Flu-Fla
Fluminense v Flamengo
Fla-Flu is the obvious abbreviation of Flamengo-Fluminense, a match-up of two of Rio de Janeiro’s most traditional and popular teams. These matches are usually sold out and normally take place in the 70,000-seat Maracanã Stadium, located near downtown Rio, in Maracanã neighborhood. The world record football match attendance between clubs is a Fla 0-0 Flu with 194.603-seat (177,656 attendance) in 1963.
Flamengo and Fluminense are the most successful teams in Rio State Championship. Fluminense won the competition 30 times, while Flamengo won the competition 28 times. However, at the national level, Flamengo won 4 Brazilian National Championships, the 1987 Copa União and the 1990 Brazilian Cup. Fluminense won once the Brazilian National Championship and once the Torneio Roberto Gomes Pedrosa. Fluminense never won a major international title, but won minor competitions like the Kirin Cup, which Flamengo has also won. Flamengo 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”), distinction for performance in soccer and other olympic sports, conquered in 1949.
The matchups started in 1911, when a group of dissatisfied players from Fluminense left the club, and went to Flamengo, founding its football section.
Important matches
The first Flu-Fla
The first Fla-Flu ever was played on July 7, 1912 at Laranjeiras stadium. Fluminense beat Flamengo 3-2. 800 people watched the match.
Lagoa’s Fla-Flu
On November 23, 1941, Flamengo and Fluminense disputed the Campeonato Carioca final, at Gavea 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.
1991 Campeonato Carioca final
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.
The Belly Goal and the King of Rio
One of the most famous matches 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. With his goal, Renato Gaúcho was crowned the King of Rio in that year.
2004 Campeonato Carioca
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.
Greatest Attendances
- 177.656 Fluminense 0x0 Flamengo, 1963
- 171.599 Fluminense 3x2 Flamengo, 1969
- 155.116 Fluminense 0x0 Flamengo, 1976
- 153.520 Fluminense 1x0 Flamengo, 1984
- 138.599 Fluminense 2x0 Flamengo, 1970
- 138.557 Fluminense 1x1 Flamengo, 1979
- 137.002 Fluminense 2x5 Flamengo, 1972
- 136.829 Fluminense 1x2 Flamengo, 1972
- 136.606 Fluminense 3x3 Flamengo, 1964
