Love from a distance and in the heights
Divided between studies and football, Flamengo fans gather in Bolivia to praise Flamengo
By Official Website Team - in
It's becoming increasingly common for young Brazilians to go to Bolivia to study medicine. And beyond the dream of returning to Brazil with a diploma from the Andean country, students take with them memories and passions. Family, girlfriends, friends, and soccer teams. Nothing is forgotten by aspiring doctors, even to ease the distance from their homes.
With the largest fan base in Brazil, Flamengo couldn't be left out of this "package" of memories. With passionate Flamengo fans spread across the country, the Rio de Janeiro club also has a presence in Bolivia.
Fanatical about the club, student Kirney Feitosa has carried his love for Flamengo since childhood, growing up in the city of Tauá, 365 km from Fortaleza, Ceará. Accustomed to cheering for the club from afar, he took this habit to Cochabamba, Bolivia, where he is studying to become a doctor.
A regular reader of Flamengo's Official Website, the young man and his friends, all Flamengo fans, took a picture of a club flag at an altitude of over four thousand meters on one of their walks through the city, rich in natural beauty, and applied for the opportunity to appear on the fan wall, available on Flamengo's website.
"We carried the flag to show our love for Flamengo. We had the idea to upload it to the website after seeing this interaction. We want everyone to see that Flamengo is literally above everything and everyone," joked Kirney.
From far away, more than 2.500 km away from Rio de Janeiro, Flamengo's home base, young students don't let the difficulties of watching the games overcome their love for the red and black.
"We always watch the games. We never miss a single one. And we see everyone gathered, whether at my house or at my friend Alexandre's. We try to watch on broadcast TV, on Globo or Bandeirantes, when it's on, or even online. When we won the State Championship, we were able to see it and celebrated a lot. It was even funny because there's a group of Palmeiras fans, who are neighbors here, and they would stay in their apartment, chanting Vasco. But when the game ended, everyone quickly disappeared. I think they were afraid of our brakeless gang," said Kirney, who comes from a red-and-black family.
"I didn't become a Flamengo fan. I was born a Flamengo fan. It's something that comes from the cradle and grows more every day," the student concluded, making a request and a prediction.
"I think we need another striker. But, regardless of that, Flamengo is always a title contender and I'm very confident that we'll 'drag' the seventh title this year."
*In the photos, besides Kirney, are students Bruno, Luiz Neto, Alexandre, and Helder. All red-and-blacks.
** Want to have your photo published on the Flamengo fans' wall? Click here and find out how.
With the largest fan base in Brazil, Flamengo couldn't be left out of this "package" of memories. With passionate Flamengo fans spread across the country, the Rio de Janeiro club also has a presence in Bolivia.
Fanatical about the club, student Kirney Feitosa has carried his love for Flamengo since childhood, growing up in the city of Tauá, 365 km from Fortaleza, Ceará. Accustomed to cheering for the club from afar, he took this habit to Cochabamba, Bolivia, where he is studying to become a doctor.
A regular reader of Flamengo's Official Website, the young man and his friends, all Flamengo fans, took a picture of a club flag at an altitude of over four thousand meters on one of their walks through the city, rich in natural beauty, and applied for the opportunity to appear on the fan wall, available on Flamengo's website.
"We carried the flag to show our love for Flamengo. We had the idea to upload it to the website after seeing this interaction. We want everyone to see that Flamengo is literally above everything and everyone," joked Kirney.
From far away, more than 2.500 km away from Rio de Janeiro, Flamengo's home base, young students don't let the difficulties of watching the games overcome their love for the red and black.
"We always watch the games. We never miss a single one. And we see everyone gathered, whether at my house or at my friend Alexandre's. We try to watch on broadcast TV, on Globo or Bandeirantes, when it's on, or even online. When we won the State Championship, we were able to see it and celebrated a lot. It was even funny because there's a group of Palmeiras fans, who are neighbors here, and they would stay in their apartment, chanting Vasco. But when the game ended, everyone quickly disappeared. I think they were afraid of our brakeless gang," said Kirney, who comes from a red-and-black family.
"I didn't become a Flamengo fan. I was born a Flamengo fan. It's something that comes from the cradle and grows more every day," the student concluded, making a request and a prediction.
"I think we need another striker. But, regardless of that, Flamengo is always a title contender and I'm very confident that we'll 'drag' the seventh title this year."
*In the photos, besides Kirney, are students Bruno, Luiz Neto, Alexandre, and Helder. All red-and-blacks.
** Want to have your photo published on the Flamengo fans' wall? Click here and find out how.