Thirty-eight rounds alongside Mengão
Four friends watched the team's 37 Brazilian Championship matches up close. And they've already secured tickets for Sunday's game against Grêmio.
By From the team at Flamengo's official website - in
They took the song "Onde Estiver Estarei" (Where I'll Be There) literally. With great pride, four friends attended every Flamengo game in the Brazilian Championship. There were many kilometers of road and miles of travel, moments of suffering and many others of joy. And the icing on the cake, everyone hopes, will be savored this Sunday, when Flamengo faces Grêmio in the final round, a match that could be worth winning their sixth championship.
It all started with Júlio Veloso, a resident of Duque de Caxias. During a Wednesday state championship game in Volta Redonda, the Banco do Brasil employee told the others, "The Brasileirão schedule is out. I think I'll go to every game."
Veloso, friends say, said this without much fanfare. "He seemed to be saying that right after the game he was going to eat a sandwich or something," says financial manager Mercio Querido Figueiredo, who friends call Sorin, due to the relative similarity of his hair with that of the former Argentine national team player.
And so began the saga. Alongside engineer José Paulo de Assis, from Méier, and taxi driver Ricardo Fernandes, from the Tijuca neighborhood, they traveled across Brazil to see Mengão. "It was all on our own, without anyone's help or organized fan groups, everything organized by ourselves," says José Paulo de Assis, who met his friends in the stands of other stadiums and through chance encounters during their travels. For over 30 games, the group was joined by Marcos Felippe, just 13 years old, known as "Sorinzinho," who, like his father, lives in São Gonçalo.
At first, some considered skipping some of the games, especially in more distant destinations where airfare is more expensive. By researching prices on airline websites, their motivation grew. "We simply bought tickets and passed the information along to the group," explains Mercio Querido. "One day, the next: 'It's super cheap to Bahia, less than 100 reais!' And the next: 'Wow! Only 89 reais to Curitiba! That's a given!'" he reports.
For him, the financial secret lies in planning, which allows him to buy tickets well in advance. "The championship starts in May. Right after Carnival, online research and purchases are already in full swing. We don't worry about São Paulo or Minas Gerais. You can easily go by bus or van. The prices are incredible when you buy tickets in March for games that won't be played until many months later," explains Mercio, who occasionally contributes information to Flamengo's official fan support program, Gease-Fla (Special Group for Joy and Safety in Stadiums).
Another advantage is the accumulation of miles. "We received an upgrade to our Smiles customer category within a few months. More benefits for the 2010 Brazilian Championship. Or does anyone think we intend to stop there?" he adds.
One of the quartet's inside jokes is seeing the number six, from hexa, everywhere. In flights, in the number of letters in a word, just like Zagallo. "In Campinas, the combination of factors was really good, celebrating Flamengo's goals and the news of Goiás' goals against São Paulo. Our greatest joy, without a doubt, will be crossing the stadium turnstile on December 6th for the game against Grêmio; it will be like the finish line of a long marathon," says Mercio Querido.
See here a summary of the story the fan gave to Flamengo's official website.
Maximum fidelity According to Mercio Querido, they never considered giving up on this madness. Not even after upsetting defeats like those against Sport (4-2, comeback) or Coritiba (5-0). "Nothing irritates us more than that. Nothing. Fans who base their stadium attendance based on the team's performance should get a 100-inch TV and a lifetime pay-per-view subscription," he says.
"We were in the game against Sport, and a week later we were off to Paraná, with our conscience and our principles in mind. If the defeats had multiplied in the following rounds, nothing would have changed our course, you can be sure of that," the financial manager emphasized.
Tickets – For Mercio Querido, the biggest problem is getting tickets. "The struggle for tickets is a curse in our lives. Our network of contacts is extensive. We have the nation's embassies spread throughout Brazil. We have friends we make along the way. We have patience," he comments.
Work - The solution for most of the four friends is to work harder during the week at their respective jobs to increase their credibility and gain the bosses' understanding. Of all the members of the quartet, the one with the greatest advantage is Ricardo Fernandes, the taxi driver, who sets his own schedule. "It's commonplace for all of us, especially during Wednesday or Thursday games, to spend the night sleeping on the airport floor and get off the plane at Galeão Airport, straight to our respective jobs the next day."
Danger - Throughout this journey, their biggest challenge was in October, when Flamengo visited Palmeiras at Palestra Itália. Unlike other times, they traveled by van, in a larger group of 14 people. "I've been to Palestra Itália countless times to know that it's not exactly the most peaceful place in the world. When we arrived in São Paulo, most of us wore any old green shirt to 'camouflage.' I've always done that. Not this time. It's one thing to arrive alone on foot. It's quite another to have 14 people wearing green, and none of those greens were Palmeiras shirts," ponders Mercio Querido.
In two identical vans, both with Rio license plates, stuck in traffic after the game, the Rio fans attracted some unfriendly looks after the home team's defeat in a memorable performance by Petkovic. "I believe they didn't attack the vehicles because, with the tinted windows, they didn't know exactly what kind of people might get out. One thing is certain. All it would have taken was for some reckless vandal to give the vehicles a hard jolt to trigger what could have turned into a tragedy. That day I decided. Never again in a van," promises Mercio Querido.
Relatives - Criticism from family and friends is constant, says Mercio Querido. The antidote, he says, is to not make concessions. "When they realize this, they simply stop bothering you. Mother-in-law's funeral. Cousin's wedding. Sister's baby shower. Brother-in-law's surgery. Son's baptism. In short, if you compromise for someone, others feel entitled to participate in the exceptions too," he explains.
