CR Flamengo facts for kids
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| Full name | Clube de Regatas do Flamengo | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Rubro-Negro (Scarlet-Black) Mengão (Big Mengo) Malvadão (The Evil One) Urubu (Vulture) |
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| Founded | 17 November 1895 (Rowing Club) 24 December 1911 (Football Department) |
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| Stadium | Maracanã | |||
| Stadium capacity |
73,139 | |||
| Stadium coordinates |
22°54′44″S 43°13′49″W / 22.91222°S 43.23028°W | |||
| President | Rodolfo Landim | |||
| Head coach | Filipe Luís | |||
| League | Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Campeonato Carioca |
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| 2023 2024 |
Série A, 4th of 20 Carioca, 1st of 12 |
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Clube de Regatas do Flamengo, usually called Flamengo, is a famous Brazilian sports club. It is based in Rio de Janeiro and is best known for its professional football (soccer) team. Flamengo is one of only two clubs that have never been relegated from Brazil's top football league.
Flamengo is the most popular team in Brazil. More than 46.9 million fans support them, which is about 21.9% of the country's population. The club started in 1895 as a rowing club. Their first official football match was not until 1912.
The team's traditional uniform has red and black striped shirts, white shorts, and red and black striped socks. Flamengo usually plays home matches at the Maracanã, which is also Brazil's national stadium. Since 1969, the vulture (called urubu in Portuguese) has been Flamengo's mascot.
Flamengo became one of Brazil's most successful clubs in the 20th century. They won many Campeonato Carioca (Rio de Janeiro state league) titles. After the first national championship started in 1959, they continued to be successful. They have won 7 national titles, 5 Brazilian Cups, and a record 38 state titles. In South America and worldwide, their biggest wins include the 1981, 2019, and 2022 Copa Libertadores tournaments. They also won the 1981 Intercontinental Cup against Liverpool F.C., led by their legendary player, Zico.
The name "Flamengo" comes from the Flamengo neighborhood. It refers to a Dutch explorer, Olivier Van Noort. He tried to invade Rio de Janeiro in the 16th century from Flamengo Beach. "Flamengo" is the Portuguese word for "Flemish".
Flamengo has strong rivalries with other big teams in Rio de Janeiro. These include Fluminense, Botafogo, and Vasco da Gama. They also have rivalries with Atlético Mineiro and Palmeiras.
Flamengo is Brazil's richest and most valuable football club. It has many followers on social media, with over 49 million across all platforms. Many Flamengo players have also played for the Brazil national football team. For example, Leônidas and Zizinho won top awards at the World Cup while playing for Flamengo. Seven players have won the World Cup while being Flamengo players.
Flamengo's youth academy is one of the best in Brazil. It has helped develop many famous Brazilian players. Some of these include Zico, Vinícius Júnior, and Lucas Paquetá. The club's training center is called "Ninho do Urubu" (Vulture's Nest). It is where both the professional and youth teams train.
Contents
- Club History: How Flamengo Started and Grew
- Team Look and Feel
- Home Stadiums
- Big Rivalries
- Other Sports at Flamengo
- Honours
- Images for kids
Club History: How Flamengo Started and Grew
Founding a Rowing Club (1895–1912)
Flamengo began on November 17, 1895. A group of rowers started it at Nestor de Barros's home on Flamengo Beach. Rowing was a popular sport for the upper class back then. The group wanted to impress young women by having a rowing club.
They first bought a used boat called Pherusa. But it turned over during its first trip, and the rowers almost drowned. The boat was later stolen. So, the group saved money and bought a new boat, the Scyra.
On November 17, they officially founded the Grupo de Regatas do Flamengo. They later changed the name to Clube de Regatas do Flamengo. The founders decided to celebrate the club's anniversary on November 15, a national holiday.
Football Team Begins (1911)
Flamengo's football team started because some players left Fluminense. These players were unhappy and decided to join Flamengo. Alberto Borgerth, their captain, was already a rower for Flamengo. The new football department was officially created on December 24, 1911.
Early Football Success (1912–1933)
The new team trained on Russel Beach. Their first official match was on May 3, 1912. They won 16–2 against Mangueira, which is still their biggest win ever. Their first game against Fluminense, starting the famous Fla-Flu rivalry, was on July 7, 1912. Fluminense won 3–2.
