Classico dos Milhões
Vasco da Gama v Flamengo
Classico dos Milhões (meaning Derby of Millions) is the name of the classic Brazilian derby between Vasco da Gama and Flamengo, both from Rio de Janeiro city. It was so named since its beginnnings in the 20’s because it is the clash of the two largest fanbases from Rio state. More recently as it imposed itself since the 70’s as the top Brazilian derby. Polls estimation, though variable, attribute Flamengo and Vasco with about a combined 25% share of the overall population, totalling 45 Million supporters nationwide (typically 33 Million to Flamengo and 12 Million to Vasco), thus making it also perhaps the most popular football derby of the world. At local Rio state level, polls suggest that both clubs cumulate more than 2/3 of the supporter base (typically 45% for Flamengo and 23% for Vasco, with a distant tied 14% for Botafogo and Fluminense).
Its intense rivalry, though more stressed in football since 1923 when Vasco rose to first division, started already in the first decades in rowing regatte, as both clubs were founded in late XIX century (Vasco 1898 and Flamengo 1895) as rowing clubs. Today, as multi-sports clubs in the Iberic tradition of Barcelona FC, Real Madrid, and Benfica Lisbon, both teams also compete often at national level in other sports such as basketball, swimming, futsal and judo.
Early days
Since its first year, it capitalized on the already-existing rivalry in rowing. But it took a whole new scale as football opened to the masses. Flamengo has had in 83 years a slight overall edge in tearms of direct matches but also titles and direct decisions. In state league, it has won 2004 Campeonato Carioca (plus one Special as Rio State and Rio City merged in 1979) 2004 Campeonato Carioca.
The 1972-2001 period
This recent period can be singled out as the one that established the derby’s reputation as the top one in Rio and eventually in Brazil, definitely surpassing its Fla-Flu rival both in the field and outside it. In that span of 30 years, at least one of each team managed to reach every final phase of Rio state league. It also corresponds barely to the creation of the Brazilian national championship (1971), which displayed the popularity of both teams across the country, particularly in northern/northeastern states (but also southern states such as Santa Catarina), where often they constitute the main fanbase in front of local teams.
Famous Matches
The Turnaround Team
1975 Vasco 3 x 2 Flamengo - this game arguably triggered Vasco’s most enduring reputation, dubbed o time da virada (the turnaround team), after its never-say-die attitude which led to many remounting scores (others may say never-win-easy instead). After this win (after trailing 0x2, a remounting that never occurred again between the two clubs), Vasco would win a series of derbies by remounting to clinch the turno, and the press labeled Vascão vira-vira (meaning roughly Big Vasco bottom-up). Since then, its supporters incorporated this feature in their songs (“the team of tournaround and love“). An epic 4x3 away win over Palmeiras in Mercosud Cup finals in 2001 after trailing 0x3, among others less notable in-between, recently sustained this reputation.
Easter chocolate
2000 - Taça Guanabara - Vasco 5 x 1 Flamengo - Dubbed since by Vasco supporters o chocolate da Pascoa (Easter Chocolate, after Rio’s football slang “chocolate” for a big win and as the game was played on Easter). Vasco confirmed the clinching of the turno title, but eventually lost in the final play-offs to the very same Flamengo, with two straight defeats (the first by 3x0).
National level
Though less frequent given the overall balance of national clubs and its scattered group structure, both teams met decisively 3 times in final phase of national competitions, but never the finals: in 1983 in quaterfinal playoffs (Flamengo had the edge), and 1992 and 1998 in semi-final phase (Flamengo had the edge on the first but the derby was no ultimate decider as played two rounds before round-robin end, while Vasco had the edge in the latter in a famous 4-1 decider). Most notably, in each occasion the winner of the derby eventually clinched the title. Both teams in the 1971-2000 period ranked in the top 6 of the tournament (Vasco #1 and Flamengo #6)and feature each among the few clubs (alongside Palmeiras and Corinthians) to have clinched 4 Brazilian titles since its inception in 1971 (as Flamengo was denied by CBF a controversial 5th title in 1987). In Brazilian Cup, though less prestigious, both teams are scheduled to meet in finals on July, 2006. It will Flamengo’s 5th final (one win) and Vasco’s first.
Zico vs Roberto “Dinamite”
During the period above, the rivalry was personified in both players, still today considered the two most important players of each club ever. They played for about the same time lapse: though Roberto (or simply, Dinamite, after his powerful shot, a nickname given to him at the time he scored his first goal as a professional in 1972) started playing earlier, both reached early stardom around 1974 (when Vasco reached its first national title) and continued until the late 80’s. Both players cristallized the style of play, Zico embodying the more technical, refined Flamengo of the 80’s and Roberto the attacking, never-say-die style of Vasco at the time. It can be said that the first tests between both started in the play-offs of 1976 Taça Guanabara, where Zico missed a penalty kick to award Vasco the title. The same occurred an year later, to give Vasco the overall title. Later on, Flamengo had a clear edge as it swept all turnos of 78 and 79 (including the 79 Special championship). In the early 80’s, Vasco saw Flamengo raise to its three national titles then but still consistently gave a run for the money of their arch-rivals (as in the 1980 finals). After a long runner-up series to either the Flamengo and Fluminense from 1978 through 1981, they eventually defeated the brilliant world-champ Flamengo side in 1982 to recoup the Carioca title. Both players always displayed enormous respect for their opponents and somehow were constantly admired by the other side, most supporters secretly hoping that one day each one could turn sides and play for their club. Vasco supporters still pride the day Zico wore their jersey in a friendly for Dinamite’s retirement.
Tita and Bebeto
After the Zico vs Roberto phase, both teams experienced a transition period, though still maintaining a high standard . In that period some important players changed sides, raising some passionated discussions. First Tita had been revealed by Flamengo but later on joined Vasco, only to score the winner goal in the 1987 Carioca final in Vasco’s 1 x 0 victory. Also Bebeto followed the same path and offered Vasco brilliant participation in the 1989 Brazilian league, before going north and eventually clinching the 1994 World Cup with Romario.
1988
In this year, the two teams decided the title in direct play-offs for the third time in a row. Flamengo had clinched the 1986 title and Vasco the 1987 one, so 1988 would define the best-of-three. Vasco confirmed its favoritism and won the last game 1x0 while playing for a draw. The reassuring goal though only came with 1 minute left to play and was scored by an unknown player that entered a few minutes before, nicknamed Cocada (after a popular coconut sugary), only to be sent off for provocative celebration. On the day after, Vasco supporters would tease their rivals by offering them cocadas.
Romario
Romario alone intensified somehow this rivalry, displaying ambiguous positions regarding his supporting. More recently he declared supporting none of both, buth rather América, a small and formerly prestigious club of Rio. Though Romario was revealed at Vasco and started as a professional in 1986, clinching the 1987 title before going overseas, he later decided to join Flamengo in 1995 when returning Brazil, much to Vasco supporters’ outrage. Despite this betrayal, he still managed to be hired by Vasco in the late 90’s. He was somewhat forgiven as he would still clinch its first Brazilian title in 2000 and Mercosul cup in 2001. This constrasts with the almost blank record playing with Flamengo except for the Carioca title of 1996. He also twice succeeded as top striker of the Brazilian championship, the last as recently as 2005 , at age 40. He expressed the desire of retiring by playing half time with the jerseys of each team.
Source: Wikipedia On-line Encyclopedia
