Description: I’d rather suffer through a dimly lit clunker at Continental Airlines Arena between the Nets and Grizzlies than attend a Major League Soccer game. Of course, outside the States soccer takes on an entirely different personality, which was never more evident than during my visit to Rio de Janeiro’s famous Maracana Stadium. The lack of MLS appeal certainly has a lot to do with talent—even the best players aren’t exactly considered international superstars—but it’s much more than that. The impassioned fan base, the wild atmosphere, the all-day tailgating… indeed, live fútbol matches in South America have a life of their own.
After milling about the rustic hillside neighborhood of nearby Santa Teresa in the morning, we cabbed it to the stadium, arriving about 2 hours before the game. The tailgating scene isn’t much different than in the States: add a few face-painters and overweight men in undersized b-ball jerseys, and you could be in the parking lot of an NBA playoff game.
Once you get to the stadium, stop at a ticketing booth and go for the cairida seating, which is located on the lower level and costs a mere $7R. You’ll get spectacular views of the field and have the freedom to move about in the large, unnumbered section.
We settled into the first row behind the standing room-only section, where the hardcore fans prowled the sideline like Avery Johnson down by 15 at a frenzied away game in San Antonio. Throughout the game, these diehards were alternately jumping, screaming, dancing, and grimacing as their home team, Fluminense, matched wits with visiting Criciuma.
All I wanted to see was one measly goal, and after a scoreless half the action finally picked up after the break (thank God). The sound of drums rained down on us from the upper level, the ooohs and ahhhs became more spirited and urgent, and the players seemed to run a little faster and kick the ball a little harder. Against my better judgement, I decided that I couldn’t hold it… and then, just as I got to the restroom, a loud roar echoed through the stadium—goal for Fluminense. Wonderful.
Incredibly enough, Criciuma tied it up for good with just a minute or two left, much to the chagrin of just about everyone in attendance (except for me, of course). With that scored goal, my experience at Maracana was complete, and I left with nothing but positive memories. Now how many people in attendance of a Nets/Grizzlies game can say that?
Close