Clássico dos Milhões

Clássico dos Milhões (meaning "Derby of Millions") is the name of the classic Brazilian derby between Flamengo and Vasco da Gama, both from Rio de Janeiro city, considered one of the most fiercely contested derbies in Brazilian football and one of the biggest in football worldwide, both in historic rivalry and in popularity. It is thus named since its beginnings in the 1920s, as Flamemgo and Vasco are the two largest fanbases in the state of Rio de Janeiro, and more recently as it imposed itself since the 1970s as arguably the top nationwide Brazilian derby.

Poll estimations, though variable, attribute Flamengo and Vasco with a combined share of about 20% of the overall population, i.e. totalling 45 million supporters nationwide (typically 30 million to Flamengo and 15 million to Vasco). At local Rio state level, polls suggest that both clubs account for more than two quarters of the declared supporter base (typically 50% of the overall Rio State population for Flamengo, 19% for Vasco, 15% for Fluminense and 12% for Botafogo, because Vasco have more supporters outside their home state).

Its intense rivalry, though more stressed in football since 1923 when Vasco rose to first division, started already in the first decades in rowing regatte, as both clubs were founded in the late 19th century (Vasco 1898 and Flamengo 1895) as rowing clubs. Today, as multi-sports clubs in the Iberic tradition of Barcelona FC, Real Madrid, Benfica and Sporting Lisbon, both teams also compete often at national level in other sports such as basketball, swimming, futsal and judo.

Early days

Since its first year, it capitalized on the already-existing rivalry in rowing. But it took a whole new scale as football opened to the masses.

Flamengo has had in 83 years a slight overall edge in teams of direct matches but also titles and direct decisions. In state league, since 1923 when both teams staged, it has won 23 titles (plus one Special as Rio State and Rio City merged in 1979) against 22 to Vasco.

1958 and the "Super-super-championship"

At a time when both clubs were already known for their mass appeal but the rivalry still missed some anthologic matches, this championship was considered unique as twice Botafogo, Flamengo and Vasco had to play a tie-break triangular. The final match finally was disputed by Vasco and Flamengo, the latter playing for a draw which was eventually obtained, in front of a record crowd. This championship would though sign a drought period of 12 years for Vasco, which helped to promote other derbies like Flamengo x Botafogo and as ever Flamengo x Fluminense as challengers throughout the 1960s.

The 1972-2001 period

This period can be singled out as the one that established the derby's reputation as the top one in Rio and eventually in Brazil, definitely surpassing its Fla-Flu rival both on the field and off it. In the span of 30 years, at least one of the teams managed to reach every final phase of the Rio state league. It also corresponds barely to the creation of the Brazilian national championship (1971), which displayed the popularity of both teams across the country, particularly in northern/northeastern states (but also southern states such as Santa Catarina), where often they constitute the main fanbase in front of local teams.

Rio state level

Given the once-traditional structure of Rio state league divided in "turno" and "returno" (home and away season) occasionally complemented by a shorter third "turno" with the top overall teams, Vasco and Flamengo have clinched 50 out of the 68 turnos (25 each). In 4 occasions an extra play-off between both teams was needed to decide the turno. In 9 occasions the derby was the last-round decisive game for both teams.

The first "turno" of Rio state league is given an extra importance as dubbed the "Taça Guanabara", incorporating a previously traditional competition only from the inner city clubs. Flamengo clinched it 13 times and Vasco 9 in this period.

They also participated together in a final phase (be it direct decision, triangular, quadrangular or semi-final) in 17 occasions out of 24 (in 6 occasions no final phase was needed as one team would win all turnos - this occurred 3 times for Vasco in 1977, 1992 and 1998 and also to Flamengo in 1978, 1979 and 1996).

Flamengo at the end clinched 11 titles in that period against 8 from Vasco. This in particular stems from a three-in-a-row win (see below) in the last years (1999–2001). Fluminense also clinched 8 titles, proving despite it much lower presence a greater efficiency (out of only 11 turno wins).

• A: América
• B: Bangu
• F: Botafogo
• M: Flamengo
• N: Fluminense
• V: Vasco

National level

Though less frequent given the overall balance of national clubs and its scattered group structure, both teams met decisively 3 times in final phase, but never the finals: in 1983 in quarterfinal playoffs (Flamengo had the edge), and 1992 and 1997 in semi-final phase (Flamengo had the edge on the first but the derby was no ultimate decider as played two rounds before round-robin end, while Vasco had the edge in the latter in a famous 4-1 decider). Most notably, in each occasion the winner of the derby eventually clinched the title. Both teams in the 1971-2000 period ranked in the top 6 of the tournament (Vasco #1 and Flamengo #6) and feature each among the few clubs (alongside Palmeiras and Corinthians) to have clinched more than 4 Brazilian titles since its inception in 1971 (Flamengo had won 5 titles by then against Vasco da Gama's 4).

