The Spanish have El Clasico, the Argentines have Superclasico, and the Brazilians have Fla-Flu.

The match between Flamengo and Fluminense is the biggest city derby in Brazil. It has gathered more than 120,000 spectators several dozen times at the famous Maracana, and at one match in 1963, a record 194,000! 

It is the match that made the rules of football, in which one rival stripped the other of the title on its 100th anniversary. Legends like Leonidas, Zico, and Rivellino played. And it all started from the same place.

The first Fla-Flu derby was played on July 7, 1912, at Laranjeiras Stadium. 

Although weakened by the departure of many important players, Fluminense won 3:2. The first derby was attended by a measly 800 spectators for later matches, which was a good number at the time. 

Perhaps the most famous match was played in 1941.

It is known as the Fla-Flu Lagoon because it was played at the Gavea stadium next to a large lake in southern Rio. Football was still the most important thing in Brazil when the world was at war. Fluminense needed at least a draw to win the title, while Flamengo had to win. 

Young Zizinho gave Fla the advantage, but Flu quickly turned it around to make it 2:1. However, Pirillo equalized for Flamengo seven minutes before the end.

Fla continued to press hard on their rivals, whose players responded by shooting balls over the stands into the nearby lagoon. They continued with that tactic until the ball disappeared. 

Meanwhile, striker Carreiro was sent off, and it took him a few minutes to leave the field. So the last six minutes lasted half an hour. 

Finally, the judges played to the end, and Flu became the champion.

The moniker ‘Fla-Flu’ was first coined in the mid-20s by the renowned sports journalist Mario Filho, who was also the inspiration behind the name of the Maracana stadium.

In 1925, he represented the best team of Brazil’s national team and named it the ‘Fla-Flu team’ due to its exclusive composition of players from these two teams. 

Since then, the name has become a staple in football lexicons. The first Fla-Flu derby at the Maracana was played only 13 years after its inauguration, in 1963, and ended in a goalless draw in front of a staggering 177,000 spectators.

The best scorer of the Fla-Flu derby is Artur Antunjes de Coimbra, better known as Zico, with 19 goals. 

Flu achieved the most convincing victory in 1943 at 5:1, while Fla humiliated the rival at 7:0 just two years later.

Flamengo is more successful in the Rio state championship with 38 titles, while Fluminense, had 33. They first directly fought for the trophy in 1915 when Flamengo was more successful. Flamengo has seven championship titles in Brazil, and Flu has four.

Most importantly, Flamengo was the champion of South America three times; they won the Copa Libertadores in 1981, 2019, and 2022, and the Intercontinental Cup in 1981, which their biggest rival never managed. Fluminense won their first Copa Libertadores trophy in 2023.

Read More About Other Leagues and Original Series.