“40 minutos antes do nada”. The “Fla-Flu” is widely regarded as the biggest derby in Brazil, with a rich history that has captivated the imagination of millions of people in and out of Brazil for decades. The rivalry between Flamengo and Fluminense started due to a disagreement within the ranks of Fluminense, which led to the creation of Flamengo’s football division as a separate team. The rivalries have been mythologized through some of Brazil’s most influential writers, including Nelson Rodrigues (a legendary “tricolor”) and Mario Filho (an iconic “flamenguista”), who have helped create this magical atmosphere surrounding the rivalry.
For four straight years, these two giants have faced off in the Carioca (state) Championship, with Flamengo winning two titles (2020 & 2021) and Fluminense winning the last 2. Most recently, the Carioca Championship 2022 saw Fluminense come out on top, with a 4-3 aggregate win over Flamengo in the finals. The 2023 edition of the tournament saw the two teams face off for the 4th time in a row, with a thrilling ending. After losing 2-0 in the first game, the “tricolores’’ came back and sent Flamengo home with a historic 4-1 victory, with goals from Germán Cano, the top striker in Brazil, along with youngster Alexsander and the superstar Marcelo, returning to the club after 17 years in Europe, notably Real Madrid. This marks the rise of Fluminense from the ashes after a tough ten years following the 2012 Brazilian Title and lights a spark of hope for such a traditional club’s fanbase.
While Flamengo has had phenomenal moments in the past years (Libertadores, Brasileiro) and still have more Carioca titles (37 vs. 33), their recent results have been disappointing, especially against Fluminense. In the last 11 derbies, Flamengo secured three wins, and 12 goals, while Fluminense surged ahead with seven wins and 18 goals.
Either way, the rivalry between these two teams goes beyond just the Carioca Championship. Flamengo and Fluminense have played each other 429 times, with Flamengo leading the head-to-head record with 157 wins, compared to Fluminense’s 136 victories. And when compared in terms of titles, Flamengo is ahead, with seven national titles against Fluminense’s 4. When determining Fla-Flu’s worth a tag, Fluminense manages to be ahead of their rival, with ten titles in the 16 finals/Championship deciding derbies against Flamengo.
The Fla-Flu Derby is a rivalry that has captured the hearts and minds of Brazilians for generations. Iconic games such as the 1995 Carioca Finals, Zico’s farewell game from Flamengo, and the 1963 attendance record-holding game, with 194 thousand fans present at Maracanã. It demonstrates the passion and intensity that Brazilians bring to the game of football and is a testament to the rich history and tradition of Flamengo and Fluminense. While Fluminense has recently been far superior in performance and the derbies themselves, the rivalry between these two teams is far from over, and we can expect many more thrilling encounters shortly.
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