In Brazilian Cup, though less prestigious, both teams were scheduled to meet in finals in July, 2006. It was Flamengo's 5th final and Vasco's first. Flamengo eventually clinched its second Cup title ever. The com,petition though did not count with the participation of the top 5 Brazilian championship teams as they participated the Libertadores Cup, but in relative terms it was for the derby's history one of the most important ever.

Zico vs Roberto "Dinamite"

During the period above, the rivalry was personified in both players, still today considered the two most important players of each club ever. They played for about the same time lapse: though Roberto (or simply, Dinamite, after its powerful shot, a nickname given to him at the time he scored his first goal as a professional in 1972) started playing earlier, both reached early stardom around 1974 (when Vasco reached its first national title) and continued until the late 1980s. Both players cristallized the style of play, Zico embodying the more technical, refined Flamengo of the 1980s and Roberto the attacking, never-say-die style of Vasco at the time. It can be said that the first tests between both started in the play-offs of 1976 Taça Guanabara, where Zico missed a penalty kick to award Vasco the title. The same occurred a year later, to give Vasco the overall title. Later on, Flamengo had a clear edge as it swept all turnos of 78 and 79 (including the 79 Special championship). In the early 1980s, Vasco saw Flamengo raise to its three national titles then but still consistently gave a run for the money of their arch-rivals (as in the 1980 finals). After a long runner-up series to either the Flamengo and Fluminense from 1978 through 1981, they eventually defeated the brilliant world-champ Flamengo side in 1982 to recoup the Carioca title. Both players always displayed enormous respect for their opponents and somehow were constantly admired by the other side, most supporters secretly hoping that one day each one could turn sides and play for their club. Vasco supporters still pride the day Zico wore their jersey in a friendly for Dinamite's retirement.

Tita and Bebeto

After the Zico & Roberto phase, both teams experienced a transition period, though still maintaining a high standard. In that period some important players change sides, raising some passionate discussions. First Tita had been discovered by Flamengo but later on joined Vasco, only to score the winning goal in the 1987 Carioca final in Vasco's 1-0 victory. Also Bebeto followed the same path and offered Vasco brilliant participation in the 1989 Brazilian league, before going north and eventually clinching the 1994 World Cup with Romário.

1988

In this year, the two teams decided the title in direct play-offs for the third time in a row. Flamengo had clinched the 1986 title and Vasco the 1987 one, so 1988 would decide the best-of-three. Vasco confirmed its status as favorite and won the last game 1-0 while playing for a draw. The winning goal though only came with 1 minute left to play and was scored by an unknown player who came on as a substitute a few minutes before, nicknamed Cocada (after a popular coconut sweet), only to be sent off for provocative celebration. On the day after, Vasco supporters would tease their rivals by offering them cocadas.

Romário

Romário alone eschewed this rivalry, displaying ambiguous positions regarding his support. More recently he declared supporting neither club, buth rather América, a small and formerly prestigious club of Rio. Tough Romário was discovered by Vasco and started as a professional in 1986, clinching the 1987 title before going north, he later decided to join Flamengo in 1995 when returning to Brazil, much to Vasco supporters' outrage. Despite this betrayal, he still managed to be hired by Vasco in the late 1990s. He was somewhat forgiven as he would still clinch its fourth Brazilian title in 2000 and Mercosul cup in 2001. This contrasts with the almost blank record playing with Flamengo except for the Carioca title of 1996. He also twice succeeded as top striker of the Brazilian championship, the last as recently as 2005, at age 40. He expressed the desire of retiring by playing half time with the jerseys of each team.

2001

Flamengo and Vasco had displayed very balanced statistics in the latter decades, with a very slight advantage though to Flamengo specially in direct decisive confrontations. This had from time to time allowed Flamengo supporters to call their arch-rivals as "freguês" (i.e. customer) and tease them as consistent "vice" (runner-ups), especially during the time of the great Flamengo side of the early 1980s. But Vasco eventually reverted this as in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when it clinched its first tri-campeonato (three championships in a row, a rare feat). By the time of the late 1990s, Vasco could even claim to be the major Carioca winner since 1923, ahead of Flamengo and Fluminense. This "freguês" (similar to Boca vs River) teasing returned in early 2001 as Flamengo clinched another "tri-campeonato", with all three titles being won directly over Vasco, and largely contributing to the recent imbalance in statistics. Ironically, these wins of Flamengo at state league level were obtained at arguably the best period ever of Vasco's history, during which it clinched two Brazilian titles and two South American titles. In each final from 1998 through 2001, Flamengo was rated as the underdog. The title of the "tri" came in a specially dramatic way, as Vasco played the last game with a one-goal cushion advantage and saw Flamengo score 3 x 1 with few minutes to play. It was for Flamengo fans a compensation for the series of humiliating defeats (among which two 5 x 1) imposed by the brilliant Vasco side of the time.

