May 31, 2015 FLAMENGO VS. FLUMINENSE

https://zairetakesbrasil.wordpress.com/2015/06/02/flamengo-vs-fluminense/

Yesterday, we were given the wonderful opportunity to attend a soccer match at the world renown Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. It was the biggest club rivalry game of the year, Flamengo against Fluminense. The atmosphere was indescribable. As a soccer player, seeing it last week EMPTY was a dream come true, but this?! Actually being here for a real match, it was a night I I’ll never forget! Of course I had to wear my custom Brazil jersey that I bought last week and take a few pictures with the field! While this was an amazing experience being here again, the atmosphere of the game is what truly captured my heart. Everywhere you looked, there was a sea of black and red, the Flamengo colors (Maracanã is their home stadium). All around there were fans of all ages, races, shapes an sizes. People from all over Rio were coming to watch this much anticipated match, and they came ready to cheer and support their team in all of their glory! One of my favorite moments captured of the night is this picture below, where as you can see, the love and passion for the game travels down through generations. As our tour guide said, it is not just a sport, it is a passion and a lifestyle. Red and black literally filled the stadium. And the game had not even begun yet. As far as I am concerned, nothing in America is even comparable to the Atmosphere here. Perhaps American football and the Super Bowl, but I just do not feel the same intensity as I did when I stood inside this stadium. This experience taught me so much about the Brazillean culture, and how much soccer is a part of that. I had already known that it was an extremely important part, but witnessing the experience first hand is a whole knew level of knowledge. Soccer (or futêbol) is taken extremely seriously, and it starts at a very young age… As seen below. This experience as a whole was such a wonderful thing, and I am so greatful that I got to witness the environment of going to an actual game, in Brazil nonetheless, where the passion for the sport is most common, with such a fun and amazing group of students. Definitely a night to remember!