FootballII

The creation of the Liga Carioca de Futebol, in 1933, is considered a milestone in the sport's professionalization process. The new league, which only had professional players, was recognized by the Confederação Brasileira de Desportos, and from then on, two championships began to be held in Rio: a professional one, organized by the Liga Carioca de Football (LCF), and an amateur one, run by the Associação Metropolitana de Esportes Athleticos (Amea). Only in 1937 were the two unified into the Liga de Football do Rio de Janeiro.

Starting in the 1930s and continuing through the Estado Novo period (1937 to 1945), football began to be used politically, gaining strength as a symbol of national identity. The myth of "racial democracy," which appeared in the writings of anthropologists, historians, and important thinkers in the early years of the 20th century, also showed up in journalistic discourse and sports columns of the period. One of those who helped reaffirm it was the journalist Mario Filho (brother of Nelson Rodrigues), who today gives his name to the Maracanã stadium, and who owned the Jornal dos Sports, a publication notable for the unusual pink color of its pages.

News report on Roberto Dinamite's first professional goal in Jornal dos Sports. National Library Newspaper Archive, 11/26/1971, ed. 13488, p. 1. Photo taken from the website O Curioso do Futebol

Image description: The image is a black-and-white newspaper page. In the center, there is a photo of a soccer player in action, jumping to score a goal. On the left is the text "Vasco was sensational against Inter: 2-0." On the right, there is more text about soccer match results. The main headline reads "Dynamite Boy Exploded." Below, there is a quote that reads: "We don't need leaders, we need players," says Flávio Costa about Samara.

The idea of soccer as a representation of national identity, a democratic and inclusive sport, played in matches that included people from all social strata, both on the field and in the stands, was widely spread by the mainstream press. The prominence of players Leônidas da Silva and Domingos da Guia in the 1938 World Cup helped create the image of Black national heroes, which helped legitimize this idea. Currently there are many discussions about racism, including in soccer, proving that racial democracy was effectively never more than a myth.

Reception of the Brazilian delegation in Rio de Janeiro, after winning 3rd place in the 1938 Cup, in Sweden. Correio da Manhã/Arquivo Nacional collection. Photo taken from the CBF website.

Image description: Black-and-white photograph of a crowd filling the entire street during the reception for the Brazilian football delegation after the 1938 World Cup. At the center, a white-roofed vehicle moves forward surrounded by people; men are hanging from posts and awnings to watch it pass by. Most people are wearing light-colored hats. On the right, storefronts display the signs "CASA DE LOTERIAS" and "AVENIDA".

Starting in the 1950s, championships won the hearts of Rio's residents. Mario Filho created the Torneio Rio-São Paulo, the seed of today's Brasileirão. And the arrival of television gave an even greater boost to the sport, with images adding excitement for fans who already thrilled to the radio. The duo Leo Batista and Luis Mendes ran the show on channel 13, TV Rio. But many households would replace the TV's sound with the radio narration of Odvaldo Cozzi or Waldir Amaral, revealing the importance of sports announcers and commentators.

Round-table shows began to dominate Sunday nights. The pioneer was Grande Resenha Facit, on TV Rio, hosted by Luís Mendes, featuring the best commentators of the time: Armando Nogueira, Nelson Rodrigues, and João Saldanha, for example, who would argue while favoring their clubs of preference. These attractions spread to other channels, and Sunday nights ended up becoming "prime time."

Nelson Rodrigues, besides being a sports commentator, was also a writer, playwright and, above all, a diehard Fluminense supporter. With the genius of his pen, he created unforgettable characters. Among them, Sobrenatural de Almeida and Gravatinha. Both were ghosts who haunted the tricolor team. Sobrenatural de Almeida had the power to interfere in football matches, always harming Fluminense, which explained the missed goals, the goalkeepers' blunders and, of course, the defeats. Gravatinha, however, had the opposite ability: when he appeared at the stadium, it was a sure win for Flu. Other Rodrigues-created characters also inhabited the football universe of the time.

And there were, of course, other brilliant cariocas who were passionate about football. Lamartine Babo, a great composer, wrote anthems for almost every club in the city. Ary Barroso, author of Aquarela do Brasil, even became a sports announcer and commentator. Hated by many club directors, he had to broadcast matches balanced on rooftops, because he was banned from entering the stadiums. But there were also those who didn't like the sport: Lima Barreto and Graciliano Ramos, for example, were horrified by the violence of the matches.

The mark of Rio's football, to this day, is the Maracanã Stadium, built especially for the 1950 World Cup. After more than a decade without any World Cup being held, due to World War II, Brazil hosted the event, and the Maracanã was the stage for the Brazilian national team's fateful defeat to Uruguay. The final match of the cup drew the largest crowd of all matches in all World Cups: 199,854 people. This was only possible because of the "geral": a democratic and cheap area, where fans of all clubs gathered, even those with the fiercest rivalries. The geral was the place where everything happened. With little radios glued to their ears and their eyes on the field, fans let their tears and laughter flow freely. They imitated the whistles, confusing the referees. And they received not-so-pleasant "flying packages" thrown from the stands. Yet that was where they wanted to be. That was where hearts pounded with emotion.

The Geral (terrace) at Maracanã at the end of the 1950 World Cup. Eliomar Coelho website.

Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of an excited crowd in a stadium. From left to right, we see agitated people, some with arms raised, while others watch. In the background, more people are seated, filling the stadium's seats. On the right, there is a banner with lettering that is not entirely clear, but appears to read "São Paulo."

And then came the Rio-born stars: Castilho, Leônidas da Silva, Nilton Santos, Didi, Domingos da Guia, Carlos Alberto Torres, Zico, Romário, Ronaldinho Fenômeno, Garrincha, Roberto Dinamite, and Gérson (these last 3 were included, even though they were not born in the city of Rio, for their undeniable skill and for having built their professional careers here). This is our carioca all-star team. You can make your own!

Zico celebrating a goal against Cobreloa of Chile, in the Final of the Copa Libertadores de América Football tournament, at Maracanã Stadium - 1981. Imortais do Futebol website.

Image description: The image is a photograph of a soccer player celebrating a goal. He is wearing a red and black jersey with white details, white shorts, and red socks with black stripes. His hands are raised in a celebratory gesture. In the background, there is a densely packed cheering crowd, and a banner with the name "Flamengo" is visible. Another player, wearing a black and white uniform, is standing to the right of the field.

And as the decades went by, football became more spectacularized and elitist, and Maracanã lost its “geral” (standing terraces). Then came the 2014 World Cup, the Engenhão, the 7-1 defeat, the final without Brazil at Maracanã. Even so, football still stirs the heart and soul of the carioca. It's no accident that the sport has countless variations around here, from altinha to futevôlei, from table football to preguinho. As they say, every carioca already has a team before they're even born or have their given name chosen by their parents.