December 15th 1963 (oops a day late)....Flamengo and Fluminese were the two biggest clubs in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and their rivalry is fierce and "class" based. They met on December 15th.
The Fluminese club (shield below) was founded in 1902 by British money and class based ex-patriots. Flamengo, founded in 1895, on November 15th (shield below below!) on the other hand were local and made up from many black players. Flamengo came into existence nine years later and became the team "of the people". Both clubs took advantage of the gigantic, state-owned Maracana Stadium which was opened in 1950.
Neither club ever attracted a crowd estimated to be as big as 200,000+ that witnessed Brazil's World Cup "Final" Pool tie on July 16th, 1950. Regarded as a debacle, Brazil played against Uruguay in the Maracana Stadium which was apparently limited to hold 150,000, but officially attracted an estimated 199,854. Uruguay won 2-1,
The Fla-Flu derby, nevertheless,did attract the largest audience ever to turn up to watch a "club game".
In 1963, the Campeonato (Championship) Carioca, the Rio State League competition, between Fla and Flu, on December 15th, brought together a crowd of 177,656 paying spectators. Carioca refers to anything related to the City of Rio de Janeiro. The original meaning of the term is controversial, maybe from Tupi language "kari' oka", meaning "white house" as the whitewashed stone houses of European settlers or even the colonists themselves, by merging "kara'iwa" (white man) and "oka" (house). Use link below for great aerial view of stadium, beach and bay.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOUmoTOCtno
Only two matches have surpassed that size, the 1950 FIFA World Cup Final (which officially drew a 173,850 crowd). And the 1954 World Cup qualifier between Brazil and Paraguay (191,513) a 0-0 draw.
On November 23rd 1941, The Campeonato Carioca (see above) decider was played at Flamengo's tiny ground, The Gavea Stadium, founded in 1895. Fluminese acted out of character (not as "gentlemen") during this game, when, needing a draw, they spent the best part of the second half booting the ball out of the Gavea into the neighbouring lake! which of course was easier to do. They got their draw.
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