Super Sunday as Brazil's urban legends go head to head

DERBY DAYS SOCCER:In the land where the football is beautiful and everything is done on a vast scale, the scheduling of three massive derbies on the same day is almost too much to comprehend, writes Damian Cullen

SEVERAL OF the biggest club soccer derbies take place, not surprisingly, in Brazil. And three of the biggest are between clubs sharing the major cities of Rio de Janeiro (Vasco da Gama and Flamengo), Belo Horizonte (Atletico Mineiro and Cruzeiro) and São Paulo (Palmeiras and Sao Paulo).

Remarkably, all three rivalries will be played out this weekend in the Campeonato Brasileiro.

More than in any other country, soccer rivalries in Brazil are primarily local; getting the better of the other part of town is far more meaningful than settling an intercity grudge.

And there's a good reason for this: distance. The journey time between the main cities in the largest country in the Southern Hemisphere has curbed the significance of intercity rivalries and, concomitantly, enhanced the importance of local ones.

Porto Alegre in the south - home to the elite clubs Gremio and Internacional - and Recife, situated roughly halfway up the Brazilian coastline - and home to the Serie A sides Nautico and Sport - are 3,000 kilometres apart (think Dublin and Moscow).

In fact, largely because of its size, Brazil has a very short history of national competitions.

The Brazilian championship began only in 1971, and so state competitions, which are far older, are still thought just as important.

One of those states is Rio de Janeiro, home to Vasco da Gama and Flamengo - and the Clássico dos Milhões. With seven million living in the city, and almost 16 million in the state of Rio de Janeiro, the title "Derby of Millions" is self-explanatory.

In fact, since the 1970s, both teams have extended their popularity nationwide. About a quarter of Brazil's 200 million citizens list themselves as fans of one or other of the two Rio de Janeiro giants - making the derby, in terms of numbers at least, probably the biggest soccer derby in the world.

Both sides benefited on the field from the creation of a national championship - though neither would dare to show apathy toward the state championship (in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s either Vasco or Flamengo, or both, appeared in every state championship final).

The enormous popularity gave both clubs the finances to attract South America's best players, but the clubs are most famous for their home-grown players - and one in particular who thought it best to simply ignore the rivalries within Rio de Janeiro.

Romário began his career with the junior team of Vasco before moving to Europe at the age of 21. But the pull of his home city proved irresistible - though playing for Vasco did not. Joining Flamengo made him a hate figure at his former club. At least it did until, in 1999, he managed the unique feat of jumping ship from one rival to the other again - rejoining Vasco.

After scoring 41 goals in 46 games, he then joined one of Rio de Janeiro's other major clubs, Fluminense, before returning to Vasco in 2005 - at the age of 40 - and again becoming the league's top scorer.

He returned one last time to the club in January 2007, scoring his 1,000th goal that May.

Only a player of his quality could so disregard the sporting divisions in the city.

The two players who surely embodied everything about the rivalry between Vasco da Gama and Flamengo are Zico and Roberto "Dinamite".

Both spent almost all the 1970s and 1980s playing professional soccer in the city - Zico with Flamengo, during which time the attacking midfielder played 88 times for Brazil - scoring 66 goals - and 731 times with his club, scoring a remarkable 508 goals.

Roberto "Dinamite" is now president of Vasco da Gama, a club with which he scored 698 goals in 1,110 games. Alongside Zico, he also scored 25 for Brazil.

Not coincidentally, the two superstars were on the pitch for many of the city's most heralded derbies - probably most famously Vasco's victory over then South American-Europe club champion side (and Copa Libertadores winners) Flamengo in 1982.

Still, Sunday's big day in Rio is probably not the most anticipated of this Sunday's games in Brazil.

Cruzeiro are recognised in South America by their mascot: the fox (raposa). Cross-town rivals Atletico Mineiro are represented by the rooster (galo). Hence the Belo Horizonte derby is commonly called the RapoGalo.

Apart from soccer, at least the residents of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo can indulge in Brazil's other hobby - fun on the beach. From Belo Horizonte, however, the nearest coastline is several hundred miles, so soccer comes first and second.

But the main reason for the added importance of this weekend's clash is because the last time Cruzeiro were the "away side" in the shared Mineirão stadium, last April in the Minas Gerais State Championship final, the visitors won 5-0 - their biggest ever victory over their fierce rivals. The losers were humiliated.

The Mineirão, which will surely host several matches in the 2014 World Cup finals, has been the scene of incredible derbies between the Belo Horizonte clubs. On and off the field. At least 10 derbies involving Atletico Mineiro and Cruzeiro have attracted more than 100,000 spectators.

Only in Sao Paulo is there any debate as to whether the city is hosting its biggest derby this weekend - though those arguing that the Palmeiras versus Corinthians clash is bigger than Palmeiras versus Sao Paulo Futebol Clube received a major blow recently when Corinthians - winners of the 2000 Fifa World Club Championship - were relegated to Serie B.

Besides, considering the state of Sao Paulo has more than 40 million people there is adequate space for more than two major soccer rivals.

Corinthians beat Vasco da Gama in that inaugural world club final. São Paulo won the world club championship in 2005, and in this season's first Brazilian derby they beat Palmeiras 2-1.

That game, however, was at the 80,000-seater Estádio do Morumbi. This weekend, the Choque Rei (literally Clash King) takes place in the home of Palmeiras - Palestra Itália, which is no less noisy and intimidating, despite holding just 30,000.

The rivalry between the clubs is rooted in the pressure Società Sportiva Palestra Italia were put under in 1942 to change their name and colours - from red, white and green - because of the second World War and Brazil's support for the Allies. Palestra Italia eventually relented just one day before the state championship final against Sao Paulo.

Palmeiras won, a new rivalry was born - and the latest edition will take place next weekend.

Many on the Palmeiras team would be familiar to fans outside Brazil; coach Vanderley Luxemburgo has on his books stars such as goalkeeper Marcos, defender Roque Júnior and midfielder Denílson.

But there are no international caps on offer this weekend. In the three biggest cities in Brazil, more important things are up for grabs: local bragging rights.

Campeonato Brasileiro

Palmeiras v São Paulo (Choque Rei)

Palestra Itália, São Paulo, Sunday, 4pm (8pm Irish-time)

Atlético Mineiro v Cruzeiro (RapoGalo)

Mineirão, Belo Horizonte, Sunday, 4pm (8pm Irish-time)

Vasco da Gama v Flamengo (Clássico dos Milhões)

São Januário, Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, 6.10pm (10.10pm Irish-time)