Built in 1950, one of the world's most famous venues has seen some great triumphs for the Selecao and will play host to Saturday's Olympic final
There is no great stage in Brazilian football, perhaps in any football anywhere. Erected for the 1950 World Cup, the Maracana is the treasure chest of memories for the greatest football nation on earth.
The five-time world champions have graced the holy turf in 107 official international matches, earning 77 victories, 23 draws and 7 defeats. Among those 7, however, was the most painful of all: the great Maracanazo defeat to Uruguay in 1950.
Nevertheless, it holds plenty of happy memories for the Selecao – and many others. More than 100,000 crammed in for the 6-1 demolition of Spain during that World Cup.
Seven years later, on July 7, 1957, the then largest stadium in the world played host to the beginning of football’s greatest story. With old rivals Argentina in town, a 16-year-old boy wandered onto the field to make his international debut in the old Copa Roca (now known the Superclasico de las Americas) and scored in a 2-1 defeat. The boy's name? Edson Arantes do Nascimento, or Pele.
12 years and two world titles later, it was Pele who marked a wonderful night at the maracana by netting the only goal of the game against Paraguay in a World Cup qualifier to set himself, and Brazil, on their way to a third world title, in front of an astonishing 183,341 fans.
O rei’s story began and ended a the Maracana, bidding farewell to the Selecao in 1971 with a 2-2 draw against Yugoslavia, the goals that evening coming from fellow world champions Rivelino and Gerson.
1989 saw the Maracana welcome another future world conquerors, as it was there that the great Romario and Bebeto first formed the formidable partnership that would claim Brazil’s fourth World Cup title. Between them, they netted all six of Brazil’s goals in their three of matches of the final stage, every one of them arriving at the Maracana, with Romario hitting the winner against Uruguay.
Romario had a strong bond with the Maracana. It was there that, in 1993, he came to Brazil’s rescue. The Selecao needed a win to ensure their passage to World Cup 1994 in the USA as off-field problems threatened to produce the first World Cup finals in history not to feature Brazil.
Romario had found himself ostracised from the group for much of the qualifying campaign after publically criticising coach Carlos Alberto Parreira. But with the unthinkable on the cards, Parreira was desperate and recalled ‘shorty’. Romario scored both goals in a 2-0 win. The following year he would lead the Selecao to their fourth world title.
And Brazil’s last major title arrived at the Maracana, too. In 2013 Brazil blew away the all-conquering Spain, completely overwhelming the reigning world champions with a stunning 3-0 victory in the final of the Confederations Cup.
The stadium has had a few facelifts over the years, but it remains perhaps the most recognisable in world football. And Brazil return there on Saturday, hoping the most storied of stadia will help them write a new chapter in theirs.
Two years ago Brazil never made it back to the Maracana, defeated 7-1 by Germany in a semi-final of their own World Cup. This week they return, and Germany once again stand in their way – this time of a historical first Olympic gold. The stage is set. It couldn’t be greater.
..... - Goal