Raphael Raposo\ PeléNet\

Maracanã, a traditional venue for Brazilian and international soccer, is a part of Rio de Janeiro's and Brazil's history. This Thursday, Mário Filho Stadium gained another chapter with the "Game of the Stars," hosted by Zico, a lifelong Flamengo idol and current coach of Fernebache in Turkey. All proceeds will go to charity.

Organizer of the charity party at Maracanã, Zico prepares a right-hand kick

At the big party, with an audience of 35.510 fans, Flamengo from 1987, celebrating 20 years of winning the Brazilian championship for the fourth time, defeated Amigos do Zico, 8 to 5.

Before the match, there was much joy. But not for everyone. Aílton and Renato Gaúcho, champions in 1987, ended up being booed by the fans. After all, both were also important in Fluminense's 1995 state title victory against Flamengo.

In addition to the two red-blacks, the striker Edmundo and former player Roberto Dinamite, great idols of Vasco, Flamengo's main rival, were left.

Once the ball was rolling, everything was forgotten. In the fifth minute, Amoroso scored the goal for Zico's Friends. In the 16th minute, after a pass from Quintino's Galinho, Leonardo leveled the score.

Four minutes later, Leandro came off, making way for Obina. Zico provided several passes to the club's favorite, but the tiebreaker came in the 41st minute, after Zinho passed the ball to the striker himself, who was brought down inside the box. The penalty was converted by the "party leader."

But in the end, in the 44th minute, Raí received the ball on the left and crossed to Amoroso. The striker, with a first touch, placed the ball into the corner of Zé Carlos's net, but he was helpless.

For the second half, the Amigos de Zico team made a complete change. In the 1987 Flamengo squad, only Zico, Aílton, and Aldair remained. With so many young players on the field, the better for Flamengo.

Thiago Coimbra, Zico's son, also scored the third for Amigos, but Flamengo easily reached the sixth goal, through Leonardo Moura, Zico, Ibson and Obina, respectively.

In the 28th minute, Zico came off and was replaced by his brother Edu Coimbra. The eternal Flamengo idol received a standing ovation. "Mission accomplished with a wonderful celebration. It was worth everything, and I can only thank you," celebrated the Galinho de Quintino.

Adriano, now with São Paulo but a product of Flamengo's youth academy, scored the seventh. Zico's Friends were looking to make up for the deficit and pulled one back with Felipe Adão and Vágner Love.

Finally, in the 43rd minute, Adriano, after a one-two with Júnior and Leonardo Moura, scored the eighth goal and sealed the final score for the "Game of Stars." The celebration was complete.

FLAMENGO 1987\ Ze Carlos (Fernando Henrique); Leandro (Obina), Edinho (Junior), Aldair and Leonardo (Leonardo Moura); Andrade (Ibson), Ailton, Zinho (Djalminha) and Zico (Edu Coimbra); Renato Gaucho (Adriano) and Flavio (Julius Caesar Uri Geller).\ Coach: Carlinhos\

ZICO'S FRIENDS\ Acácio (Cassio); Gabriel (Arce), Gonçalves (Gamarra), Delacir (Felipe Adam) and Mazinho (Rubens Junior); Nakata (Deco), Marcelinho Carioca (Carlos Alberto) and Raí (Thiago Coimbra); Claudio Adam (Roberto Dinamite), Edmundo (Donizete) and Amoroso (Vagner Love).\ Coach: Vanderlei Luxemburgo\

Date: 27/12/2007 (Thursday)\ Location: Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro (RJ)\ Referee: Wagner Tardelli (RJ)\ Assistant Referees: Ana Paula Oliveira (SP) and Maria Elisa (SP)\ Attendance: 35.510 (present)\ Goals: Amoroso, in the 5th minute; Leonardo, in the 16th minute; Zico, in the 41st minute; and Amoroso, in the 44th minute of the first half. Thiago Coimbra, in the 7th minute; Leonardo Moura, in the 14th minute; Zico, in the 16th minute; Ibson, in the 21st minute; Obina, in the 23rd minute; Adriano, in the 29th minute; Felipe Adão, in the 30th minute; Vágner Love, in the 36th minute; and Adriano, in the 43rd minute of the second half.\