Sound of the crowd at Maracanã
Radial Oeste Avenue, around Maracanã Stadium, Fla-Flu day, a sunny Sunday. The drumline members gather, test their equipment, wave the big flags. The organized supporter groups rehearse their first chants, still timid: "Sunday, I'm going to Maracanã / I'll cheer for the team I'm a fan of / I'll bring fireworks and a flag / It won't be a joke / It's going to be champion".
Photo: Fernando Bueno - Maracanã Stadium - Tyba Agency
Image description: This is a photograph of a stadium at night, lit up in green. On the left side, we see a metal structure that appears to be part of the stadium. In the center, the main stadium is illuminated in green, standing out against the dark sky. On the right, there is an area with trees and smaller buildings. In the background, we see a city with many buildings and an illuminated hill. The sky shows shades of orange and yellow, suggesting it is sunset.The game begins. The referee whistles that dubious offside or that suspicious foul. Immediately: he is solemnly booed by an enraged half of the stadium. Not even his mother escapes the jeers and curses. The other half, meanwhile, takes advantage of the opponent's moment of instability and starts singing their club's anthem at the top of their lungs.
Photo: Ricardo Azoury - Flamengo fans at Maracanã - Agência Tyba
Image description: This is a photograph of Flamengo fans at Maracanã Stadium, on August 30, 1999, in Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. The image is dominated by intense red tones, resulting from smoke and possibly fireworks. In the center, we see flags and symbols of the Flamengo club, with black and white details. On the left, there is a large flag with the Flamengo symbol. On the right, another flag is partially visible. The background is full of excited people, many of whom are holding flags, creating a vibrant and enthusiastic scene.It's the sound of the stands that dictates the rhythm of the team's game. At the moment of the goal, people hug each other, shout, pray, and life, for an instant, hangs suspended. Some say football is a mechanism of social escape, of alienation, of passion. Whatever the case may be, side by side, for a little over ninety minutes, thousands of people, of all social classes and ages, pulse to the same symphony. The referee's final whistle returns the fan to their reality, and, little by little, the stadium empties out.
Photo: João Luiz Bulcão - Young people playing soccer - Agência Tyba
Image description: This is a photograph of young people playing soccer atop a hill overlooking downtown Rio de Janeiro. On the left side, we see children watching the game. In the center, a boy runs with the ball, while others actively take part in the match. On the right, a boy chases after the ball. In the background, adults seated on a bench watch the activity. The setting is made up of a vast city, with buildings and green areas, and a bridge on the horizon.
