Clube de Regatas do Flamengo

History

Establishment of the club (1895–1912)

Flamengo was founded on 17 November 1895, by a group of rowers gathered at club member Nestor de Barros's manor on Flamengo Beach in Rio de Janeiro. In the late 19th century, rowing was the most played sport in the city. Previously, they could only afford a used boat named Pherusa, which had to be completely rebuilt before it could be used in competition. The team debuted on 6 October 1895, when they sailed off the Caju Point toward Flamengo Beach. However, strong winds turned over the boat and the rowers nearly drowned. They were rescued by a fishing boat named Leal (Loyal). Later as the Pherusa was undergoing repairs, it was stolen and never found again. The group saved money to buy a new boat, the Etoile, renamed Scyra.

On the night of 17 November, the group gathered at Nestor de Barros's manor on Flamengo beach and founded the Grupo de Regatas do Flamengo (English: Flamengo Rowing Group) and elected its first board and president (Domingos Marques de Azevedo). The name was changed a few weeks later to its current title of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo (Flamengo Rowing Club). The founders decided that the anniversary of the club's foundation should be commemorated on 15 November to coincide with Republic Proclamation Day, a national holiday.

Flamengo's football team was only established after a group of ten dissatisfied players from Fluminense broke away from that club following a board dispute. The players decided to join Flamengo because Alberto Borgerth, the team's captain, was also a rower for Flamengo. Also, establishing a land sports department at Flamengo was preferable to joining football rivals Botafogo or the all-English club Paissandu. The new members were admitted on 8 November 1911. A motion against the club taking part in football tournaments was put to a vote but was defeated, and as a result the members officially established the club's new football department on 24 December 1911.

Football in the amateur era (1912–1933)

The new team trained on Russel Beach and gradually gained the support of the locals, who closely watched their practice matches. The first official match was played on 3 May 1912, and marked, to this day, the largest margin of victory in the club's history, as they defeated Mangueira 16–2. Flamengo's first ever match against Fluminense, the start of the Fla-Flu rivalry, was played on 7 July of that year and was won by Fluminense by a score of 3–2. That same year, Flamengo finished as runners-up of the Campeonato Carioca, the Rio de Janeiro State Championship. The team's first uniform was nicknamed the "papagaio vintém", due to its similarity to a particular type of kite.

In 1914 the club won the Campeonato Carioca for the first time, dressed in a red, black, and white-striped shirt nicknamed the "cobra coral" (coral snake) was worn until 1916. Flamengo won the Campeonato Carioca again the following year, in 1915, and secured their first back-to-back championship; something they also did with their titles in 1920 and 1921.

In 1925, the team won the Campeonato Carioca and five other tournaments, a record at the time. In 1927 the prominent Rio newspaper Jornal do Brasil, in partnership with a mineral water company, held a mail-in contest to find "the most beloved club in Brazil." Though Flamengo enjoyed their largest increase in fan support after the club professionalized in the 1930s, they still defeated popular rivals Vasco da Gama in the vote. This was the first of many times that Flamengo would be voted as the nation's most popular club, inspiring the nickname "o mais querido do Brasil" ("the most beloved of Brazil"). In 1933 the team went on its first tour outside Brazil (to Montevideo and Buenos Aires) and on 14 May of the same year played its final match as an amateur team, defeating River Futebol Clube by a score of 16–2. After this, the club's football department became professional.

Early professional era (1934–1955)

Local advertiser José Bastos Padilha was elected club president in 1934 and served until 1937. Under his tenure, the club massively improved its popularity in both Rio de Janeiro and the entirety of Brazil. For publicity, he organized a contest for students in schools to create phrases describing Flamengo, from which the phrase uma vez Flamengo, Flamengo até morrer ("Once you are Flamengo, you are Flamengo 'til you die") was developed and would later be adopted as part of the club's anthem. In 1936 Padilha signed excellent players such as Domingos da Guia and Leônidas da Silva (who would go on to be the leading goalscorer in the 1938 FIFA World Cup as a Flamengo player). These beloved players endeared Flamengo to the public and it is believed that by this time Flamengo was the most popular club in the country. In 1937 Flamengo hired Hungarian coach Izidor "Dori" Kürschner, who introduced the WM system to Brazil and other innovations from Europe such as training without the use of the ball and playing a more defensive, controlled style. Padilha facilitated the construction of Flamengo's new stadium and current training center, the Estádio da Gávea. The stadium was inaugurated on 4 September 1938, when Vasco da Gama defeated Flamengo 2–0 and Kürschner was promptly fired.

In 1938, the five-year split in Rio de Janeiro football over the dispute between professionalism and amateurism was resolved with the merger of the two competing leagues (Flamengo had been a member of the professional LCF – Liga Carioca de Football). In 1939, after twelve years without winning any titles, Flamengo conquered the state championship with a team that would become the basis of the three-time state champions in the 1940s.

In 1941, the group played its first international competition, the Hexagonal Tournament of Argentina. In 1942, the first organized supporters group in all of Brazil, Charanga Rubro-Negra, was founded in support of Flamengo. Flamengo's popularity grew incidentally during World War II when Brazil's allies, the United States, installed two high-powered antennas in Natal and Belém in the north of Brazil to intercept enemy radio signals. They also allowed residents in the North and Northeast regions to receive the radio broadcasts of football matches. As Rio de Janeiro was the national capital at the time and Flamengo was highly successful in the war years with Zizinho and Domingos da Guia, nationwide support increased. In 1944, Flamengo completed their first tricampeonato Carioca: three consecutive Rio de Janeiro state titles (winning the 1942, 1943, and 1944 competitions). The key player of this squad was Zizinho, a player developed at Flamengo and considered the first ever "idol" of the club. Zizinho was transferred to Bangu just before the start of the 1950 World Cup in Brazil, where he scored twice and the Seleção finished runners-up. From 1953 to 1955, Flamengo once again won the Rio de Janeiro State League three consecutive times.

Zico and the world champions (1974–1983)

Flamengo won their 18th Campeonato Carioca state championship in 1978. The following five years would come to represent the club's most glorious era. Brazilian stars like Júnior, Carpegiani, Adílio, Cláudio Adão and Tita were led by Zico to become state champions three times in a row – the club's third tri-championship. This run of sustained excellent play pushed Flamengo towards its first Brazilian Championship in 1980. As national champions, the club qualified to play in the South American continental tournament, the 1981 Copa Libertadores, for the first time.

The 1981 season was a benchmark year in Flamengo's history. They advanced through the semi-final group stage of the Copa Libertadores with four victories in four matches. In the final they encountered Chilean club Cobreloa, also making its Copa Libertadores debut. In the first final at the Maracanã, Flamengo prevailed (2–1) with two goals from Zico. At the National Stadium in Santiago the following week, the Brazilian team received a violent reception on the field and fell 1–0 to a free kick. Equal on goals, a third match was played at the neutral venue of the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo. Zico scored twice in the first half, sealing the game and the championship. Flamengo were crowned champions of South America on 23 November and qualified for the Intercontinental Cup, a single match to be played in Tokyo's Olympic Stadium against European Champions' Cup winner Liverpool F.C..

On 13 December 1981, Zico, Tita, and Nunes took the field for the most important match in the club's history. Two goals by Nunes and one by Adílio (all in the first half) along with a brilliant midfield performance by Zico earned Flamengo the title of first Brazilian World Champions since Pelé's Santos, shutting out Liverpool 3–0.

The following two years were also marked with success. One more Rio de Janeiro State Championship in 1981 and two back-to-back Brazilian Championships – 1982 and 1983 – closed Flamengo's "Golden Age."

National success and the return of Zico (1984–1994)

After spending two years in Italy playing for Udinese, Zico returned to Flamengo in 1986 and won his last state championship. Only one month after returning, he suffered a severe knee injury after a violent tackle from Bangu defender Marcio Nunes, which interrupted his career for several months and affected his form in the 1986 FIFA World Cup.

In 1987, Zico was a major contributor to Flamengo's victory in the first edition of the Copa União. That year, the CBF was experiencing serious financial and institutional crises and was unable to secure sponsorship to organize the national championship as in years prior. As a result, the thirteen biggest clubs in Brazil (which included Flamengo) reacted and created a new entity named the Club of 13 to organize a championship of their own. The CBF originally supported the decision by the Club of 13, but were pressured by other clubs to create a larger national tournament. As a result, CBF placed three additional clubs into the Copa União, regarded the Copa União as the "Green Module", and organized a second "Yellow Module" of 16 other teams. CBF then decided that for the 1987 Brazilian Championship, the winners and runners-up of both modules would face each other in a knockout-style cup to determine the national champion and qualification for the Copa Libertadores, although this decision was made after the beginning of the championship, without Club of 13 agreement. With strong performances from Zico, Zé Carlos, Renato Gaúcho and Bebeto, Flamengo conquered the Copa União with major victories over Internacional and Atlético Mineiro. However, there was a dispute over whether Flamengo and Internacional of the Green Module would dispute the quadrangular against Sport Recife and Guarani of the Yellow Module. The Club of 13 clubs had agreed to not participate in the final set up by the CBF, since it was decided while the matches were already being played, but Eurico Miranda, a representative of Vasco, Flamengo's archi-rival and member of the Club of 13, had already signed an agreement with CBF regarding the final, without the board consent. Flamengo still did not participate in the final under the understanding that it would only determine the entrants of the Copa Libertadores and not the Brazilian national champion. CBF officially recognized Sport as the sole champion in 1987 and they qualified to the Copa Libertadores. In 2011, CBF retroactively declared Flamengo champion of 1987. However, Sport later appealed the decision to a Common Justice Tribunal, which is prohibited by FIFA, and CBF ultimately declared Sport as the sole champion of that year, pending appeals from Flamengo, all of which were unsuccessful, and a few years later Sport was officially declared as the champion of the 1987 season.

Mediocre campaigns and relegation escapes (1995–2005)

After winning the Brazilian League title in 1992, the club entered a major financial crisis and domestic and international achievements became less frequent, although the team still won trophies ranked less in importance. In 1993, Flamengo lost the Supercopa Libertadores finals to Sao Paulo. In 1995, the year of Flamengo's centenary, radio sports broadcaster Kléber Leite became chairman of the club and signed striker Romário, the current FIFA World Player of the Year, from Barcelona. He joined Sávio and later Edmundo to become, as the supporters called, "the attack of dreams". Even with Romário and other stars, Flamengo's centennial year did not yield major trophies, and the club struggled in the league, finishing 21st of 24. Flamengo only won the Taça Guanabara, the first phase of the state league, and finished runners-up of 1995 Supercopa Libertadores. However, in 1996, Flamengo went undefeated in the Campeonato Carioca. Sávio was the top scorer and best player in Flamengo's victorious 1996 Copa de Oro campaign. The Copa de Oro was Flamengo's first international success since 1981, their third overall international title.

In 1997 Flamengo finished trophyless for one of the few times in its history, but overall had a good season, finishing fifth in the Serie A, finishing runner-up to Grêmio in the Copa do Brasil on away goals, and finishing runner-up in the Torneo Rio-Sao Paulo. 1998 was another trophyless season, but far worse than 1997; Mengão finished 11th in the Serie A, were knocked out of the Copa do Brasil with a 5–0 loss to Vitoria, and failed to advance out of the group stages of the Copa Mercosur, although top scorer Romario continued to show individual brilliance with 35 goals from 40 appearances.

In 1999, Edmundo dos Santos Silva was elected club president, and brought with him a massive contract with sports marketing company ISL. Despite a mediocre campaign in that year's Campeonato Brasileiro, finishing 12th, the club lifted the 1999 Copa Mercosur at Estádio Palestra Itália after beating Palmeiras 7–6 on aggregate in an exciting two legged final, and were successful at the regional level, winning the Campeonato Carioca over rivals Vasco, who had won the 1998 Copa Libertadores.

2000 was also a mediocre year for the club, being knocked out of the Copa Mercosur by River Plate in the quarter-finals, and exiting the Copa do Brasil with a heavy 8–2 aggregate loss to Santos. However the club were successful at the regional level again, beating Vasco 5–1 on aggregate for a back-to-back championship.

End of title drought (2006–2018)

In 2006, Flamengo reached the Copa do Brasil final for a fifth time, finally managing to conquer the title after losing three previous finals, this time beating rivals Vasco da Gama. From 2007 to 2009 Flamengo completed their fifth tricampeonato in the Campeonato Carioca, and became sole owners of the record for most Carioca titles with 31 (Fluminense had 30 at the time).

On 9 March 2007, Flamengo received a commemorative date on the Rio de Janeiro official calendar. Governor Sérgio Cabral Filho declared 17 November (the day the club was founded) "Flamengo Day".

In the 2007 Copa Libertadores, after a near-perfect group stage where the club was undefeated, expectations were high for the team. However, the club was eliminated by Uruguayan minnows Defensor Sporting in the first knockout round. In the Campeonato Brasileiro, Flamengo spent most of the season in mid table but in the last five matchdays climbed to second place, before being defeated by Náutico 1–0 in the final round and ultimately ending the season third, which was good enough for a spot in the following year's Copa Libertadores.

In the 2008 Copa Libertadores, Flamengo began their campaign by topping their group. After defeating Club América 4–2 at Estadio Azteca, in what was Flamengo's first tournament tie against a Mexican club, Flamengo looked to be one of the strongest sides in the competition. However, Flamengo polemically lost the second leg at home 3–0 and were eliminated in the round of 16 again, in what was Joel Santana's final match with the club. In the Brasileirao, Flamengo finished fifth, and in 2009 despite being in tenth place in midseason, Flamengo won the league title for the first time since 1992. With this victory Flamengo became five-time league champions, seventeen seasons after their last title. The 2009 championship team finished the season with 67 points, the lowest winning point total in Brazil since the current league format was established in 2003. Flamengo were champions despite spending only two rounds at the top of the league: the final two, and the title was won after a dramatic 2–1 comeback victory against Grêmio in the final round.

Flamengo experienced a poor run in Série A from 2010 to 2015, finishing better than tenth only once. Following the success of 2009, the club gambled on winning several titles and signed striker Vágner Love to form a pair with Adriano. The dream of repeating as state champions four times in a row was foiled by Botafogo in 2010. After narrowly qualifying out of the group stage in the Copa Libertadores, manager Andrade was still fired. In their first quarter-final appearance since 1993, after disposing of Corinthians, Flamengo were eliminated by Universidad de Chile on away goals. Shortly after, Vágner Love and Adriano left the team. A series of coaching changes during the troublesome domestic league saw Flamengo survive relegation, avoiding defeat in their final nine matches, and claim the final berth to the Copa Sudamericana under manager Vanderlei Luxemburgo.

New glory (2019–present)

On the morning of 8 February 2019 a fire erupted at Flamengo's Centro de Treinamento George Helal, commonly known as the Ninho do Urubu training center. The fire resulted in the deaths of ten academy players between the ages of 14 and 17 training with the club. Three others were injured. The cause of the fire was a malfunctioning air-conditioning unit that caught fire in the room of one of the victims close to 5:00 am. President Rodolfo Landim described it as "the worst tragedy the club has ever experienced in its 123 years." The governor of the state of Rio de Janeiro declared a three-day period of mourning following the tragedy. Since then, Flamengo fans have sung during the tenth minute of every Flamengo home game in memory of the ten children who died in the tragedy.

The 2019 season marked the most successful one in the club's footballing history. At the end of 2018, Rodolfo Landim was elected club president for a three-year term. Flamengo paid the most expensive incoming transfer fee for a player in Brazilian football history, signing Giorgian de Arrascaeta from Cruzeiro for R$63 million (€14.5 million). In January the club signed forward Bruno Henrique from Santos and secured the loan of striker Gabriel Barbosa from Inter Milan.

After advancing out of the Copa Libertadores group stage, manager Abel Braga resigned and Flamengo hired Portuguese manager Jorge Jesus. Europe-based players Rafinha, Filipe Luís, Pablo Marí and Gerson were added to play alongside Flamengo's other record signings. After qualifying to their first Copa Libertadores semi-final since 1984, Flamengo defeated Grêmio 5–0 in their home leg at the Maracanã to advance their first Copa Libertadores final since 1981. For the first time in Copa Libertadores history, the final was played as a single match in a neutral venue. On 23 November 2019, at the Estadio Monumental in Lima, Peru against defending champions River Plate, Flamengo trailed 0–1 in the final minutes before Gabriel scored twice to secure the 2–1 victory.

Less than 24 hours later, Flamengo became champions of the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A for the first time since 2009 with four matches in hand after a loss by Palmeiras to Grêmio in the 34th round. Flamengo became only the second Brazilian club to win their state championship (2019 Campeonato Carioca), Campeonato Brasileiro, and Copa Libertadores in the same season, after Pelé's 1962 Santos team. Flamengo's 2019 campaign under Jorge Jesus' leadership broke a number of records in the Campeonato Brasileiro's 20-team double round-robin era (2006–present): most points (90), most wins (28), most goals scored (86), best goal differential (+49), longest undefeated streak (24 matches), most points clear of runners-up (16) and most goals by a single player (25 from Gabriel Barbosa).

Team image

Crest

Flamengo's crest has changed slightly throughout the club's history. Most of the changes have been modifications to the design of the monogram, with the latest redesign being unveiled in 2018.

The club uses three crests in different situations: the full crest is used as the club's official logo, the rowing crest is used for all rowing related uniforms and equipment, and the white "CRF" monogram is typically the only component of the crest worn on the primary football uniform. It bears a remarkable resemblance to the "RFC" monogram traditionally used by Scottish club Rangers F.C..

Beginning in 1980, Flamengo wore three white stars aligned vertically along the side of their monogram crest to indicate their three state league tri-championships (1942–43–44, 1953–54–55, and 1978–79–79 Special). When Nike became Flamengo's kit provider in 2000, their first kit featured the full shield crest with three stars above it for the first time. After the fourth state league tri-championship (1999-2000-2001) and to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 1981 Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup championships, a fourth white star and a gold star were introduced above the crest. Since 2005 the club uses only the gold star above the "CRF" monogram crest on their shirts.

Uniforms

At the 1895 meeting which established the Flamengo rowing club, the club's official colors were decided as blue and gold to symbolized the sky of Rio de Janeiro and the riches of Brazil. The team adopted a uniform of thick blue and gold horizontal stripes. However Flamengo failed to win a single regatta in their first year and gained the nickname of "bronze club." The team colors were perceived as bad luck, and the colored fabric was expensive to import from England. One year after the club's establishment, the official colors were replaced with the current red and black.

In 1912, at the request of the Flamengo rowing team (who opposed the use of their uniform by the newly established football team), the football players dressed in shirts divided into red and black quarters which became known as the papagaio de vintém uniform, named after a particular style of kite. However the shirt became synonymous with bad luck and was replaced in 1913 by a shirt with red and black horizontal stripes and thinner white bands. This uniform was nicknamed the cobra coral due to its similarity to the pattern of a coral snake. This was the uniform worn when Flamengo won their first Campeonato Carioca title in 1914. The white bands were removed from the shirt in 1916 as the pattern was very similar to the flag of Germany at the time, which Brazil was allied against in World War I. The rowing team permitted the football team to use their uniform, and Flamengo's traditional football uniform of a red and black striped shirt, white shorts and red-black socks was born.

In 1938, Flamengo manager Dori Kürschner suggested the creation of a secondary white uniform to "improve the visibility in night matches." The new uniform was approved by the club, and Flamengo became a pioneer of secondary uniforms in Brazil. The white shirt had two red and black stripes across the chest until 1979 when it was changed to a plain white chest with stripes on the sleeves. This was the shirt worn by the team that won the 1981 Intercontinental Cup.

Beginning in the 1990s the club began to experiment with their second and third alternative uniforms, sometimes wearing all black or all red shirts. In 1995 for the club's centenary, a "papagaio de vintém" shirt was worn in friendlies. In 2010 uniform supplier Olympikus introduced a blue and gold alternative uniform which paid homage to Flamengo's original colors and regatta uniform; however it was not well received by fans who likened it to the uniform worn by the fictional satirical team "Tabajara" on the popular comedy program Casseta & Planeta Urgente. In the first half of the 2009 season, the team wore a uniform without sponsorship for the first time in 25 years. Flamengo have continued to traditionally wear red and black striped shirts with white shorts as their primary uniform.

Scarlet-Black Nation

Since the early 1990s, surveys have shown that Flamengo is consistently the most supported club in Brazil with an estimated more than 40 million fans. In a 2019 survey, 20 percent of adult football fans in Brazil consider themselves supporters of Flamengo, with high levels of support in all states of the country, including the North and Northeast regions, in addition to Rio de Janeiro. Flamengo supporters are known as Nação Rubro-Negra (English: Scarlet-Black Nation).

The first organized supporters group in all of Brazil, Charanga Rubro-Negra (Scarlet-Black Charanga Band), was founded in support of Flamengo in 1942. Since then, a large number of additional organized supporters groups have formed around Flamengo, notably Torcida Jovem-Fla (Young-Fla), Urubuzada (Vultures), Flamanguaça (FlaBooze), and Raça Rubro-Negra (Scarlet-Black Race).

In 2007 Flamengo supporters were declared as part of the cultural heritage of the city of Rio de Janeiro, along with bossa nova and Bola Preta, the oldest Carnival block in Rio.

In the 1983 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A final, Flamengo played against Santos in the Maracanã in front of an official crowd of 155,523 with some estimates of over 160,000 people in attendance.

The largest attendance for a football match in history was the derby between Flamengo and Fluminense in 1963, with 194,603 spectators. Flamengo matches in the Maracanã have broken the 150,000 attendance mark thirteen times.

In July 2020, Flamengo's YouTube channel FLATV passed Liverpool F.C. as the club with the third-most subscriptions for a football channel only behind Barcelona and Real Madrid. The channel has reached over 5 million subscribers.

Mascot

Flamengo's first mascot was Popeye the Sailor Man, a comic book and cartoon character from the 1940s. The idea for the mascot came from Argentine cartoonist Lorenzo Molas, who saw in Popeye the strength and persistence of Flamengo, in addition to its obvious connection with the sea. However, such a mascot was never very popular among the club's supporters.

In the 1960s, rival fans began to call Flamengo fans urubus (English: "vultures"), a racist allusion to the large number of supporters who were poor or of African descent. Such an offensive nickname was never well received by Flamengo fans, until 31 May 1969. On that day, a Scarlet-Black fan decided to take a vulture to a game between Flamengo and Botafogo at Maracanã. The two clubs were involved in the greatest rivalry since Garrincha, and Flamengo had not beaten its rival for four years. In the stands, Botafogo fans shouted that Flamengo was a urubu team. The vulture was released in the stands with Flamengo's flag tied to its feet, and when it landed on the field, just before the game started, the crowd cheered and shouted: "É urubu, é urubu." (English: "it's a vulture, it's a vulture"). Flamengo won the game 2–1 and, from there, the new mascot was consecrated, taking Popeye's place. The cartoonist Henfil tried to humanize it in his sports cartoons in newspapers and magazines, and the urubu became a popular mascot.

In 2000, Flamengo's mascot received an official design and a name: Samuca. However, this name did not become popular among the supporters, who continue to call him simply Urubu.

On 25 May 2008, debuted at Maracanã in a match between Flamengo and Internacional, valid for the 2008 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A. Since then, they have been present in several Flamengo games and events.

Anthem

Flamengo has two anthems: the official one, called Hymno Rubro-Negro (English: "Scarlet-Black Anthem"), which was created in 1920 with lyrics and music by Paulo Magalhães (former goalkeeper of the club), recorded in 1932 by singer Castro Barbosa and registered in 1937 at the Instituto Nacional de Música, with the refrain "Flamengo! Flamengo! Tua glória é lutar, Flamengo! Flamengo! Campeão de terra e mar" (in English: "Flamengo! Flamengo! Your glory is to fight, Flamengo! Flamengo! Champion of land and sea"); and the popular one, with lyrics and music by Lamartine Babo, recorded for the first time by Gilberto Alves in 1945. The latter is the best known, and its refrain is "Uma vez Flamengo, sempre Flamengo" (English: "Once you are Flamengo, always Flamengo").

Stadiums

Rua Paysandu

Flamengo's first official home ground was the Estádio da Rua Paysandu ('Paysandu Street Stadium'). The ground formerly belonged to Paissandu Atlético Clube before they ceased playing football in 1914. The owners of the ground, the Guinle family, rented the field to Flamengo where they played their home matches from 1915 to 1932. Between 1912 and 1915 (and later between 1932 and 1938), the club played all their matches on the grounds of Botafogo or Fluminense. The first Flamengo match at Rua Paysandu was played on 31 October 1915, in the Campeonato Carioca against Bangu. 15,000 spectators watched Flamengo face Fluminense at the park in 1918 and 1919.

Estádio da Gávea

Flamengo's home stadium is nominally the Estádio da Gávea (officially named the Estádio José Bastos Padilha at Flamengo's Gávea Headquarters), which was inaugurated on 4 September 1938, and has a capacity of 4,000 people. The stadium is named after José Bastos Padilha, Flamengo's president at the time of the stadium's construction, from 1933 to 1937. Even though Flamengo no longer play their matches at Gávea, the site serves as the club's administrative headquarters. Since the 1990s, the stadium has been used almost exclusively for the club's youth and women's teams' matches, and as the training ground for the senior team. Most matches are played at the significantly larger Maracanã Stadium, considered by supporters to be the real Flamengo home ground. Gávea Stadium is not actually located in the neighborhood of Gávea but rather in Leblon.

During the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the Dutch National Team used the Estádio da Gávea and its facilities as their training ground in preparation for the competition.

Maracanã

Since its construction for the 1950 World Cup, the Maracanã has primarily served as the home ground for the four biggest Rio de Janeiro clubs. The stadium was officially completed in 1965, 17 years after construction began. In 1963, more than 194,000 people attended a match between Flamengo and Fluminense at the Maracanã. The capacity of the stadium allowed Flamengo to have the largest support of any clubs in Brazil for much of the 20th century. In 1989 Zico scored his final goal in the historic stadium, setting the current unbroken record for goals in the Maracanã at 333. An upper stand in the stadium collapsed on 19 July 1992, in the second match of the finals of 1992 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A between Botafogo and Flamengo, leading to the death of three spectators and injuring 50 others. Following the disaster, the stadium's capacity was greatly reduced as it was converted to an all-seater stadium in the late 1990s. Following its 50th anniversary in 2000, the stadium underwent renovations which would increase its full capacity to around 103,000. After years of planning and nine months of closure between 2005 and 2006 (during which Flamengo played their home matches at Volta Redonda's Estádio Raulino de Oliveira and Portuguesa's Estádio Luso Brasileiro), the stadium was reopened in January 2007 with an all-seated capacity of 87,000. For the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics and Paralympics, a major reconstruction project was initiated in 2010. The original seating bowl, with a two-tier configuration, was demolished, giving way to a new one-tier seating bowl.

The stadium is officially under the management of Brazilian conglomerate Odebrecht as of 2013. This has resulted in unfavorable rental agreements for Flamengo who do not officially administer the stadium and often owe rental fees for matches in excess of their ticket revenue, even for matches with high attendance. The most recent rental agreement was signed in 2018 and is valid through 2020. In April 2019, Flamengo and Fluminense came to an agreement with the state and the operators of the Maracanã to serve as joint-managers of the venue for the following six months, a deal which allowed the clubs to pay a fixed monthly fee and receive a higher share of matchday revenue than was granted under the previous deal.

Ilha do Urubu

In 2017, Flamengo played their home matches at the Estádio Luso Brasileiro of Portuguesa while disputing their stadium situation with the Rio de Janeiro state government and Complexo Maracanã Entretenimento S.A. (composed of Odebrecht, IMX, AEG), the operator of the Maracanã Stadium. A three-year agreement was signed with Portuguesa over management of Estádio Luso Brasileiro, named Ilha do Urubu ("Vulture's Island") by Flamengo supporters in a poll. The park was renovated to fit 20,500 spectators. Flamengo started playing at the arena in March 2017, but after several delays and administrative issues and a new contract with the Maracanã, Flamengo broke their lease with the Ilha do Urubu in July 2018.

New Flamengo Stadium

In December 2024, it was reported that Flamengo had released the design of their new stadium, an 80,000 capacity state-of-the-art stadium to be constructed in the Gasômetro area. The stadium is estimated to cost approximately €500 million and once completed will become the largest stadium in Brazil. Scheduled for completion by November 2029 or earlier, the sports arena includes a North Stand dedicated for its most passionate supporters, luxury seating, a 360-degree internal LED screen, a massive external display and a total of 6,200m2 of LED surfaces.

Rivalries

Rivalry with Botafogo

The Clássico da Rivaldade ('Rivalry Classic') is the traditional Brazilian derby between Botafogo and Flamengo, both from Rio de Janeiro. The first confrontation between Rio de Janeiro rivals Flamengo and Botafogo occurred in 1913. Flamengo's mascot of the vulture originated during the 1 June 1969, match against Botafogo when Flamengo supporters released a vulture onto the field in response to the racist cheers of urubu (vulture) from Botafogo and other teams' supporters. Flamengo's top scorer in the derby is Zico and Botafogo's top scorer is Heleno de Freitas.

Rivalry with Fluminense

The Fla–Flu is the traditional Brazilian derby between Flamengo and Fluminense, both from Rio de Janeiro. It is considered by football experts and much of the sports media to be one of the greatest derbies in the world. The rivalry between the two clubs began in October 1911, when a group of dissatisfied players from Fluminense left their club and joined rowing club of Flamengo, establishing the football department at their new club. The first Fla–Flu ever was played the following year on 7 July. Fluminense won the match 3–2, with 800 people in attendance. According to writer Nelson Rodrigues, the classic was generated by resentment. On the tricolor side, the fact that their starting players deserted and went to form Flamengo's football department, and on the red-black side, the fact that Fluminense still won the first match, circumstances that were fundamental in generating the derby mystique.

In 1950, the Maracanã Stadium was built to host the FIFA World Cup, and it has been the stage for clashes between the two ever since. The stadium, which belongs to the Rio de Janeiro State Government, began to be managed by the two clubs in April 2019 for six months. In September 2024, both clubs reached an agreement to jointly manage the stadium for another 20 years. The Fla–Flu holds the world record for attendance in games between clubs: 194,603 spectators were present at the Maracanã Stadium, in the final of the 1963 Campeonato Carioca, won by Flamengo after a goalless draw.

Flamengo and Fluminense are the two most successful teams in the Campeonato Carioca: as of 2025, Flamengo have 39 state league titles and Fluminense have 34. Since 2012, Fla–Flu has been considered an Intangible Heritage of Rio de Janeiro, being the only football derby to receive this honor.

Rivalry with Vasco da Gama

The Clássico dos Milhões ('Derby of Millions') is the traditional Brazilian derby between Flamengo and Vasco da Gama, both from Rio de Janeiro. Although the rivalries against Botafogo and Fluminense are more traditional, Vasco is the club most hated by Flamengo supporters and vice versa, with the derby between them being considered one of the biggest rivalries in Brazilian football and in football worldwide. The derby's name originated in the 1920s and refers to the two largest fanbases in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Both clubs were established in the late 19th century as regatta rowing clubs. The first football match between the clubs was played in 1923 when Vasco entered the top division of the Campeonato Carioca.

From 1972 to 2001, the matchup was elevated as the most important of Flamengo's rivalries and became one of the biggest rivalries in all of Brazil. In this span, Flamengo and Vasco played in or won the final of each of the phases of the state championship nearly every year, frequently facing one another. This also coincided with the beginnings of the national Campeonato Brasileiro and the growth in popularity of both clubs nationwide. The most iconic matches between Flamengo and Vasco featured the idols of both clubs challenging each other: Zico of Flamengo (1971–83; 85–89) and Roberto Dinamite of Vasco da Gama (1971–79; 80–93).

Some of the great players in Brazilian football played for both teams, and with hectic transfers in the 1980s and 1990s. Bebeto, originally of Flamengo, was seen as Zico's successor, but left the red-black team and went to play for Vasco in 1989. Romário played on Vasco's youth teams, but when he returned to Brazil in 1995, recently champion of the 1994 FIFA World Cup and elected best player of the year by FIFA, he chose to play for Flamengo. Other players like Andrade, Edmundo, Felipe, Jean, Jorginho, Juninho Paulista, Dejan Petković and Tita have played for these teams.

Interstate rivalries

Flamengo has an inter-state rivalry with Atlético Mineiro of Minas Gerais, developed in the 1980s from numerous controversial encounters between the two clubs in that decade's Campeonato Brasileiro and Copa Libertadores editions. It has maintained its high intensity through the following years, and is considered one of the biggest interstate rivalries in Brazilian football.

The rivalry with Palmeiras of São Paulo has become increasingly intense over the course of the 21st century. The two clubs have already decided five official titles between them, including two Copa Libertadores, and they are the two most successful teams in South American football over the past decade. The rivalry extends beyond the pitch, with numerous clashes and exchanges of barbs between club officials. A considerable part of the Brazilian sports press claims that Flamengo and Palmeiras are the main protagonists of a “Spanish-style” dominance of Brazilian football, in which two clubs share the major titles and polarize public attention.

Players

First-team squad

As of 19 September 2026

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

For recent transfers, see List of Brazilian football transfers 2026 and 2026 CR Flamengo season#Transfers and loans

Youth players with first team numbers

The following players have previously made appearances or have appeared on the substitutes bench for the first team.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Retired numbers

12 – Club Supporters (the 12th Man) – Number dedicated to the rubro-negro fans.

Management team

As of 13 May 2025.

Honours

Official tournaments

s shared record

(1) This championship was organized by the "Club of Thirteen," independently of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), which organized a tournament for 16 of the clubs that were left out (including Guarani de Campinas, runner-up in 1986), called the Yellow Module, and which insisted on semifinals between the top two finishers of the Copa União (Flamengo and Internacional-RS) and those of the Yellow Module (Sport Recife and Guarani). Flamengo and Internacional did not participate, and the CBF registered Sport Recife and Guarani for the Copa Libertadores. From 2019 onwards, the CBF began to include the tournament among the Brazilian titles on its official website, but with different names: "Brasileiro" and "Copa União."

(2) In 1940 the competition was interrupted with Flamengo and Fluminense in the lead, without the CBD making the title official, however, the clubs and newspapers at the time considered the result definitive and declared the Flamengo and Fluminense as the legitimate champions of the competition. The club currently considers itself champion of the competition and includes this title among its achievements.

Other tournaments

Lima International Tournament (1): 1952

Juan Domingo Peron Tournament (1): 1953

Torneio Internacional do Rio de Janeiro (4): 1954, 1955, 1970, 1972

Israel International Tournament (1): 1958

Torneo Hexagonal de Lima (1): 1959

South American Octagonal Tournament (1): 1961

Tunisia International Tournament (1): 1962

Colombia International Tournament (1): 1964

Orange Trophy (2): 1964, 1986

Mohammed V Cup (1): 1968

Torneio Quadrangular Internacional de Goiás (1): 1975

Trofeo Ciudad de Palma de Mallorca (1): 1978

Ramón de Carranza Trophy (2): 1979, 1980

Trofeo Ciudad de Santander (1): 1980

Naples International Tournament (1): 1981

Punta del Este Cup (1): 1981

Air Gabon Tournament (1): 1987

Angola International Tournament (1): 1987

Kirin Cup (1): 1988

Trofeo Colombino (1): 1988

Runners-up

FIFA Intercontinental Cup (1): 2025

FIFA Club World Cup (1): 2019

Copa Libertadores (1): 2021

Copa Sudamericana (1): 2017

Recopa Sudamericana (2): 2023, 2026

Supercopa Libertadores (2): 1993, 1995

Copa Mercosur (1): 2001

Campeonato Brasileiro Série A (3): 1964, 2018, 2021

Copa do Brasil (5): 1997, 2003, 2004, 2017, 2023

Supercopa do Brasil (4): 1991, 2022, 2023, 2026

Torneio Rio–São Paulo (3): 1957, 1958, 1997

Campeonato Carioca (35): 1912, 1913, 1919, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1932, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1940, 1941, 1952, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1977, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2010, 2013, 2022, 2023

Copa Rio (1): 1993

Youth team

U20 Intercontinental Cup (2): 2024, 2025

U-20 Copa Libertadores (2): 2024, 2025

Campeonato Brasileiro Sub-20 (2): 2019, 2023

Supercopa do Brasil Sub-20 (1): 2019

Campeonato Brasileiro Sub-17 (2): 2019, 2021

Copa do Brasil Sub-17 (2): 2018, 2021

Supercopa do Brasil Sub-17 (1): 2021

Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior (4): 1990, 2011, 2016, 2018

Taça Belo Horizonte de Juniores (3): 1986, 2003, 2007

Copa Macaé de Juvenis (2): 1999, 2006

Copa Votorantim Sub-15 (2): 2015, 2017

Awards

IFFHS The World's Club Team of the Year: 2022

Records

CONMEBOL club coefficient ranking

As of 15 December 2025

Average attendance

Below is Flamengo's average home match average attendance in Campeonato Brasileiro league matches since the current league format was adopted in 2003.

Domestic results

Below are Flamengo's results in domestic competitions since the previous nationwide organized competitions (1959), before the first official Brazilian national championship tournament in 1971.

Key

International results

Below are Flamengo's results in official international competitions since the club's first qualification to the Copa Libertadores in 1981. Group stage match results are listed with the home match first.

As of 17 September 2026

† Defunct competitions

(H) – Home; (A) – Away; (N) – Neutral

* Tiebreaker match

** Both matches played at the same stadium

Current board of directors

As of 9 December 2024

Other sports

Men's basketball

Flamengo basketball won the Rio de Janeiro City Championship in 1919 and have since grown to be one of the most successful and supported basketball teams in the country. The club have won six Brazilian Championships, a record 44 Rio de Janeiro State Championships, the 1953 South American Championship of Champions Clubs, and the 2009 South American League.

In 2014, Flamengo won the League of the Americas without a single loss, defeating Pinheiros in the final. This qualified Flamengo to their first Intercontinental Cup against EuroLeague champions Maccabi Tel Aviv. Flamengo won and became the second Brazilian basketball team in history to be world champions. Flamengo, Real Madrid and Barcelona are the only clubs to have won the Intercontinental Cups in both football and basketball.