Happiness - One of the group's greatest joys was witnessing Flamengo's historic victory at Vila Belmiro, breaking a long-standing taboo. "I'm almost 40 years old. I grew up with one certainty: you can't win at Vila Belmiro. This year the world proved otherwise. It was total ecstasy. Ten minutes after the winning goal, everyone was celebrating as if the ball had just crossed the line. It was all wonderful. A comeback. Andrade as coach. The year the fantastic four were formed. You have to be there to know," comments Mercio Querido.
It all started with Júlio Veloso, a resident of Duque de Caxias. During a Wednesday state championship game in Volta Redonda, the Banco do Brasil employee told the others, "The Brasileirão schedule is out. I think I'll go to every game."
Veloso, friends say, said this without much fanfare. "He seemed to be saying that right after the game he was going to eat a sandwich or something," says financial manager Mercio Querido Figueiredo, who friends call Sorin, due to the relative similarity of his hair with that of the former Argentine national team player.
And so began the saga. Alongside engineer José Paulo de Assis, from Méier, and taxi driver Ricardo Fernandes, from the Tijuca neighborhood, they traveled across Brazil to see Mengão. "It was all on our own, without anyone's help or organized fan groups, everything organized by ourselves," says José Paulo de Assis, who met his friends in the stands of other stadiums and through chance encounters during their travels. For over 30 games, the group was joined by Marcos Felippe, just 13 years old, known as "Sorinzinho," who, like his father, lives in São Gonçalo.
At first, some considered skipping some of the games, especially in more distant destinations where airfare is more expensive. By researching prices on airline websites, their motivation grew. "We simply bought tickets and passed the information along to the group," explains Mercio Querido. "One day, the next: 'It's super cheap to Bahia, less than 100 reais!' And the next: 'Wow! Only 89 reais to Curitiba! That's a given!'" he reports.
For him, the financial secret lies in planning, which allows him to buy tickets well in advance. "The championship starts in May. Right after Carnival, online research and purchases are already in full swing. We don't worry about São Paulo or Minas Gerais. You can easily go by bus or van. The prices are incredible when you buy tickets in March for games that won't be played until many months later," explains Mercio, who occasionally contributes information to Flamengo's official fan support program, Gease-Fla (Special Group for Joy and Safety in Stadiums).
Another advantage is the accumulation of miles. "We received an upgrade to our Smiles customer category within a few months. More benefits for the 2010 Brazilian Championship. Or does anyone think we intend to stop there?" he adds.
One of the quartet's inside jokes is seeing the number six, from hexa, everywhere. In flights, in the number of letters in a word, just like Zagallo. "In Campinas, the combination of factors was really good, celebrating Flamengo's goals and the news of Goiás' goals against São Paulo. Our greatest joy, without a doubt, will be crossing the stadium turnstile on December 6th for the game against Grêmio; it will be like the finish line of a long marathon," says Mercio Querido.
See here a summary of the story the fan gave to Flamengo's official website.
Maximum fidelity According to Mercio Querido, they never considered giving up on this madness. Not even after upsetting defeats like those against Sport (4-2, comeback) or Coritiba (5-0). "Nothing irritates us more than that. Nothing. Fans who base their stadium attendance based on the team's performance should get a 100-inch TV and a lifetime pay-per-view subscription," he says.
"We were in the game against Sport, and a week later we were off to Paraná, with our conscience and our principles in mind. If the defeats had multiplied in the following rounds, nothing would have changed our course, you can be sure of that," the financial manager emphasized.
Tickets – For Mercio Querido, the biggest problem is getting tickets. "The struggle for tickets is a curse in our lives. Our network of contacts is extensive. We have the nation's embassies spread throughout Brazil. We have friends we make along the way. We have patience," he comments.
Work - The solution for most of the four friends is to work harder during the week at their respective jobs to increase their credibility and gain the bosses' understanding. Of all the members of the quartet, the one with the greatest advantage is Ricardo Fernandes, the taxi driver, who sets his own schedule. "It's commonplace for all of us, especially during Wednesday or Thursday games, to spend the night sleeping on the airport floor and get off the plane at Galeão Airport, straight to our respective jobs the next day."
Danger - Throughout this journey, their biggest challenge was in October, when Flamengo visited Palmeiras at Palestra Itália. Unlike other times, they traveled by van, in a larger group of 14 people. "I've been to Palestra Itália countless times to know that it's not exactly the most peaceful place in the world. When we arrived in São Paulo, most of us wore any old green shirt to 'camouflage.' I've always done that. Not this time. It's one thing to arrive alone on foot. It's quite another to have 14 people wearing green, and none of those greens were Palmeiras shirts," ponders Mercio Querido.
In two identical vans, both with Rio license plates, stuck in traffic after the game, the Rio fans attracted some unfriendly looks after the home team's defeat in a memorable performance by Petkovic. "I believe they didn't attack the vehicles because, with the tinted windows, they didn't know exactly what kind of people might get out. One thing is certain. All it would have taken was for some reckless vandal to give the vehicles a hard jolt to trigger what could have turned into a tragedy. That day I decided. Never again in a van," promises Mercio Querido.
Relatives - Criticism from family and friends is constant, says Mercio Querido. The antidote, he says, is to not make concessions. "When they realize this, they simply stop bothering you. Mother-in-law's funeral. Cousin's wedding. Sister's baby shower. Brother-in-law's surgery. Son's baptism. In short, if you compromise for someone, others feel entitled to participate in the exceptions too," he explains.
Happiness - One of the group's greatest joys was witnessing Flamengo's historic victory at Vila Belmiro, breaking a long-standing taboo. "I'm almost 40 years old. I grew up with one certainty: you can't win at Vila Belmiro. This year the world proved otherwise. It was total ecstasy. Ten minutes after the winning goal, everyone was celebrating as if the ball had just crossed the line. It was all wonderful. A comeback. Andrade as coach. The year the fantastic four were formed. You have to be there to know," comments Mercio Querido.