of vulture prevailant in Brazil.
Their home stadium is José Bastos Padilha Stadium (a.k.a. Gávea Stadium), named after the clubs president at the time of its construction, which was inaugurated on September 4, 1938 with a capacity of just 8,000. Unfortunaely Vasco beat Flamengo 2-0 that night with the first goal of the stadium scored by Vasco da Gama"s Niginho. 8000 capacity for a club with 25 million supporters would soon appear shockingly small, however during the 1970’s most games, were played at the world famous Maracanã Stadium.
[photo=quadro3.JPG id=141 align=right]Despite success in the Rio championship in the early days of the club other tournament success eluded the club until more recent times. In 1961 Flamengo won their one and only Rio-São Paulo Tournament.
Several of Brazil’s top players have represented the Rubro-Negro; Raul Plassman, Leandro, Junior, Zizinho, Carlinhos, Dida, Reyes, Joel and Garrincha to name but a few but one player stands out, Zico. Zico was a key player during the most glorious period of the team"s history during the 1980’s. Along with many other titles, in his first period at Flamengo he led the team to victory in the Copa Libertadores in 1981, the Intercontinental Cup in 1981, and three national titles. On the field, Zico made goals in unimaginable ways, he was a two-footed player and an expert at free kicks. In 1977, 1981 and 1982 Zico was named South American Footballer of the Year.
From 1983 to 1985 Zico left Brazil to play for Udinese in Italy. Zico eventually returned to thanks to various companies who sponsored the deal. On his return, he suffered a knee injury after a violent tackle from Bangu"s defender Marcio Nunes, which interrupted his career for several months. Things improved for him in 1987 when he led Flamengo to their fourth national title. Many consider Zico to be the best player in Flamengo"s history, and his achievements there inspired the Brazilian singer Jorge Benjor to write a song in his honour — Camisa 10 da Gávea — helping create the mystique of the club"s number 10.
In 1987, trouble in the organization of the national tournament led to a disagreement that persists to this day: In that year,the “Club of the Thirteen" was created by 13 of the largest clubs in the country due to their discontent with the CBF. As a result of that, two different tournaments were played parallel, the “green group", which was organized by the Club of the 13, and the “yellow group", organized by the CBF. Faced with a dilemma and pressured by FIFA to resolve the issue, the CBF decided that the champions and vice-champions of the two tournaments would face off in an extra round in which each of the four teams would play the other three. The outcome of the tournament would also determine which two clubs would represent the country in the following year"s Copa Libertadores de América. Flamengo, champion of the “green group", and the Sport Club Recife, champion of the “yellow group", however, both rejected the decision, each one considering itself Brazilian champion of 1987. With no way to go, the CBF declared Sport Club Recife, winner of the competition and thus national champion, awarding it and the vice-champion of the “green group" the spot in the Copa Libertadores. Flamengo and the Club of the 13, however, have never recognized the decision and it considers itself to be five time Brazilian champion, which is represented on the clubs official insignia.
[photo=quadro4.JPG id=141 align=left]After immense success in the 80’s, the 90’s would prove a more difficult period for the club. Despite winning the Brazilian Cup 1990, Mercosul Cup in 1999, 3 Rio State Champions 1991, 1996, 1999 and one Brazilian championship in 1992 debts at the club mounted. Mainly due to mismanagement although many say corruption within the board. Today Flamengo is one of Brazil’s most undebted clubs whose survival relies upon remaining in the top division. Which for the past few seasons Flamengo appears to be getting harder and harder for the club. In the 2003-2004 season Flamengo could only manage to finish 17th in the league. This season Flamengo have flirted in and out of the relegation places, however a recent rival – thanks to their 5th coach of the season – appears to have done enough to make sure Flamengo live to fight another season in the top flight.
Recommended links:
All about Flamengo
Flamengo"s oficial site
The special week of Flamengo in sambafoot.com:
