Rondinelli's goal in the final against Vasco secured the 78 State Championship

The God of the Race will never be forgotten by the Nation

Fred Gomes

When referring to Flamengo's golden era, many Flamengo fans recall the 1980 Brazilian Championship, the club's first in history. Others prefer to recall the Libertadores and Interclub World Cup titles, both won in 1981. However, a title that will never leave the minds of many fans occurred exactly 29 years ago, when a thunderous header by Rondinelli in the 42nd minute of the second half gave the Gávea club a 1-0 victory over rivals Vasco da Gama and, consequently, the 1978 state title. The birth of a squad was thus decreed.

The fateful duel was part of the final round of the second half. The score, 0-0, which remained until the 42nd minute of the second half, favored the club from São Januário. But an unassuming ball came in front of Vasco's Marco Antônio, who decided to put it out for a corner. Little did he know the punishment would be fatal. Zico picked up the ball and swiftly took the corner. The "God of Race" shot from the red-and-black defense into the Vasco area, passing Roberto Dinamite and hitting the unforgettable header behind Abel Braga, currently coach of Internacional. The one who conceded the goal was current coach Emerson Leão.

The Red-Blacks' campaign was undeniable: 22 games, 17 wins, four draws, and one loss. The team coached by Cláudio Coutinho scored 60 goals, 19 of which were scored by Cláudio Adão—the competition's top scorer—while conceding only 11.

It's worth noting that Flamengo managed to defeat all of its rivals, all in the second round. Over Fluminense, a 4-0 rout (goals from Zico and Cláudio Adão). Against Botafogo, a 1-0 victory with a goal from Zico. Against Gigante da Colina, Rondinelli scored.

The only defeat of the red-and-black team's campaign came in the final round of the Guanabara Cup, when Fluminense had to beat Flamengo by ten goals to take the title from Gávea. The Tricolor team only managed 2-0, and the celebration was all red and black.

The talent of Zico and company's team was undeniable among the experts, but they lacked a sash on their chest to solidify the formation of an unbeatable team. Against the Rubro-Negro was the trauma caused by the loss of the title in 1977, when after a 0-0 draw with the Gigante da Colina, Flamengo lost the title in a penalty shootout after Tita saw his penalty saved by Mazaroppi.

A large part of the 1978 champion squad participated in the conquest of the Brazilian Championships of 1980, 1982 and 1983. In addition to these achievements, there were also the two State Championships of 1979 - one of which was special -, in addition to the Carioca of 1981, the year in which Fla achieved its greatest glories: the Libertadores and the World Cup.