Imagine being born and raised in the United States and knowing how... Football a sport played predominantly with the hands. Add to that the fact that in the 90s technology wasn't as widespread as it is today and, consequently, the resultEven though our football, or simply our national team, didn't cross continental borders and reach American televisions, none of that was enough to stop Ethan Donaldson, 36, born in Ohio and currently living in Connecticut, from falling in love with Flamengo. Upon discovering the Brazilian national team at the 1994 World Cup, the "foreigner" began a love affair with the Rubro-Negro (Flamengo).
In an interview with Flamengo's official website, Ethan said that the diversity of the Brazilian team and a special player, fundamental in that World Cup, would draw him closer to the club.
"My first contact with football was at the 1994 World Cup. The diversity of the Brazilian team caught my attention. That's when I saw Romário, who became my all-time favorite player, leading the team to victory," he recalls.
As a devoted follower of Romário, Ethan became acquainted with Flamengo a year later when the then-best player in the world left Barcelona for Gávea. Unable to attend the games, the American says he felt closer to his beloved team by playing video games. However, years later, his passion would reach another level for a very special reason: Ethan would marry a Brazilian woman.
"I met my wife's family in 2012, and my father-in-law gave me a Flamengo shirt. After that, a cousin of hers gave me a personalized kit with the number 8, Adílio's number. Since I was 'baptized' a Flamengo fan by my wife's family, I started studying the entire history of the club, which was difficult because I didn't speak any Portuguese at the time," he says.
However, the internet brought Ethan and Flamengo closer. Through streaming services, the "foreign" fan follows the matches and discusses the club's daily life with the friends he made on Twitter. That's how he chose his favorite game, the 2013 Copa do Brasil final, when Flamengo became three-time champions of the competition. When he comes to Brazil, he gets closer to his passion, as he did this Tuesday, watching Flamengo's training session at Gávea for the first time.
In an interview with Flamengo's official website, Ethan said that the diversity of the Brazilian team and a special player, fundamental in that World Cup, would draw him closer to the club.
"My first contact with football was at the 1994 World Cup. The diversity of the Brazilian team caught my attention. That's when I saw Romário, who became my all-time favorite player, leading the team to victory," he recalls.
As a devoted follower of Romário, Ethan became acquainted with Flamengo a year later when the then-best player in the world left Barcelona for Gávea. Unable to attend the games, the American says he felt closer to his beloved team by playing video games. However, years later, his passion would reach another level for a very special reason: Ethan would marry a Brazilian woman.
"I met my wife's family in 2012, and my father-in-law gave me a Flamengo shirt. After that, a cousin of hers gave me a personalized kit with the number 8, Adílio's number. Since I was 'baptized' a Flamengo fan by my wife's family, I started studying the entire history of the club, which was difficult because I didn't speak any Portuguese at the time," he says.
However, the internet brought Ethan and Flamengo closer. Through streaming services, the "foreign" fan follows the matches and discusses the club's daily life with the friends he made on Twitter. That's how he chose his favorite game, the 2013 Copa do Brasil final, when Flamengo became three-time champions of the competition. When he comes to Brazil, he gets closer to his passion, as he did this Tuesday, watching Flamengo's training session at Gávea for the first time.