A recurring provocation from opposing fans is to say that “Botafogo is a neighborhood”, as if that part of the south zone of Rio de Janeiro was better known than the club.
“Botafogo is the capital of America”, repeated black and white people on the streets of the city, this Sunday (1st), the day after the unprecedented Copa Libertadores title, obtained with a 3-1 victory over Atlético Mineiro.
“The neighborhood team is champion. We filled Botafogo, Engenho de Dentro, the whole of Rio de Janeiro and Monumental de Núñez”, celebrated Marcelo Motta, 58, a black and white man who said he had been upset since Saturday, reviewing the best moments of the dramatic decision, which had Gregore, from Botafogo, sent off in the first minute of the game.
“Either we would be champions with a lot of suffering, or we wouldn’t be. We have no middle ground.”
Alvinegros also filled Rio de Janeiro’s international airport, in Galeão, where the delegation disembarked at around 4:15 pm with the cup. Hundreds of fans were there. Thousands more, in the Botafogo cove, awaited the champions’ open car parade.
Rio City Hall organized the party in the morning, a few hours before the team’s return trip. The main change in traffic was the closure of two lanes of the cove from 3pm.
On social media, Cariocas showed some fear about Flamengo’s game against Internacional at Maracanã, in the north zone, at 4pm, almost at the same time as Botafogo’s celebration. They also questioned the party due to the return to the beach. Botafogo is the main route for those leaving Copacabana towards the center.
However, until the publication of this text, there were no records of confusion.
The plane landed at around 4:15 pm at Galeão airport. The owner of Botafogo’s SAF (Sociedade Anônima do Futebol), John Textor, appeared with a black and white flag in the plane’s window.
The delegation left through the airport’s cargo terminal, and the buses were escorted by Military Police scouts towards the south zone.
The club’s water sports headquarters, Mourisco, next to Botafogo beach, was the meeting place. A gigantic flag stretched out on the sand became the most photographed spot in the cove, leaving Sugarloaf Mountain almost in the background. The track “É tempo de Botafogo”, a phrase that became a kind of slogan for fans and the club, was also popular.
In the black and white crowd, shirts with the names of current stars, such as Tiquinho Soares and Luiz Henrique, mixed with older uniforms, such as those of Loco Abreu, Túlio and Maurício.
The most sung song was a parody of “Uni Duni Tê”, by the children’s group Trem da Alegria.
In the lyrics, the fans say they heard “that the club would end”, “that history would be erased and only the mark of the fight would remain”.
“The time has come for a comeback/It’s a time for joy/I’m from black and white/In general, let’s celebrate/Wearing Manequinho at the end of the year.”
“Many generations of fans suffered from the lack of titles, from mockery from rivals, from relegation to Series B. This victory was a liberation for Botafoguenses of all ages since the 1970s”, said Marcos Aurélio Filho, 39.
Alvinegros also shouted that “it’s cool, Wednesday is the Brazilian Championship”. Botafogo is close to becoming national champion — there are two rounds left until the end of the championship. Leader with 73 points, three more than Palmeiras, the Rio team faces Internacional on Wednesday (4), while the vice-leader faces Cruzeiro.
The two buses with the delegation arrived at 6pm in Botafogo and were immediately surrounded by the black and white people. Some managed to climb onto the roofs of vehicles, which were barely able to move, stopped by a crowd.
At least one fan was arrested when he tried to board the bus covered with the club’s symbols. The players, however, were on the bus right behind. The interaction was through looks and signals: the idols knocked on the vehicle windows, and black and white people responded by knocking on the outside.
Afterwards, over the electric trio, players raised the cup to the fans and sang the main songs from the Botafogo stands. Textor, upon holding the trophy, was celebrated with shouts of “daddy has arrived”.
