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I grew up in a Futbol Family. With parents from Argentina/Italy it's kinda hard not to love it. But, having lived most all my life in the States, the closest thing to having experienced the rowdiness and team pride that most Futbol fans around the world experience on a regular basis would be my adoration and chanting for the NY Yankees at Yankee Stadium.

Don't get me wrong; the Yanks can pull out a pretty nutty crowd. But then, one magical Sunday, I went to Maracana Stadium and "sports fan" took on a whole new meaning. I mean, C to the R to the AZY! Below is a panoramic view of the stadium from our vantage point of the match.

First, if you don't know, Maracana is the largest Stadium in South America. It has a seating capacity of 95,000 - and you could pack in more with standing room.At the game I was at, people sat on the steps without any regard to safety. Little things like Fire Codes, like the driving rules (see previous post), are more like good suggestions rather than fixed guidelines.

 

Here's a picture of one of those seats (and my cute shoes). These were specifically chosen for their irremoveability in the face of riots (the seats, not the shoes). I know this because my brother-in-law was one of the head architects involved with the remodeling of Maracana 10 years ago. 

The game I was at was a charitable event, hosted and orchestrated by Flamengo's all-time best player, Zico. The match was set between past Flamengo players vs. Amigos de Zico (Zico's Friends) who are also well-known and good Futbol players that are invited to play at this charity event game. It's almost like the MLB All-Star game, though no fan voting takes place. FYI:  Flamengo is the most popular sports club in Rio, and their colors are Red and Black. The whole stadium was a sea of those dominating colors. It was impressive, to say the least.

So to get an idea at how crazy-go-nuts things can be, at something as family-friendly as a Charity Event Match, over 70,000 people were in attendance: all Flamengo Fans. This is significant information, that will come in handy later.

Even before the game, the atmosphere was a cross between a carnival and the biggest tailgate party you can think of. People were literally flooding into the stadium, unfurling their flags, chanting, and then when the fan clubs arrived, the party really got going. I'm talking drums, singing, etc . . . 

Security was nothing to bat an eyelash at either. Police in full-riot gear were at the ready for "just in case." They had bobby sticks that were more like slick baseball bats, and you get the feeling that there'd be no hesitation in using them either. Fifteen minutes after we took our seats, the line we were waiting in outside for tickets had apparently erupted into a riot. The crowd controllers pulled out the tear gas, and I am sure they got some good batting practice in, too.

The match was good - the skill on the field was lovely. But my favorite part was actually being part of the wave, and feeling the reverberations of the thousands of voices for each of the Flamengo songs. Maracana's version of the Bleacher Creatures kept the enthusiasm alive. Not that it would take much to get the crowd going - just 2 weeks prior, Flamengo took National Championship. It's sixth National Title, and something the people of Rio were more than ready to celebrate.

Here's a little taste of what I heard:

The game ended in a friendly tie: 5 - 5. But the real winner of the day was me. My first Futbol Stadium experience, and one I won't soon forget!