Maracanã
Experiencing a soccer game in Maracanã is something you
will never forget. You can sense the history the stadium possesses
before you even enter it. Built for the 1950 World Cup (which Brazil
unfortunately lost that year), it remains the world’s largest
soccer stadium. Its highest attendance was 183,341 in 1969 (when
Pelé scored his 1,000th goal), but has since been renovated
and holds up to 103,022 fans now. Flamengo is the most popular of
Rio’s soccer teams, but others include Vasco, Fluminense,
and Botafogo.
If you want to attend a game there, you may not want to go alone.
It can be a bit confusing to get tickets and enter the stadium,
especially if you do not speak Portuguese. The area is also in the
northern zone, which is not often frequented by tourists. However,
the area is easily reached by subway- take Linha 1 to Estácio,
then switch to Linha 2 and get off at the Maracanã stop.
Maracanãzinho (little Maracanã) is a nearby basketball
and volleyball arena inaugurated in 1954. The Júlio Delamare
Aquatic Center (water polo) completes the sports complex. Some travel
agencies also offer trips to games and tours of the complex. Check
local newspapers for dates and times of games, or ask at your accommodation.
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