Maracanã stadium in the dazzling Rio de Janeiro

Who hasn’t heard of the Marvelous City? It is the city that draws up Brazil for its stereotypes and stunning beauty. Rio doesn’t disappoint anyone who comes to see the mix of an urban center and a beach town, with it touristic icons like the colossal Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf Mountain and the famous beaches of Copacabana, Ipanema and Barra da Tijuca. 

Christ, the redeemer and Corcovado hill



View from Sugar Loaf, photo by Neyla Bontempo 


Sugar Loaf cable car - photo by Eliana Souza


For being the capital of the country for more than a century and a half, the city preserves historic Brazilian landmarks with its monuments and museums, and enormous French influence. Rio was also the precursor of innumerous cultural movements that left behind roots, such as the creation of samba and bossa nova, for example. Its festivals, like carnival and New Year’s Eve, are reason enough to highlight the city as an unforgettable destination.

National Library of Brazil, downtown - photo by Eliana Souza 


Opera House - photo by Eliana Souza


Modern Art Museum, side view in Niteroi, 11 km or 7 miles away from Rio
 designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer - photo by Eliana Souza



Carnival parade - from wikipedia

But, nothing is more impressive than the relationship between people from Rio, or Cariocas, and soccer, which is practically considered a religion. The four big teams in the city, Botafogo, Fluminense, Vasco and Flamengo, are venerated by their followers and cause commotion in their highly disputed games. It is estimated that 30 million fans root for Flamengo, considered the most popular team in the country. Players that have reached international fame, like Jairzinho,  Garrincha, Rivelino, Zico, Ronaldo and Romário, all played for one of these teams. 


Fans of Flamengo football team 

The home of the giant Maracanã stadium which has hosted around 155 thousand fans, it is there that games between the four rival teams are played. The stadium was inaugurated shortly before the 1950 World Cup, in order to be recognized as the biggest in the world. Five of the six games that Brazil played in the tournament took place there, including the historic final against Uruguay, when Brazil was beaten 2 to 1, and generated a national state of shock, which is difficult to wipe from the memory of Brazilians.

Maraca, as it is affectionately called by locals, is the stadium that has hosted the most games played by the Brazilian national soccer team. Several final games in the Brazilian championships, and many historic games, there also played there, like the incomparable soccer player Pelé’s game where he made his 1000th goal, and his last game as part of the national team.



A little bit of  Pelé with his testimonial 


The final and decisive game of the 2013 Confederations Cup between Brazil and Spain will take place in the cathedral of football, as some people like to refer to the stadium as well.

Maracanã stadium during the Panamerican games opening in 2011 - photo by Roberto Stuckert-PR , Agência Brasil


Maracanã stadium - photo by Arthur Boppré during helicopter flight

Totally remodeled with a capacity for 79 thousand spectators, the stadium will be the stage for the final game of the World Cup in 2014. It will also host four games in the first phase, one of the round of 16 and another in the quarterfinals. In addition to that, it will be the place where the Confederations Cup in 2013 will be decided.

The city of Rio de Janeiro will still be in the lime light in 2016, when it will welcome the next Olympic Games. Engenhão stadium, built for the Pan-American Games in 2007, is the home of Botafogo, and will also be used in the Olympic games in 2016.