A portrait of Rio
If you prefer to listen to the interview, and hear the sounds of football, here you are
Brazil - Rio de Janeiro. Whilst the British are generally credited with inventing the game, it's the Brazilians that gave it soul, style, and Joga Bonito.
First impressions of this land, upon arriving at RIOgaleão airport, and the taxi into the city is its a buzzing, humming metropolis. Builders working at night. Stifling humidity. Football pitches everywhere. Lights twinkling in the distant hills and mountains with favela life sitting close to the grandeur of Rio. A majesty in this city, that dwarfs anywhere else I have been, it truly is a city that never sleeps.
To get a deeper understanding and connection with this land of contradictions, I partner up with Matheus (Instagram), a local who knows Rio inside and out, holds a degree in history and is a devout Flamengo supporter. What exactly does football mean to this city? "In rio its very strong because its connected to a lot of things, that samba carnival. Its something that is connected to the people" explains Matheus.
Before heading to one of the great temples of world football, the Maracanã, its time to immerse in the pre game traditions of the Flamengo torcida. A few blocks away from the stadium, in a normally unassuming and sleepy neighbourhood, the streets are awash with colour, particularly the bold Rubro-Negro of the beloved team. Everyone is huddled on the roads sheltering from the pouring rain, surrounded by hawkers selling Heineken and the more traditional Brahma beer, some are nowhere near old enough to consume it. Smoke billows in all directions from the tradional BBQ stalls, selling mystery meats on sticks (delicious!). "We gather very early for the match, and we have a very traditional spot that we stay at for every game. Every match we are at the same place, on the same corner, with the same people, drinking the same beer. We have a lot of fun drinking before the match, after that we go to the match and give your life to Flamengo" tells Matheus.
Giving your life to Flamengo certainly seems apt, it feels like everyone in Rio is here. It's a chicken run just to get in to the stadium, crash barriers line the concourse and stewards rush you through, after a very thorough check! Walking up the steep, concrete slopes, there is chanting, drums and fireworks, flags twirling, it feels like walking into a Roman Colosseum. The first sight of this legendary, storied, fabled arena takes the breath away, with it's 78, 838 capacity, which was opened to host the 1950 World Cup, it really put Brazil on the footballing map. It's awe inspiring, almost spiritual. The sounds do not leave thanks to the dome like roof, it creates a caldron of noise and colour.
Corinthians of Sao Paulo are the opponents today, and it's a long drive from there, and there are not as many travelling fans as there would be as usual, due to the outgoing president Bolsonaro and his supporters causing road blocks. Truckers are no match for ultras though, as the Torcida do Corinthians smash through and continue their journey for Rio. Football 1 - 0 right wing fascism.
Awaydays are a challenge in this sprawling land but interstate rivalries are common, as Matheus explains "It's something like my enemies enemy is my friend. The three big cities of Brazilian football are Rio, Sao Paulo & Belo Horizonte. Flamengo in Rio, the fans have a friendship with Sao Paulo FC and Cruzeiro from Belo Horizonte. So Cruzeiros rival, Atletico Mineiro, is also a rival of Flamengo, and Sao Paulo FC is rivals with Palmeiras, so Flamengo also have a rivalry with Palmeiras. If Flamingo fans are going to match away against Palmeiras so the Sao Paulo fans receive us and help us make a party, a BBQ and go to the game together". A confusing web of rivalry and counter rivalry, but more beer and BBQs are the result!
Flamengo have rested a number of star players, due to the victorious Copa Libertadores match a few days ago, but Arturo Vidal is still running the game, despite his exertions at the Copa party. Incidentally, the urinals at the Maracanã are quite a challenge, they are at an obtuse angle, so force the user into leaning forward more than is comfortable and using a hand against the wall to balance.
Corinthians score on the stroke of half time to take a 0-1 lead into the break, but singing doesn't stop, it only gets louder if anything, smoke bombs, flares, a tidal wave sweeping up .Flamengo. The second half starts and it's 1-1 in no time, Matheus Franca chipping over the onrushing goalkeeper. Cue more explosions, a bouncing Maracanã. There is a lot of peroxide blond players for Flamengo, reminiscent of Romania 98, but the majesty of Vidal still stands out. Rodnei is substituted on to possibly the loudest ovation of the night, but even he is powerless to stop Corinthians scoring to make it 1-2, and Yuri Alberto hits the most picturesque knee-slide, assisted by the driving rain. With all the beer hawkers around the ground, I think by osmosis I have learnt the Portuguese for 'Mind your back' (cuide de suas costas).
As the game comes to an end, the mind wanders to take it all in, the splendour, the magnificence of the Maracanã, which is arguably the heartbeat of football, yesterday and today. Somehow Flamengo contrived to lose, be it VAR, be it a hangover, either way the party doesn't stop here. Flamengo lost the battle, but certainly won the war. For Matheus, what has been the highlights of this historic season? "We won the Copa Libertadores, we lost last year to Palmeiras so it was stuck in our throats, so it was very special. In the Copa do Brasil final, I was here in Maracanã, with my father which was special, against Corinthians in the final".
Flamengo have the biggest fan base in Brazil, and in South America. They display such passion, such devotion. Matheus declares he "can't see my life supporting another club other than Flamengo". But why come to Rio? "The best place to start is Rio, you have landscapes, and cultural stuff. There is very traditional football, you can see the lower leagues, the Maracanã, Nilson Santos Stadium, Botafogo, Fluminese, Flamengo". The city is wonderful, the people are welcoming, diverse and passionate, and the football, well...its Brazil.
Find Matheus here https://www.instagram.com/brfootballexp/