Six years: 1915, 1920, 1979, 1996, 2011 and 2017. These were the editions of the Carioca in which Flamengo lifted the trophy without having lost a single match in regulation time. With this Sunday's victory (7), Rubro-Negro is the leader in this category among Rio de Janeiro teams, alongside Vasco, also with six undefeated championships. Fluminense, the opponent in this afternoon's final, is in second, with three.

The first time
In 1915, seven clubs competed in two rounds of the Campeonato Carioca: Flamengo, Fluminense, Botafogo, América, Bangu, São Cristóvão, and Rio Cricket. The team with the most points at the end of the tournament was crowned champion. The Red-Blacks not only led the scoring but also finished the tournament undefeated. This was the tenth edition of the Rio de Janeiro State Championship and the second trophy for the "Mais Querido," a club that had been in existence for 20 years and had only played for three years, as the club's football department had only been established in 1912.

The last time
Before this Sunday (7), Flamengo had been state champion without defeats in its history in 2011, with ease: champion of the Taça Guanabara - over Boavista - and of the Taça Rio - over Vasco -, Rubro-Negro did not need the Carioca final, at the time played between the champions of the rounds, for captain Ronaldinho Gaúcho to lift the trophy.

After securing a spot in the final by defeating Fluminense in a penalty shootout—1-1 in regulation—Mengão once again went to penalties in the Taça Rio final against Vasco. A key player in other matches, goalkeeper Felipe wasn't even needed this time. The Cruzmaltino missed three shots, with Bernardo, Fellipe Bastos, and Elton shooting wide, while Renato, Fernando, and Thiago Neves converted for the Mais Querido. It was the 12th time in state championships that Flamengo won the title and Vasco finished runner-up.