RIO DE JANEIRO.- Bernardo Candala fan of the NFL in Brazil, admired the 60 rings of the champions of the superbowl exhibited in Rio de Janeirowhere this Sunday the powerful American football league will take the Maracana, temple of “soccer”.
For the third consecutive year the NFL will play a regular season game in the country of Pelethis time with the Baltimore Ravens of Lamar Jackson and the Dallas Cowboys of Dak Prescott as protagonists.
It will be the first in Rio, after Sao Paulo received the previous two.
Fandom for the NFL “began to grow a few years ago,” Candal, a fan who takes photos with his wife and three-month-old baby in front of the rings and the Super Bowl championship trophy, tells AFP in a league store that opened in Rio a few weeks ago.
He began following this sport after watching the 2009 Super Bowlwon by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“I fell in love,” says this 34-year-old man, a fan of the Steelers. Then “it was difficult to find another person who liked him.”
But things change.
With its gigantic market of more than 200 million inhabitants, Brazil has a base of 36 million NFL fans, the league itself estimates.
“We play too,” reads a message on one of the shirts for sale at the store in Rio.
The game, to which both teams arrive with a 1-1 record, began at 5:25 p.m. local time (8:25 p.m. GMT). The Puerto Rican Ricky Martin and the Brazilian DJ Pedro Sampaio They headlined the halftime show.
A different “culture”
With capacity for more than 78,000 spectators, the Maracaná has been the scene of historic events such as the decisive match of the World won by Uruguay against Brazil in 1950, the thousandth goal of Pele or the inauguration of the 2016 Olympic Games.
“I can’t wait to see you there! Fill the stadium and make it roar,” said the Cowboys kicker, Brandon Aubreyin a video recorded with Prescott and posted on social networks.
Long before becoming an NFL star, Aubrey played soccer and visited this South American country when he belonged to a soccer academy in USA.
“I was 10 or 12 years old and I trained with Sao Paulo. My entire club was there, we spent about two weeks,” he recalled to the American press.
Aubrey, who was chosen in the draft of the MLS of 2017 by Toronto F.C., He has been playing in the NFL since 2023.
“As Brazil is a football country, there is resistance,” but “the follower of a sport that is not part of the culture of their country ends up being more of a fan,” he told AFP. Pedro Henrique Carvalhohead of communications One Project, company responsible for marketing the NFL in Brazil.
“Business”
The “boom” coincides with the NFL’s commitment to globalization.
had in Melbourne their first stop on their international tour this year and after Rio their stars will pass through London, Paris, Munich, Madrid and Mexico City.
Already Lamar Jackson, twice Most Valuable Player (2019 and 2023), played abroad.
In 2023 in London, at the stadium Tottenhamthe Ravens quarterback led his team to a victory against the Tennessee Titans (24-16), with a touchdown and 21 of 30 completions for 223 yards.
“I’m excited,” Jackson said, although he stressed that Rio “is a business trip.” “It’s not about going to have fun or sightseeing.”
Lawn under criticism
The NFL game comes amid questions about the state of the Maracaná grass, home of Flamengo and Fluminensesemi-finalists of the Libertadores Cup.
“It’s very bad,” said the Flamengo goalkeeper, the Argentine Agustín Rossi.
Rio has suffered heavy rains in recent weeks, although the grass of this football temple has long been the subject of criticism.
The Cowboys coach, Brian Schottenheimerhopes that everything is ready: “I have no worries. I trust that (…) we will have a field in adequate conditions.”
Still, it has “contingency plans,” such as the option for players to wear shoes with greater traction.
