Football Rivalries in Brazil
Football Rivalries in Brazil
By Fernando Sell
Brazil is a nation with a fierce and historic rivalry between clubs. However, the characteristics of the rivalries are different in comparison to European ones.
As Brazil is a huge country that is composed of many states, it is rare to see a heated rivalry between two teams from different states.
The most intense rivalries are those between clubs of the same state; this mainly happens in the states of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. The rivalries are primarily stimulated through state championships, also through the league known as O Brasileirão and the Brazilian Cup. When two rival teams play against each other the match is known as a derby and teams can play against each other 6 or more times in one year.
Grêmio vs Internacional
Grêmio and Internacional are fierce rival clubs from Porto Alegre, the capital city of the state Rio Grande do Sul. The state is practically divided in half by the clubs, half the state is painted blue and the other red. The historic derby between the two sides is known as the Gre-Nal.
Many players have played against each in the Gre-Nal, but one of the greatest player vs player moments was between Ronaldinho (Grêmio) and Dunga (Internacional). In one of the derbies, Ronaldinho destroyed Dunga with his tricks and flicks, and the Brazilian superstar scored a beautiful chip in the game.
This particular state championship in which the two teams compete for is called “Campeonato Gaúcho.” In 2009 Internacional were the winners, with arch rivals Grêmio finishing in second. Inter have won the competition 39 times and Grêmio 35 times.
Rio de Janeiro
The state is full of fervent rivalries; the four major clubs of the state are Botafogo, Flamengo, Fluminense, and Vasco de Gama. The biggest matches involve Flamengo, the most popular club in the country and the most hated by all the other fans in Rio. One of the biggest derbies in Brazil and in the world is the Fla-Flu, between Flamengo and Fluminense. The two teams have been arch rivals since the early 20th century and the match always sells out at the legendary Maracaña.
In recent times the biggest rivalry has been between Flamengo and Botafogo. They have played against one another in the last 3 finals of the Rio de Janeiro State Championship, known as “Campeonato Carioca.” Flamengo won has the last three finals. The derby between the two is known as the Clássico da Rivalidade.
The match disputed between Fluminese and Botago is known as the Clássico Vovô (Granddad derby) it got this name because it is the older derby in Brazil, the 4th oldest in South America.
Even though I highlighted three of the derbies in Rio, the matches against the four clubs are always passionate and exhilarating matches. The rivalry between the clubs is strong and will always be that way.
São Paulo
The biggest rivalry in the state of São Paulo is between Palmeiras and Corinthians, the Paulista Derby. Even though it is the oldest rivalry in the big state, the intensity has decreased over the past years, but the hatred between both clubs is still incredibly strong. Many times there have been violent clashes between the fans of the clubs. The rivalry is also evident on the pitch as the players are frequently disrespectful to one another and play aggressively.
The San-São is between São Paulo and Santos, and the rivalry between the two is more recent. This is based on the big success the two clubs have had in the past years.
The last final of the Campeonato Paulista was between Santos and Corinthians. Santos views Corinthians as their main rival and competition between the two is very high. The derby is also known as Confronto dos Alvinegros, the derby between the black and white.
Atlético Mineiro vs Cruzeiro
They are the two biggest clubs of Belo Horizonte, capital of Minas Gerais. Some areas of Minas Gerais support clubs from São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro, but in Belo Horizonte all hearts focus on the rivalry between the Azuis Celestes (Cruzeiro) and Galo (Atlético), a match full of passion and emotion.
Cruzeiro won the past two Campeonato Mineiro and beat their arch rivals in 2009 and 2008.
In the smaller states there are still fierce and significant rivalries, they may not bring in huge amounts of attention, but must not be seen as an average games. In the state of Bahia, the clash between Vitória and Bahia is just as important and vital as a Fla-Flu. The battle between Coritiba and Atlético Paranense is the classic derby of the state of Paraná, this match is known as Atletiba. This match normally decides the winner of the Campeonato Paranaense. Finally, the match between Sport and Náutico is the most intense in the state of Pernambuco.
What do you think about the unique set-up of Brazilian rivalries? Do you prefer a European derby or a Brazilian one?
