Fla-Flu

Fla-Flu (truncation of Flamengo-Fluminense) is a football (soccer) matchup between cross-town rivals Flamengo and Fluminense, two of Rio de Janeiro's most popular teams. Matches are usually sold out and normally take place in the 92,000-seat Maracanã Stadium, located near downtown Rio, in the city's Maracanã district. The world record football match attendance between clubs is a Fla 0-0 Flu with 194,603 (177,656 ps.) in 1963 ´´Placar Magazine´´, 2005/May, The Big Classics, and [http://esportes.aol.com.br/fanaticos/bernardo_ramos/2005/0004.adp "Cheiro de 2004 no ar" - AOL Esportes] (March 29, 2005)] .

The moniker Fla-Flu was coined by the journalist Mário Filho during the professionalization of Rio de Janeiro's football. "Enciclopédia do Futebol Brasileiro", Volume 2 - Lance, Rio de Janeiro: Aretê Editorial S/A, 2001.]

Flamengo and Fluminense are the most successful teams in Rio State Championship. Both teams have won the competition 30 times. However, at the national level, Flamengo has won 5 Brazilian National Championships (one is the 1987 Copa União), and 2 Brazilian Cups. Fluminense has won the Brazilian National Championship once and the Torneio Roberto Gomes Pedrosa once and 1 Brazilian Cup. Fluminense has never won a major international title, but has won minor competitions like the Kirin Cup, which Flamengo has also won. Flamengo has won one Libertadores Cup and one Intercontinental Cup, both in 1981. Fluminense is the only team in Rio that holds the IOC's Olympic Cup ("Coupe Olympique" or "Taça Olímpica"), a non-competitive award for distinguished service in upholding the ideals of the Olympic Movement and to recognise the particular merits of institutions or associations and their services rendered to sport, conquered in 1949. [ [http://www.flumania.com.br/olimpica.htm "A Taça Olímpica (1949)" - Flumania] ]

The rivalry between these two clubs began in October 1911, when a group of dissatisfied players from Fluminense left the club, and went to Flamengo, which at the time had no football section. [http://www.museudosesportes.com.br/noticia.php?id=7814 O Flamengo nasceu do Fluminense - Museu dos Esportes] ] The first Fla-Flu ever was played the following year, on July 7, 1912 at Laranjeiras stadium. Fluminense won this match 3-2, with 800 people in attendance [http://www.fifa.com/en/organisation/index/0,1649,27708,00.html?articleid=27708 "Passion, carnival and crazy goals" - FIFA website] (July 13, 2001)] .The most recent Fla-Flu match was on June 01, 2008 which Flamengo won 1-0 over Fluminense. [ [http://globoesporte.globo.com/Esportes/Futebol/0,,CCF22527-9825,00.html "Leo Moura, de pênalti, garante vitória rubro-negra no Fla-Flu" - Globoesporte.com] (retrieved on July 3, 2008)]

The Fla-Flu matches are mentioned in Lamartine Babo's unofficial, but very popular, Flamengo anthem [http://www.flogao.com.br/flamengonet/news/60427 "O mais querido do Brasil!!" - Flamengonet] (November 13, 2004)] composed in 1942 [http://www.noolhar.com/opovo/vidaearte/329448.html "Coração de torcedor" - No Olhar] (January 10, 2004)] .

Important matches

On November 23, 1941, Flamengo and Fluminense disputed the Campeonato Carioca final, at Gávea Stadium. As the stadium is located in Lagoa neighborhood, the match was nicknamed "Lagoa's Fla-Flu". The first half of the match ended 2-1 to Fluminense. Flamengo's Pirillo scored a goal in the 39th minute of the second half of the match, but Fluminense only needed a draw in the match, and won the competition. 15,312 people watched the match [http://paginas.terra.com.br/esporte/rsssfbrasil/tables/rj1941.htm RSSSF] ] .

In 1991, the Campeonato Carioca final was again disputed between Flamengo and Fluminense. The first leg, played on December 13, ended in a 1-1 draw. In the second leg, played on December 19, Flamengo beat Fluminense 4-2. The Flamengo goals were scored by Uidemar, Gaúcho, Zinho and Júnior. Both Fluminense goals were scored by Ézio. Flamengo's Gaúcho was the top goalscorer of that competition [http://paginas.terra.com.br/esporte/rsssfbrasil/tables/rj1991.htm RSSSF] ] .

In Campeonato Carioca's finals, Fluminense beat Flamengo in 1919, 1936, 1941, 1969, 1973, 1983, 1984 and 1995. Flamengo beat Fluminense in 1963, 1972 and 1991. [http://www.grandesclassicos.com/index3.php Fla-Flu history at Grandes Clássicos] ]

One of the most famous matches [http://www.estadao.com.br/esportes/noticias/2003/jun/25/241.htm "Renato comemora 8 anos do gol de barriga" Estadão Esportes] (June 25, 2003)] between the two clubs is the 1995 Campeonato Carioca final stage match, played on June 25 of that year at Maracanã stadium. In this match, Fluminense's Renato Gaúcho scored a belly goal, and his team won the match 3-2. Fluminense finished the stage with 33 points, winning the title, and Flamengo finished one point behind its rival, losing the championship in the year of its centenary [http://paginas.terra.com.br/esporte/rsssfbrasil/tables/rj1995.htm RSSSF] ] .

The 2004 Campeonato Carioca had two matches played between Flamengo and Fluminense. On February 1, Flamengo won by 4-3, after Fluminense scored 3-1 in the first half. On February 21, Flamengo beat Fluminense 3-2, which gave Flamengo the Taça Guanabara title of that year [http://paginas.terra.com.br/esporte/rsssfbrasil/tables/rj2004.htm RSSSF] ] .

Highest attendances in Fla-Flu

# Flamengo - Fluminense 0-0, 194,603 (177.656 ps.), December 12, 1963.
# Flamengo - Fluminense 2-3, 171,599, June 15, 1969.
# Flamengo - Fluminense 0-0, 155,116, May 16, 1976.
# Flamengo - Fluminense 0-1, 153,520, December 16, 1984.
# Flamengo - Fluminense 0-2, 138,599, August 2, 1970.
# Flamengo - Fluminense 1-1, 138,557, April 22, 1979.
# Flamengo - Fluminense 5-2, 137,002, April 23, 1972.
# Flamengo - Fluminense 2-1, 136,829, September 7, 1972.
# Flamengo - Fluminense 3-3, 136,606, October 18, 1964.
# Flamengo - Fluminense 1-0, 124,432, September 23, 1979.

tatistics

As of August 31, 2008:

Latest match: Flamengo–Fluminense 2–2 (played on August 31, 2008) (Campeonato Brasileiro Série A)

References

*"Enciclopédia do Futebol Brasileiro", Volume 1 - Lance, Rio de Janeiro: Aretê Editorial S/A, 2001.

External links

* [http://www.fifa.com/en/organisation/index/0,1649,27708,00.html?articleid=27708 FIFA website]
* [http://www.footballderbies.com/results/index.php?id=53 Football Derbies]
* [http://www.jadransport.org/articles/2506.html Fla-Flu and the Carioca Cup]
* [http://www.grandesclassicos.com/index3.php Fla-Flu history]
* [http://paginas.terra.com.br/esporte/rsssfbrasil/miscellaneous/attflaflu.htm Best Attendances]
* [http://paginas.terra.com.br/esporte/rsssfbrasil/tables/rjpodium.htm Ranking Rio de Janeiro League]