In 1914, Flamengo won its first Campeonato Carioca (state championship). They won again in 1915, getting their first back-to-back titles. They also did this in 1920 and 1921. In 1927, a newspaper poll asked for "the most beloved club in Brazil." Flamengo won, earning the nickname "O mais querido do Brasil" ("the most beloved of Brazil"). In 1933, the team became professional.
Becoming More Popular (1934–1955)
In 1934, José Bastos Padilha became club president. He helped Flamengo become much more popular. He started a contest for students to create phrases about Flamengo. This led to the famous phrase: uma vez Flamengo, Flamengo até morrer ("Once you are Flamengo, you are Flamengo 'til you die").
In 1936, Flamengo signed great players like Leônidas da Silva. He was the top scorer in the 1938 FIFA World Cup while playing for Flamengo. The club also built a new stadium, the Estádio da Gávea. In the 1940s, Flamengo won three state titles in a row (1942, 1943, and 1944). This was called their first tricampeonato Carioca. Zizinho, a player from Flamengo's youth team, was a key player during this time. From 1953 to 1955, Flamengo won the state league three more times.
The Golden Age with Zico (1974–1983)
Flamengo won their 18th state championship in 1978. The next five years were the club's most glorious time. Stars like Júnior and Zico led the team to three more state championships in a row. This success led to Flamengo's first national championship in 1980.
In 1981, Flamengo played in the Copa Libertadores for the first time. They reached the final against Cobreloa from Chile. After two tough matches, a third game was played. Zico scored twice, and Flamengo won the South American title. This meant they would play in the Intercontinental Cup against Liverpool F.C. in Tokyo.
On December 13, 1981, Flamengo beat Liverpool 3–0. Two goals were scored by Nunes and one by Adílio. Zico played amazingly in the midfield. Flamengo became the first Brazilian World Champions since Pelé's Santos. The next two years were also successful, with two more national championships in 1982 and 1983. This period is known as Flamengo's "Golden Age."
More National Trophies (1984–1994)
After playing in Italy for two years, Zico returned to Flamengo in 1986. He won his last state championship. In 1987, Zico helped Flamengo win the first edition of the Copa União. Flamengo won the Copa União, but there was a disagreement about who was the official national champion that year. After many appeals, Sport Recife was officially declared the champion of 1987.
Zico scored 508 goals for Flamengo, making him the club's top scorer before he retired in 1990. Even without Zico, Flamengo continued to win. They won the Copa do Brasil in 1990. In 1992, Flamengo won their fifth national championship, beating Botafogo in the final. Júnior, at 38 years old, was a key player.
Ending a Title Drought (2006–2018)
In 2006, Flamengo won the Copa do Brasil for the first time, beating rivals Vasco da Gama. From 2007 to 2009, Flamengo won the state championship three times in a row again. This gave them the record for most state titles.
On March 9, 2007, November 17 (the club's founding day) was declared "Flamengo Day" in Rio de Janeiro. In 2009, Flamengo won the national league after seventeen years. They won the title in a dramatic 2–1 comeback victory against Grêmio in the final game.
Flamengo struggled in the national league from 2010 to 2015. In 2011, they signed superstar Ronaldinho from A.C. Milan. Flamengo won the state championship that year without losing a single game. In 2013, Flamengo won their third Copa do Brasil title. By 2015, Flamengo was the most valuable club in Brazil. In 2017, Flamengo reached two major finals but lost both. They lost the Copa do Brasil in a penalty shootout and the Copa Sudamericana final. In 2018, they finished second in the national league. Young players like Vinícius Júnior and Lucas Paquetá from Flamengo's youth academy were transferred to big European clubs.
New Era of Glory (2019–Present)
On February 8, 2019, a fire broke out at Flamengo's training center, Ninho do Urubu. Ten young academy players, aged 14 to 17, died in the fire. This was a terrible tragedy for the club. Flamengo fans now sing in memory of these "Garotos do Ninho" (Boys from the Nest) at every home game.
The 2019 season was the most successful in the club's history. Flamengo signed new players like Giorgian de Arrascaeta and Bruno Henrique. They also brought in striker Gabriel Barbosa. After a new coach, Jorge Jesus, joined, Flamengo reached their first Copa Libertadores final since 1981. On November 23, 2019, Flamengo won the final against River Plate with two late goals from Gabriel.
Less than 24 hours later, Flamengo also won the national league. Flamengo became only the second Brazilian club to win their state championship, national league, and Copa Libertadores all in the same season.
