Maracanãzinho

Maracanãzinho was inaugurated in 1954, in the Maracanã Complex, with a capacity of 13,000 people and a multi-purpose court for volleyball, basketball, handball, and futsal.

The real name of Maracanãzinho - Gilberto Cardoso Gymnasium - is a tribute to the former president of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo, who died after watching, at the gymnasium, an exciting basketball final in which his club became champion.

Image description: This is a photograph of Maracanãzinho, a stadium located in São Paulo. The image shows the stadium from above, with its circular structure and domed roof. On the left, we see an urban area with buildings and trees. In the center, the stadium's roof is predominantly white, with metallic and structural details. On the right, there is a modern building with arches, possibly a bus terminal or subway station.

It hosted major sporting events, and an important part of indoor volleyball history took place there: the men's gold and women's silver Olympic medals at the Pan American Games, men's gold at the 2016 Olympics, and the first Mundialito de Vôlei (1982), where Bernard Rajzman performed the “Star Trek” serve for the first time, contributing to the victory over the Soviet Union.

Maracanãzinho was also the stage for major concerts, such as Secos e Molhados (1974) — an audience record — Rita Lee, Genesis, Iron Maiden, and many others.

Image description: This is a photograph of a musical performance. In the central area, there is a large illustration featuring human faces and a plume. On the left, a musician plays a guitar, while on the right, another plays a string instrument. In the center, a drummer stands in front of the drums. On the right, two elaborately dressed dancers are in motion. The background features decorative arches in shades of pink and black.

Not to mention the legendary International Song Festivals, held from 1966 to 1972, which launched important names in Brazilian popular music such as Chico Buarque, Caetano Veloso, and Geraldo Vandré.

It was there that, in 1968, Sabiá, a song by Chico Buarque and Tom Jobim sung by Cynara and Cybele, was booed when it was announced as the winner of the Festival. The audience was rooting for Geraldo Vandré with "Para não dizer que não falei das flores," who gave a brief but moving speech.

Olha, sabe o que eu acho? Eu acho uma coisa só a mais: Antonio Carlos Jobim e Chico Buarque de Holanda merecem o nosso respeito! - A nossa função é fazer canções... a função de julgar, nesse instante, é do júri que ali está.

The applause turns into a wave of boos directed at the jury, which had bowed to the censors' wishes and left Vandré's song in second place. Before performing his song, Vandré dropped an iconic line: "Life doesn't come down to festivals."

In October 2003, the arena closed for renovations in order to meet the requirements of the Pan American Games (2007), and it closed again in 2015 for further adaptation work for the 2016 Olympic Games, where it hosted the men's volleyball team's Olympic gold-medal match. Now reopened, Maracanãzinho currently hosts events and matches in various sports.

Image description: This is a photograph of a sports stadium, likely Maracanãzinho, with a large central arena where a volleyball match is taking place. The stands are packed with spectators, most of them wearing yellow. In the center of the arena, there is a light blue volleyball court with players in action. On the sides of the court, there are benches for the athletes and support equipment. On the stadium's ceiling, several flags are hanging, including the flag of Brazil. The venue's lighting is intense, with bright lights shining down to illuminate the entire area.