Present day

Since 2001 when Flamengo clinched the tri and Vasco the Mercosud Cup, both teams have been plagued by financial problems and have simultaneously reached an unprecedented decadence, struggling to avoid the same spots of relegation to Brazilian second division. Vasco (2003) and Flamengo (2004 - over Vasco, again) still won since one state league title each. In their seemingly atavistic manner of crossing in each other's way, both teams recently managed to reach the finals of Brazilian Cup scheduled for July 2006.

2006

In a painful re-run of the early 1980s for Vasco supporters, Flamengo managed in July 2006 to win its fifth decision in a row in recent years. Though the previous ones could maybe have been minimized as local State leagues as Vasco then fought for Brazilian and South American titles, this time it was the first ever decision between both teams at national level. By the same way Flamengo clinched its second Brazilian Cup title against one to Vasco.

2009 - present day

As new economic bright times shine for Brazil, new sponsors and investments have also shaped strengthening the Classico dos Milhões with bigger payrolls on both sides, once again putting Rio football into the limelight of dominating the Brazilian scene. Vasco dropped to the Campeonato Brasileiro Série B in 2008 following a disastrous turn of power in the club with longtime president Eurico Miranda being ousted and Roberto Dinamite stepping in, whilst having lost both games to Flamengo. In 2009, in the first face off in the state championship after Vasco relegation where in Flamengo fans tried to make a mockery of the rival´s then situation, Vasco beat Flamengo 2-0, in a Carioca that the Gavea red and black eventually won. In the same year Flamengo went on to win the Serie A led by the Petkvovic and Adriano duo, while Vasco got promoted back to the Serie A by winning Serie B 2009. In the following year both teams failed to achieve any success, with both games in the Campeonatio Brasileiro Serie A having ended in draws, 0-0 and 1-1 whilst the encounters in the Campeonato carioca turned in favour of Flamengo largely due to controversial officiating.

In 2011, Flamengo beat Vasco 2-1 and then drew 0-0 winning on penalty kicks in Taça Rio final leading them to win the Campeonato Carioca under the guidance of Wanderley Luxemburgo with the star players Ronaldinho and Thiago Neves. However, Vasco won the 2011 Copa do Brasil, in a very strong team, that went on to out perform Fla in both games in the Campeonato Brasileiro 2011, 0-0 and 1-1 in the final round, both with crucial officiating disastrous mistakes by referee Pericles Bassols which failed to whistle clear Vasco penalty kicks on both games. Vasco manager Ricardo Gomes had a Brain seizure in the second half of the first game, leading him to having surgery and putting him on the sidelines for the rest of the season, with caretaker manager Critovao Borges taking up duties. Vasco went on to finish second place in the Campeonato Brasileiro S[erie A, two points behind Corinthians, with Vasco fans although proud of their team´s season, definetally very revolted with the ref that whistled both games, that could have represented Vasco winning the 2011 Campeonato Brasileiro.

Overall Statistics

First Match: Vasco 3x1 Flamengo, Rua Paysandú, on April 29, 1923 for Guanabara State league.

Last matches

• Vasco 1x0 Flamengo, Estádio São Januário, on February 14, 2016, for Campeonato Carioca.
• Flamengo 1x1 Vasco, Estádio Mané Garrincha, on March 30, 2016, for Campeonato Carioca.
• Vasco 2x0 Flamengo, Arena da Amazônia, on April 24, 2016, for Campeonato Carioca.

Most Goals against matches:

For Vasco:

• Vasco 7x0 Flamengo, on April 26, 1931, for Campeonato Carioca.

For Flamengo:

• Flamengo 8x2 Vasco, on October 3, 1943, Campeonato Carioca.

Important Championships

List of decisive games

Arguably the first decision ever between both teams ever started in 1944, more than twenty years after their accession to first division, when Flamengo played Vasco in last round to clinch its first ever three-in-a-row title. Between then and 1972, only one decisive game was played in 1958 in the uniquely named super-super-championship as twice Vasco, Flamengo and Botafogo had to play a tie-break triangular.