In 2019, Flamengo played in the FIFA Club World Cup for the first time. They reached the final but lost to Liverpool F.C..
Recent Successes (2020–Present)
In 2020, Flamengo won the Supercopa do Brasil, Recopa Sudamericana, and the state championship. Coach Jorge Jesus left, and Rogério Ceni took over. Ceni led Flamengo to win the national league again in 2020.
In 2021, Flamengo won their third straight state championship. They reached the Copa Libertadores Final again but lost to Palmeiras.
In 2022, under coach Dorival Júnior, Flamengo won the Copa do Brasil for the fourth time. Later that month, they won their third Copa Libertadores title, beating Athletico Paranaense 1–0 in the final.
Team Look and Feel
Club Crest
Flamengo's crest has changed a bit over time. The main part is the "CRF" monogram, which stands for Clube de Regatas do Flamengo. This monogram is usually on the football uniform.
Since 2005, the club uses only a gold star above the "CRF" monogram on their shirts. This gold star celebrates their Intercontinental Cup championship in 1981.
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Team Uniforms
When Flamengo's rowing club started in 1895, their colors were blue and gold. But they didn't win much, and the colors were expensive. So, a year later, they changed to red and black, which are their colors today.
In 1912, the football team wore shirts with red and black quarters. This was called the papagaio de vintém uniform. But it was thought to bring bad luck. In 1913, they changed to shirts with red and black horizontal stripes and thin white bands. This was nicknamed the cobra coral (coral snake).
In 1916, the white bands were removed. This was because the pattern looked like the German flag during World War I. Since then, Flamengo's traditional football uniform has been red and black striped shirts, white shorts, and red and black socks.
In 1938, Flamengo started using a white secondary uniform for night matches. This made them pioneers in Brazil for having a second uniform. Since the 1990s, the club has tried different alternative uniforms, sometimes all black or all red. In 2010, they even had a blue and gold uniform to honor their original colors, but fans didn't like it much.
          Traditional primary uniform
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 Traditional secondary uniform
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     2015 "papagaio de vintém" kit
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  2010 blue and gold alternative kit
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The Scarlet-Black Nation (Fans)
Flamengo has been the most supported club in Brazil since the early 1990s. They have over 40 million fans, known as Nação Rubro-Negra (Scarlet-Black Nation).
The first organized fan group in Brazil, Charanga Rubro-Negra, was founded for Flamengo in 1942. Many other fan groups have formed since then, like Torcida Jovem-Fla and Raça Rubro-Negra. In 2007, Flamengo supporters were recognized as part of Rio de Janeiro's cultural heritage.
Flamengo matches often have huge crowds. In 1983, over 155,000 people watched Flamengo play Santos at the Maracanã. The largest attendance for a football match between clubs in the world was a derby between Flamengo and Fluminense in 1963, with 194,603 spectators.
Club Mascot: The Vulture
Flamengo's first mascot was Popeye the Sailor Man in the 1940s. But fans didn't really like him.
In the 1960s, rival fans started calling Flamengo supporters urubus (vultures). This was meant to be an insult, referring to the many Afro-Brazilian and poorer fans. But on May 31, 1969, a Flamengo fan brought a vulture to a game against Botafogo. Flamengo hadn't beaten Botafogo in four years.
The fan released the vulture with a Flamengo flag tied to its feet. When it landed on the field, the crowd cheered, "It's a vulture, it's a vulture!" Flamengo won the game 2-1. From then on, the vulture became the official mascot, replacing Popeye. In 2000, the mascot got an official design and the name Samuca, but fans still just call him Urubu.
Home Stadiums
Maracanã Stadium
The Maracanã Stadium was built for the 1950 FIFA World Cup. It has been the main home ground for Rio de Janeiro's four biggest clubs, including Flamengo. In 1963, over 194,000 people watched a match between Flamengo and Fluminense there.
The stadium has been renovated several times. After a stand collapsed in 1992, its capacity was reduced. For the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics, it was rebuilt with a new seating design. Flamengo often plays its home matches at the Maracanã, which fans see as their true home.
Big Rivalries
Flamengo vs. Botafogo
This match is known as the Clássico da Rivalidade (Rivalry Classic). It's a traditional derby between Botafogo and Flamengo. The rivalry started in 1913. The story of Flamengo's vulture mascot comes from a game against Botafogo in 1969.
