#BuzzFla - 36 years since the Brazilian Championship Double
Today we celebrate the most difficult of national titles for the great World Champion team.
By Lucas Dantas - in
This April 25th, we celebrate the 36th anniversary of winning the Brazilian championship for the second time, achieved after a spectacular triangular tournament against Grêmio in the final, featuring two epic battles at the Olímpico stadium, following an unforgettable comeback at the Maracanã.
Flamengo entered the competition with the status of World Champion and the team to beat. The generation of Zico, Junior, Leandro, Raul, Andrade, Adílio, Lico, Tita, Nunes and others led the country with dazzling and winning football.
On the other side, Grêmio had a team that would become world champions the following year, bringing together stars of the caliber of Leão, Renato Gaúcho, De Léon, Paulo Isidoro, and Baltazar.
A clash of titans, for sure, which we remember fondly and with pleasure on this day.
1. The Campaign
Flamengo was the undisputed champion in 1982. They played 23 games, with 15 wins, six draws, and only two losses. They scored 48 goals and conceded 27. As a bonus, they also had the competition's top scorer, Zico, with 21 goals. The team left the Maracanã undefeated in the competition. In 11 games, they had eight wins and three draws. The only two losses were away from home, against Sport and Atlético Mineiro. Even in the final, which by regulation was played at the Olímpico stadium due to Fluminense's better performance in the knockout stage, Flamengo arrived with 32 points, compared to their opponent's 27. Better in every aspect.
2. Zico, the goalscorer
Zico, Zicão, Zicaço. Always him. There were 21 times when goalkeepers retrieved the ball from the back of the net after a shot by Zico. And some, more than once. Against Guarani, Zico scored three in the second leg of the semi-final. That's because they said he was a Maracanã player.
Flamengo went into the match at the Brinco de Ouro da Princesa stadium in Campinas with an advantage, having won the first leg 2-1 in Rio. With the stadium absolutely packed, Guarani opened the scoring after three minutes with Jorge Mendonça. But, as Galvão Bueno, who narrated the match, would say, "whoever has Zico has everything." The "Little Rooster" (Zico's nickname) equalized in the 22nd minute. In the second half, also in the third minute, the number 10 received a pass from Lico and volleyed it home from distance, beating goalkeeper Wendell. A fantastic goal. Twenty minutes later, the Eternal 10 scored his third, sealing their qualification for the final.
3. Race and comebacks
The Best Team in the World in 1982 was the terror of its opponents. The game only ended when the referee actually blew the final whistle. There were several spectacular comebacks by that team, including away games. Tired from it being the start of the season, the players still needed time to get back to playing their best football. In the first two games, against São Paulo and Náutico, Flamengo fell behind and then came back. Against Internacional, at the Beira Rio stadium, Zico (oh, really?) opened the scoring, Inter took the lead, but Reinaldo and Vitor silenced the Gaúchos in sensational fashion.
4. Silencing the Morumbi
But the biggest victory was definitely the one at Morumbi. Two of the best teams in the country, a packed stadium, São Paulo took the lead with Renato. But Flamengo didn't care. They dominated and with Nunes, Lico, Tita and Zico, went up 4-1, silencing the stadium. The Tricolores closed the gap, but there was no way to overcome that great team. Check out the fourth goal, by Zico, with GREAT SKILL from Tita in the pass and from Galo in the finish. Great game, great goal, great team.
5. Great goals
Every campaign has its amazing goals. And the 1982 season was no different. We've selected a few below for you to enjoy and remember the talent of that magical team that dominated Rio, Brazil, America, and the World. Are there more goals from Zico? Yes. But the "Little Rooster of Quintino" really destroyed them. Which one was the most incredible?
Flamengo 5 x 0 Treze - Zico dribbles past several defenders, passes to Nunes and gets the rebound.
Flamengo 1-2 Sport (semifinal) - Leandro sees the goalkeeper off his line and shoots first-time from the sideline.
Flamengo 1 x 1 Corinthians - Zico receives the ball, clears the play and shoots into the corner, giving the goalkeeper no chance.
Flamengo 3 x 0 Ferroviário - Nunes finds Junior in the box. Capacete delivers a sensational pass for Zico to finish.
6. The final
Three battles. Three games. On the field, the 1981 World and Libertadores champion and 80 Brazilian champion against the 81 Brazilian champion and future 1983 World and Libertadores champion. Maracanã hosted the first game. Olímpico hosted the second. In case of a tie, the third match would be in Porto Alegre, due to the better performance of the Rio Grande do Sul team in the knockout stage.
Flamengo vs. Grêmio. One of the greatest rivalries in the world, in one of the greatest Brazilian Championship finals in history.
At the Maracanã, a tense match, worthy of the grand final everyone was expecting. In the 37th minute of the second half, Tonhão opened the scoring for Grêmio. In the Flamengo stadium, the Tricolores achieved a result that would leave them with the trophy in their hands.
But who has Zico... And the star did that above, at 44.
The game ended in a draw, the second leg in Porto Alegre. There was no football. It was a 0-0 draw that decided nothing and left everything to be decided in the final match.
April 60, 1982. Porto Alegre. Sunny Sunday. More than 10 people at the Olímpico stadium. Ten minutes in, Zico finds Nunes. João Danado bursts into the penalty area.
The shot is powerful, leaving Leão with no chance, only falling to be seen in the photo. It's the title-winning goal. At 10 minutes, Flamengo did what they needed to do to lift the Best in Brazil trophy for the second time.
And Zico did a victory lap.
Congratulations to you, to all of us. Happy anniversary of the 1982 Brazilian Championship title!