• 1944 - Last round decisive (Flamengo 1-0)
• 1958 - Last round decisive (Flamengo 3-1)
• 1958 - Final tie-break triangular (super) - 1st-round (Vasco 2-0)
• 1958 - Final tie-break triangular (super-super) - last-round decisive (Vasco 1-1)
• 1972 - Final triangular - 1st round (Flamengo 1-0)
• 1973 - Taça Guanabara (1st turno) - last-round decisive - (Flamengo 1-0)
• 1973 - Semi-final play-off - decisive (Flamengo 0-0)
• 1974 - Final triangular - last-round decisive (Flamengo 0-0)
• 1975 - 3rd turno extra tie-break play-off (Vasco 1-0)
• 1976 - Taça Guanabara extra tie-break play-off (Vasco 1-1, 5-4 on p.s.)
• 1977 - 2nd turno extra tie-break play-off (Vasco 0-0, 5-4 on p.s.)
• 1978 - 2nd turno - last round decisive (Flamengo 1-0)
• 1979 - Final octagonal - decisive (Flamengo 3-2)
• 1981 - Final play-offs (3 matches: Flamengo 0-2, 0-1 and 2-1)
• 1982 - Taça Guanabara extra tie-break play-off (Flamengo 1-0)
• 1982 - Final triangular - last-round decisive (Vasco 1-0)
• 1983 - Campeonato Brasileiro - quarter-finals (Flamengo 2-1, 1-1)
• 1984 - Final triangular - 2nd round (Flamengo 1-0)
• 1986 - Taça Guanabara - last-round decisive (Vasco 2-0)
• 1986 - Final play-offs (3 matches: Flamengo 0-0, 0-0, 2-0)
• 1987 - Final triangular - last-round decisive (Vasco 1-0)
• 1988 - 3rd turno quadrangular - last-round decisive (Vasco 3-1)
• 1988 - Final play-offs (2 matches: Vasco 2-1, 1-0)
• 1989 - Taça Guanabara - last-round decisive to Flamengo only (Flamengo 3-1)
• 1989 - Taça Rio (2nd turno) - last-round decisive to Flamengo only (Vasco 2-1)
• 1992 - Taça Guanabara - last-round decisive (Vasco 1-1)
• 1992 - Campeonato Brasileiro - semi-final quadrangular (Flamengo 1-1, 2-0)
• 1994 - Final quadrangular - (2 matches : Vasco 1-2, 1-1)
• 1996 - Taça Guanabara - last-round decisive (Flamengo 2-0)
• 1996 - Taça Rio - last-round decisive (Flamengo 0-0)
• 1997 - Taça Rio - decisive to Vasco only (Vasco 1-0 by WO)

*1997 - Campeonato Brasileiro - semi-final quadrangular (Vasco 1-1, 4-1)

• 1998 - Taça Guanabara - last-round decisive (Vasco 2-0 by WO)
• 1999 - Taça Guanabara - last-round decisive (Flamengo 2-0)
• 1999 - Taça Rio - last-round decisive (Vasco 2-0)
• 1999 - Final play-offs (2 matches: Flamengo 1-1, 1-0)
• 2000 - Final play-offs (2 matches: Flamengo 3-0, 2-1)
• 2001 - Taça Guanabara - semi-final play-off (Flamengo 1-0)
• 2001 - Final play-offs (2 matches: Flamengo 1-2, 3-1)
• 2003 - Taça Guanabara - last-round decisive (Vasco 1-1)
• 2004 - Taça Guanabara - semifinals (Flamengo 2-0)
• 2004 - Taça Rio - last-round decisive to Vasco only (Vasco 2-1)
• 2004 - Final play-offs (2 matches: Flamengo 2-1, 3-1)
• 2006 - Copa do Brasil - final play-offs (Flamengo 2-0 1-0)
• 2007 - Taça Guanabara Semi-Final (Flamengo 3-1 penalty kicks after 1-1 in the normal time)

Other notable matches

• 1975 - 3rd turno - Vasco 3 x 2 Flamengo - This game arguably triggered Vasco's most enduring reputation, dubbed "o time da virada" (i.e., the turnaround team), after its never-say-die attitude which led to many remounting scores (others may say never-win-easy instead). After this win (after trailing 0x2, a remounting that never occurred again between the two clubs), Vasco would win a series of derbies by remounting to clinch the turno, and the press labeled "Vascão vira-vira" (meaning roughly Big Vasco bottom-up). Since then, its supporters incorporated this feature in their songs ("the team of tournaround and love"). An epic 4x3 away win over Palmeiras in Mercosud Cup finals in 2001 after trailing 0x3, among others less notable in-between, recently sustained this reputation.
• 2000 - Taça Guanabara - Vasco 5 x 1 Flamengo - Dubbed since by Vasco supporters "o chocolate da Páscoa" (i.e., Easter chocolate, after the Rio's football slang "chocolate" for a big win and as the game was played on Easter). Vasco confirmed the clinching of the turn title.

Related works

Books

• Flamengo x Vasco - o clássico, ASSAF/MARTINS 1999, Editora Relume Dumará - ISBN 85-7316-184-1

Videos

• Duels de légende /vol.2 Flamengo - Vasco da Gama, Rod Hay 2005, WARNER VISION FRANCE