Flamengo vs. Fluminense (Fla-Flu)
The Fla-Flu is one of the most famous derbies in the world. It's also called the Clássico das Multidões (Derby of the Crowds). This rivalry began in 1911 when some Fluminense players left to form Flamengo's football team. The first Fla-Flu was on July 7, 1912.
Flamengo became known as the team for the working class, while Fluminense was linked to the richer class. The Fla-Flu holds the world record for attendance in club games, with 194,603 spectators at the Maracanã in 1963. Flamengo and Fluminense are the most successful teams in the state championship. Since 2012, Fla-Flu has been a recognized cultural heritage of Rio de Janeiro.
Flamengo vs. Vasco da Gama
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This derby is called the Clássico dos Milhões (Derby of Millions). It's a huge rivalry in Brazilian football. The name refers to the two clubs having the largest fan bases in Rio. Both clubs started as rowing clubs. Their football rivalry began in 1923.
From 1972 to 2001, this was Flamengo's most important rivalry. Legendary players like Zico for Flamengo and Roberto Dinamite for Vasco often faced each other. Some famous players, like Bebeto and Romário, even played for both teams during their careers.
Other Sports at Flamengo
Men's Basketball
Flamengo's basketball team is very successful. They have won six Brazilian Championships and a record 44 Rio de Janeiro State Championships. In 2014, Flamengo won the League of the Americas without losing a game. They then won their first Intercontinental Cup, becoming world champions. Flamengo is one of the few clubs to win Intercontinental Cups in both football and basketball.
Women's Football
The Flamengo women's football team has also had success. They won the state championship every year from 2015 to 2019. In 2016, they won the Campeonato Brasileiro de Futebol Feminino (Brazilian Championship) for the first time.
Rowing
Rowing was the very first sport at Flamengo, starting in 1895. The club's success in rowing made it famous even before the football team began. Flamengo has won many rowing titles, including 45 state titles.
Water Polo
Water polo is the second oldest sport at the club. Flamengo's water polo team won nine state championships in a row from 1985 to 1993. They also won the South American Club Championship in 1985. A women's water polo team was started in 1987.
American Football
In 2013, Flamengo started an American football team, partnering with the Rio de Janeiro Emperors. The team is called the Flamengo Emperors and plays in the BFA (Brazil American Football).
E-sports
In 2017, Flamengo entered the world of e-sports. They started with a League of Legends team and later a PES team. They have a special "gaming office" in São Paulo for their e-sports teams.
Honours
| Worldwide | ||
|---|---|---|
| Competitions | Titles | Seasons |
| Intercontinental Cup | 1 | 1981 |
| Continental | ||
| Competitions | Titles | Seasons |
| Copa Libertadores | 3 | 1981, 2019, 2022 |
| Recopa Sudamericana | 1 | 2020 |
| Copa Mercosur | 1s | 1999 |
| Copa de Oro | 1s | 1996 |
| National | ||
| Competitions | Titles | Seasons |
| Campeonato Brasileiro Série A | 7 | 1980, 1982, 1983, 1992, 2009, 2019, 2020 |
| Copa União | 1 | 1987 |
| Copa do Brasil | 5 | 1990, 2006, 2013, 2022, 2024 |
| Supercopa do Brasil | 2 | 2020, 2021 |
| Copa dos Campeões | 1s | 2001 |
| Inter-State | ||
| Competitions | Titles | Seasons |
| Torneio Rio–São Paulo | 1 | 1961(1) |
| State | ||
| Competitions | Titles | Seasons |
| Campeonato Carioca | 38 | 1914, 1915, 1920, 1921, 1925, 1927, 1939, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1963, 1965, 1972, 1974, 1978, 1979 (Special), 1979, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024 |
- record
- s shared record
(1) In 1940 the competition was interrupted with Flamengo and Fluminense in the lead, without the CBD making the title official, however, the clubs and newspapers at the time considered the result definitive and declared the Flamengo and Fluminense as the legitimate champions of the competition. The club currently considers itself champion of the competition and includes this title among its achievements.
Images for kids
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The recently formed football team before a match vs. Paissandu, 1912
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The Flamengo team of 1914, when the club won its first Carioca championship
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Flamengo's team, 1934. National Archives of Brazil
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Ronaldinho celebrates scoring for Flamengo in February 2011.
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Ilha do Urubu
