Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
MAJOR TEAMS & STADIA
There are several hundred professional clubs
in Brazil. The number is impossible to calcu-
late, since local leagues are constantly chang-
ing and teams shutting down and starting up.
Brazil's best-known stadia are the Maracanã
(see p84)
in Rio, which was built for the 1950
World Cup, and the Morumbi in São Paulo.
The Dream Team of 1970
is considered the best
soccer team of all time. Their 4-1 victory against
Italy won them the World Cup for the third time.
Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro, one of
the largest soccer stadia in the world
BRAZIL'S BIGGEST CLUBS & STADIA
SOCIEDADE ESPORTIVA PALMEIRAS (1914)
Stadium:
Palestra Itália, São Paulo
Capacity
35,000
CRUZEIRO ESPORTE CLUBE (1921)
Stadium:
Mineirão, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais
Capacity:
76,500
CLUBE DE REGATAS DO FLAMENGO
(1895)
Stadium:
Gávea/Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro
Capacity
:
8,000 (Gávea)/103,022 (Maracanã)
FLUMINENSE FOOTBALL CLUB (1902)
Stadium:
Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro
Capacity
: 103,022
GRÊMIO FOOT-BALL PORTO ALEGRENSE (1903)
Stadium:
OlÍmpico Monumental, Porto Alegre
Capacity
:
54,081
SÃO PAULO FUTEBOL CLUBE (1930)
Stadium:
Morumbi, São Paulo
Capacity
:
80,000
The torcidas
, or soccer
fans, have adapted
aspects of Carnaval to
futebol
, playing lively
music at stadia,
dressing up in team
colors, and bringing
noisemakers, colorful
banners, and flags.
SPORT CLUB CORINTHIANS PAULISTA (1910)
Stadium:
Parque São Jorge/Pacaembu, São Paulo.
Capacity
:
18,386 (P. São Jorge)/37,500 (Pacaembu)
CLUB DE REGATAS VASCO DA GAMA (1898)
Stadium:
São Januãrio, Rio de Janeiro.
Capacity
:
31,000
Pelé
was a World Cup
champion at 17, and
scored a record-
breaking 1,283 goals
in 1,367 games.
Sócrates
, the 1982 and
1986 World Cup
captain, was famous
for his back heels and
his political beliefs.
Romário
, the
“Baixinho” (Shorty),
was the star player in
the 1994 World Cup,
won by Brazil.
Ronaldo
,
with two
World Cup winner's
medals, broke the
competition's goal-
scoring record in 2006.
