Four of the top 11 winners of the Sacred Mantle Contest received their prizes this Thursday afternoon in Gávea. Fans had the privilege of receiving from four players the jerseys they wore in the Fla-Flu match on April 5th, part of the eighth round of the Rio Cup. It was the first game in over 24 years that Flamengo played without the brand of its former sponsor.
Robson Tavares is one of the lucky ones. The administrative assistant at an NGO and a resident of the Engenho de Dentro neighborhood left a voicemail. "It was an attempt to describe, like a fictional conversation with my wife, what I feel for the club. Being a Flamengo fan means not having the answers to explain all this love," said Tavares, who received the Mantle from Jonatas. "Take good care of that shirt," the athlete joked, shortly before heading to training.
Another winner is 30-year-old architect Marcelo Zanin. To win, the Barra da Tijuca resident left two messages, one on the Voice Portal. But it was with an SMS that he won. "It's a great honor to receive a game-worn jersey, which can't be purchased. It will be the 54th in my collection," Zanin said, minutes before receiving the jersey from Josiel.
Communications professor Ricardo Benevides, 34, a resident of Tijuca, left a message on the Voice Portal. "This [Kleberson's jersey] will be used in very special situations. I hope to wear it when Flamengo wins the 2009 Brazilian championship," he revealed hopefully.
The wall will be the destination for the shirt Eduardo Veiga received. "I want to wear it once. Then I plan to frame it," said the 24-year-old administrator. The shirt he's taking home is Wellington's.
The other winning fans must receive their shirts by mail (those who live outside of Rio) or at a promotional event at Maracanã (Rio residents).
More jerseys - The Manto Sagrado Contest continues. Fans can win the jersey worn by the players in the Taça Rio final against Botafogo. To participate, interested parties must send an SMS text message to 49400, type the word "Fla" (Flamengo), and then write their declaration of love for Mengão. Using the voice portal, the message must be sent by landline, Oi Celular, or Nextel. Simply leave a voice message to (21) 7802 0220 with your declaration of love for Flamengo. There are five jerseys for each of these sports, all autographed. Call costs and full rules are available on the website www.flamantosagrado.com.br.
Anyone wishing to submit a video must publish a video on YouTube declaring their love for the Most Beloved. Then, register on the Manto Sagrado Hotsite and provide the video link (Embed). The video with the most votes on the Hotsite will win an autographed jersey worn by a player in the derby against Botafogo.
More information: www.flamantosagrado.com.br