Last night, Sean and I went to the Maracanã to watch Flamengo play Botafogo in the Carioca cup final. This is a bit like the English FA cup, but only with teams from Rio. The Maracanã is a fabulous stadium. Built to host the World Cup in 1950, then upgraded for the Pan America games, it’s perhaps on par with Camp Neu, Barcelona’s famous ground for size, and Fratton Park, Portsmouth’s shabby ground for facilities.

We bought the tickets the day before through tiny holes in a concrete bullet proof shelter outside the ground. Tickets were BR$50 each for seats in the green or yellow areas – the best bits behind the goals – where vast swathes of fans sing in harmony,

Continue reading Flamengo vs Botafogo at the Maracana