Flamengo hosted and participated in the 2019 FIBA Intercontinental Cup, falling to BCL champions AEK Athens in the final.

Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB): 7

2009, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2018–19, 2020–21

Campeonato Brasileiro de Basquete: 1

2008

Super 8 Cup: 4

2018, 2020–21, 2023–24, 2024–25

South American Championship of Champions Clubs: 1

1953

FIBA South American League (LSB): 1

2009 (I)

FIBA Americas League / Champions League: 3

2014, 2020–21, 2024–25

FIBA Intercontinental Cup: 2

Women's football

Between 1995 and 2001, the Flamengo women's football team competed in the Campeonato Carioca. In 2002 the women's Carioca tournament was not organized, and the club ceased operation of the team. Flamengo attempted to re-establish their women's professional football department in 2011 through a partnership with the city of Guarujá, where the team trained, and hoped to sign Marta, but the team never materialized. In 2015 president Eduardo Bandeira de Mello succeeded in establishing the football team through a partnership with the Brazilian Navy. In their first season, the team won the women's Campeonato Carioca state championship and have won it every season from 2015 to 2019. In 2016 Flamengo won the Campeonato Brasileiro de Futebol Feminino for the first time against Rio Preto, becoming the only club outside the state of São Paulo to win the tournament since its creation in 2013. Flamengo also competed in the 2016 and 2017 Copa do Brasil de Futebol Feminino before the cancellation of the competition in favor of the Campeonato Brasileiro.

Campeonato Brasileiro de Futebol Feminino Série A1: 1

2016

Campeonato Carioca de Futebol Feminino: 9

2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025

Copa Rio de Futebol Feminino: 2

2023, 2025

Women's basketball

The Flamengo women's basketball team won back-to-back Brazilian championships in 1954 and 1955. Ten years later with some of the same players, the program won back-to-back Brazilian titles again in 1964 and 1965. Flamengo players Norminha, Angelina, Marlene and Delei were champions of the 1967 Pan American Games in Winnipeg with the Brazil women's national basketball team.

In 1966 Flamengo won the Inter-club Basketball World Championship. The team was led by Angelina, considered one of the best players of her time.

Rowing

The "Flamengo Regatta Group", later renamed the "Flamengo Regatta Club", was established in 1895 as Flamengo's first ever organized athletic department, forming the basis of the club's history and identity to this day. The first regatta victory came in 1898 in the Nautical Championship of Brazil, and the first title was won in 1900, the Regatta of the IV Centenary of the Discovery of Brazil, for which the club was awarded the Jug Tropon trophy. In 1905 the club won a classic event, the South American Cup. By 1908, Flamengo had already won 43 gold, 126 silver and 141 bronze medals. The success of the rowing club made the team famous even before the founding of the football department in 1911. Great rowers such as Everardo Paes de Lima, Arnaldo Voigt, Alfredo Correia ("Boca Larga"), Ângelo Gammaro ("Angelú") and Antônio Rebello Junior ("Engole Garfo") came through Flamengo, the latter three being considered Brazilian sports heroes for completing the Rio-Santos crossing in 1932.

From 1931 to 1937 Flamengo were seven-time champions of Rio de Janeiro, and were four-time repeat state champions from 1940 to 1943. In 1963 the "Buck era" began, which revolutionized Flamengo rowing. The coach brought in athletes from other states and renovated the club's facilities to better accommodate the boats. Buck coached the Brazil national team, directing the team in several international competitions. In the early 1980s, Flamengo won the state championship and won again in 1992. The club has won the men's Brazil Trophy 10 times, and the female once, in addition to 45 Carioca state titles.

Water polo

Water polo is the second oldest sport practiced by the club, after rowing. The team played their first game on 27 May 1913, in Rio de Janeiro, and defeated Clube Internacional de Regatas, 3–2. Flamengo only opened its water sports facility in 1965. Prior to that, athletes played and trained in the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon or in the sea. Flamengo's first polo championship in Rio de Janeiro came in 1985 and was the start of a run of nine consecutive championships through 1993. In 1985 the club won the South American Club Championship and the Brazil Trophy (also won four consecutive times). A female water polo team was established in 1987, winning the Brazil Trophy in 1987 and 1991 and the state championship in 1995.

American football

The club launched their American football team in 2013, forming a partnership with the Rio de Janeiro Emperors. The Emperors were established in 2008 and had previously partnered with Fluminense from 2010 to 2013. The team officially goes by the name of the Flamengo Emperors and compete in the BFA (Brasil Futebol Americano).

Tennis

Flamengo began playing tennis championships in 1916 and became three-time Rio champions soon after (1916–18), even with their athletes training at other clubs. Until 1932 the club practiced tennis on their football field at the Rua Paysandu. In 1963 the club inaugurated their own facilities and courts. The biggest idol of Flamengo's tennis department is Thomas Koch.

E-sports

In 2017 the club announced they would be entering the increasingly popular e-sports leagues the following year, beginning with a League of Legends department and eventually establishing a PES team. Because the competitive League of Legends center of Brazil is at the Riot Games studio in São Paulo, Flamengo established a permanent "gaming office" for the team in the city. Flamengo announced that they would not be partnering with an existing team but rather would have their own team. In October 2017 they announced the purchase of Merciless Gaming, a team in the second division of the Brazilian League of Legends championship.

Additional sports departments

Artistic gymnastics

Auto racing (Flamengo Superleague Formula team)

Beach soccer

Bocce

CP football

Futsal

Indoor soccer

Judo

Swimming

Synchronized swimming

Volleyball