World Soccer - UK (2022-01)

representingjust that.PlayingatBrazil’s
mostmodernstadium, theAllianz
Parque,Palmeirasenjoythebacking
ofwealthyLeilaPereira,thefirstfemale
presidentinthe club’s history. Flamengo
havelearnedtomonetisetheirfanbase
ofsome 40 millionsupporters.
In 2019 , theRio giants won
thecompetitionagainst RiverPlate,
arguablySouth America’steamofthe
decadewith thevenerableMarcelo
Gallardo.Thefollowingyear, Palmeiras
succeededFlamengoasthecontinent’s
kingthankstoanextra-timegoalfrom
substitute BrenoLopesagainst local
rivalsSantos.
Bothclubsreached the 2021 final on
merit,but do notshare therivalry that
markssomeofBrazil’s biggestfixtures.
Palmeiras’arch-enemyis crosstown
behemothCorinthians,whereasinRio
deJaneiro,FlamengoandVascoda
Gamadespiseeachother. Thefinalists’

antagonismwas– andis– rootedin

a quest forhegemony in themodern

Braziliangame.Togetherwith Atletico

Mineiro,theyhavepulledawayfrom

Brazil’s otherbigclubs,outmuscling

theirdomesticrivalsthrougha

combinationoffinancial riches

andqualitysquads.

Evenso,both clubsendureda torrid

build-uptotheCopaLibertadoresfinal.

WRLSCCER 23

Matchwinner...

Deyversonwheels

awayafterscoring

thewinninggoal

Openinggoal...

RaphaelVeiga

celebratesscoring