A celebration that brought together people from all over, of all ages, and with three things in common: the location (the Flamengo Regatta Club headquarters), their passion for the Most Beloved, and their idolization of Zico, the club's greatest idol. And it was in the arms of the nation, who sang every song the day demanded, and in his home, Gávea, where he began his football career, that the Galinho de Quintino unveiled his statue. 

At the club's entrance, fans sang "Happy Birthday" and "Hey, hey, hey, Zico is our king" to greet their idol as he arrived on the balcony to speak to everyone. Moved, the club's eternal number ten thanked them.

"Sometimes we reach certain moments in life and have nothing to say. I can't explain all of this. What I'm grateful for is that it was a spontaneous movement on your part. And I can sleep soundly because I fulfilled my responsibility," he described, interrupted by applause. 

In addition to thanking the fans, King Arthur Antunes Coimbra also thanked radio host Celso Garcia, who brought him to Gávea, former president George Helal, and the club's management. "I want to thank this board, which is represented here by President Eduardo Bandeira de Mello. I want to thank him and say that I admire him for the person he is," he said.

It was the day to say "thank you." Zico thanked the fans, who thanked him back with songs and shouts of exaltation. The day's honoree recalled his favorite Maracanã song: "Oh, my Mengão," and was duly met with the chant echoing down Avenida Borges de Medeiros and through the club's walls. And president Eduardo Bandeira de Mello also knew how to say his thanks. "I want to thank all of you for participating in this because I'm also a fan in the stands. I'm part of that group. I also want to thank you for your understanding and the support we're receiving. And thank my friend Marcelo Tijolo who thought of this statue."

And the time has come to see the gift for the idol's 60th birthday. Zico pulled back the red-and-black curtain to immortalize one of his many celebratory moments. "It was a photo of me celebrating with the fans," he revealed. The gift was the work of sculptor Edu Santos to capture the feelings of an entire nation of fans, including the person who came up with the idea. "The emotion is overwhelming. He is an exemplary player and citizen. We are happy because the entire nation bought into the idea," declared Marcelo Tijolo, leader of the Zico 60 years movement who launched the idea. 

As Zico left the statue, he stopped several times to sign the shirts of various fans. Ana Jensine came from São Paulo just to see the celebration but said she was delighted to meet her idol and get an autograph on her shirt. Little Leonardo, Ricardo Blak's son, wasn't old enough to remember the Sunday afternoon plays, but the adult fan of the club took it upon himself to dress the child in a shirt that read "Congratulations, Zico! My dad says you're a god." An exaggeration that explains the depth of the affection for the Galinho. 40 million fans have always had a king. And from now on, there will always be a memorial at the club's headquarters so no one forgets.