In a column published on Saturday (6), journalist Ruy Castro said that Flamengo had become nine-time Brazilian champions after recently winning the national title. He would therefore be a champion of Ennea.
“It is a desire to engrave with pride on the cup, before trying again to reduce it to an octo, referring to the judicial decision which awarded the 1987 title to a representative of the 2nd division,” wrote one of the masters of Brazilian journalism.
For the editorialist, “the 1987 title, defying the sporting authorities, was given by a brutal STF minister” to Sports. In short, an unfair decision.
Red-black like Ruy, I would love to agree with him. But Ruy is wrong. Just remember the main episodes of the confusing dispute of that year.
The imbroglio began with the announcement of the president of the CBF at the time, Octávio Pinto Guimarães, that he would not organize the Brazilian Championship, due to lack of money. From then on, the most popular teams in the country decided to come together in a group, Clube dos 13, of which Flamengo was a part. They set up a competition with 16 teams, called the Copa União.
But soon the CBF reversed course and decided to intervene in the championship. In a meeting between the confederation and Clube dos 13, it was decided that the Copa União would be renamed the Green Module and the other teams would compete in the Yellow Module. Thus, two competitions took place in parallel.
As agreed and documented, the two best teams of the Greens, Flamengo and Internacional, should play against Sport and Guarani, leaders of the Yellows. From this final confrontation the Brazilian champion would emerge.
However, the teams from Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre refused to play these finals with the winners of the Yellows. With an unforgettable group (Zico, Bebeto, Renato Gaúcho, Andrade and co.), Flamengo was the best team of 1987, but did not follow the match schedule to the end. The title went to the Recife club.
As detailed by journalists André Gallindo and Cassio Zirpoli in the book “1987 – De Fato, de Direito e de Cabeça” (ed. Cepe), a legal duel began that year and lasted more than three decades, generally with victories for Sport.
In July 2024, a third extraordinary appeal reaches the STF. The following month, Minister Flávio Dino rejected the complaint, reaffirming the Pernambuco club’s title.
Waiting like this, forgetting that you did not respect what was agreed, does not correspond to the 130 years of history of Flamengo.
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