Time to Pick Sides

Flamengo fans fly the flag at Maracana stadium

If you want to make friends with locals in Rio, it’s time you picked a futebol (football/soccer) team. Whether you’re at a bar, a party or a supermarket queue, talk will inevitably turn at some point to the subject of the ‘beautiful game’.

Brazilians are fanatical about football, and the fact that they have won the World Cup five times (more than any other country) reflects just how dedicated they are to the game. When Brazilians aren’t playing football, they’re watching it. And when they’re not watching it, they’re talking about it. Rivalry between the city’s teams is fierce, and whether you’re here for  a month, a week, or even just a few days, you’ll be expected to pledge allegiance to one or other of the city’s teams.

So who should you root for? The four main teams in Rio are Flamengo, Botafogo, Vasco and underdogs Fluminense. Flamengo fans like to make the somewhat spurious claim that their team boasts the largest fanbase in the world, and fans of other sides will often grumble that ‘foreigners always support Flamengo’.

Flamengo are, stastically, the most succesful of Rio’s teams, and in the south zone of the city (the major tourist region), the majority of the fans you encounter will root for Flamengo or Botafogo. Always one to route for the underdog, I chose to make Fluminense my team of choice – thereby neatly avoiding getting involved in heated pub debates between Flamengo and Botafogo fans.

If you’re lucky enough to be in Rio de Janeiro for one of the big derby matches, be sure to head to the legendary Maracana stadium (map) to catch it. Expect fire crackers, giant flags, samba drums and plenty of impassioned yelling. Note that, while it’s safe enough to head to the stadium by yourself, be careful on exit as rivalry between fans can sometimes turn to violence. Avoid wearing team colors and don’t linger if trouble seems to be on the horizon.