How Flamengo won a nation of passionate fans
In 1933, José Bastos Padilha helped the club become the Most Beloved
By Communication - Official Club Website - in
Flamengo fans celebrate Flamengo Fan Day on October 28th. The date serves to remind all fans of the "Mais Querido" (Flamengo Fan) of the importance of the club they support and all that it represents, not only for the 40 million who support it as the 12th player, but for all Brazilians who, for at least one day in their lives, have been Flamengo fans, as Nelson Rodrigues said. For many years, Flamengo was a popular club, but its passionate followers were concentrated in Rio de Janeiro. In 1933, that began to change.
That year, José Bastos Padilha took over as president of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo with the "simple" goal of making the "Most Beloved" club the greatest in the world. Born in 1894, Padilha left home early due to family conflicts. Needing a job to support himself, the young man began working as a flyer deliverer for commercial establishments. From that moment on, Padilha became interested in the field, becoming a leading figure in advertising and marketing at a time when such terms didn't even exist.
Years later, already established in his career, the advertising executive, passionate about Flamengo and Brazil, decided to run for president of the club. Once elected, the president organized a contest in Rio de Janeiro schools for students to create slogans praising the Red-Blacks. Among the slogans created, "once Flamengo, Flamengo until death" stood out and later became part of the club's anthem. Padilha was also responsible for reversing the distribution of fan bases, not only in Rio de Janeiro but throughout Brazil, boosting Flamengo as a whole with innovative approaches to sports management for the time, directly linking this to his profession.
The Flamengo president built the Gávea headquarters, increased membership and revenue, signed the greatest players for the Brazilian national team of the time—among them Leônidas da Silva, the "Black Diamond"—designed advertising campaigns, and orchestrated engagement with the sports press of the time. But, quite possibly, what was most important for the club was the fact that Padilha began to treat Clube de Regatas do Flamengo as a nation; with its own characteristics, temperament, and motivations. Going even further, he was responsible for making the club a true representative of popular Brazilianness. This characteristic was hailed by Mário Filho, a Flamengo journalist and brother of Nelson Rodrigues, for whom Maracanã Stadium is named: "Flamengo allows itself to be loved freely," he once said.
Padilha was president of the club until 1937, but his legacy endures to this day, both in administrative and structural terms, not to mention a legion of 40 million red-and-black fans who fill stadiums throughout Brazil.
That year, José Bastos Padilha took over as president of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo with the "simple" goal of making the "Most Beloved" club the greatest in the world. Born in 1894, Padilha left home early due to family conflicts. Needing a job to support himself, the young man began working as a flyer deliverer for commercial establishments. From that moment on, Padilha became interested in the field, becoming a leading figure in advertising and marketing at a time when such terms didn't even exist.
Years later, already established in his career, the advertising executive, passionate about Flamengo and Brazil, decided to run for president of the club. Once elected, the president organized a contest in Rio de Janeiro schools for students to create slogans praising the Red-Blacks. Among the slogans created, "once Flamengo, Flamengo until death" stood out and later became part of the club's anthem. Padilha was also responsible for reversing the distribution of fan bases, not only in Rio de Janeiro but throughout Brazil, boosting Flamengo as a whole with innovative approaches to sports management for the time, directly linking this to his profession.
The Flamengo president built the Gávea headquarters, increased membership and revenue, signed the greatest players for the Brazilian national team of the time—among them Leônidas da Silva, the "Black Diamond"—designed advertising campaigns, and orchestrated engagement with the sports press of the time. But, quite possibly, what was most important for the club was the fact that Padilha began to treat Clube de Regatas do Flamengo as a nation; with its own characteristics, temperament, and motivations. Going even further, he was responsible for making the club a true representative of popular Brazilianness. This characteristic was hailed by Mário Filho, a Flamengo journalist and brother of Nelson Rodrigues, for whom Maracanã Stadium is named: "Flamengo allows itself to be loved freely," he once said.
Padilha was president of the club until 1937, but his legacy endures to this day, both in administrative and structural terms, not to mention a legion of 40 million red-and-black fans who fill stadiums throughout Brazil.