Market vision or “already won”? Before the Libertadores final, “Flamingo quadruple champions” banners are being sold on the streets of Rio

Only after eight o’clock in the evening will it be possible to find out who will be the first Brazilian team to win eternal glory for the fourth time. But this week the streets of Rio de Janeiro were already full of merchants selling signs reading “Flamengo, four-time Libertadores champions.” The red and black team will compete for the continental title with Palmeiras tomorrow, at the Monumental de Lima Stadium in Peru. If there are Rio fans singing victory before the match, there are street vendors who take advantage of this to make money.

– We have to maintain confidence in Palmeiras. We are slaughtering them this year – said Jefferson Oliveira, when buying a souvenir banner from popular stores in central Rio, which highlights Flamengo as the champion.

Al-Askari believes that the club is the most likely candidate in the Libertadores decision, and therefore decided to take the risk without fear. Despite his belief in the continental title, Jefferson decided to wait for the Red and Black team’s match against Ceara to guarantee another piece indicating the club as champion of Brazil, but he stated that if the team lifted the cup, he would return to make the purchase once victory was achieved.

According to Bola de Cristal, a tool developed by GLOBO in partnership with UFMG, the red and black have a 95% chance of winning the Brazilian Cup, and the only ones who can still win that trophy are Rio, Palmeiras and Cruzeiro, respectively, with a 2.9% and 1.3% chance of lifting the trophy.

The banners are sold, above all, by street traders who actually sell sporting goods - Photo: Amanda Rosa — The banners are sold, above all, by street traders who actually sell sporting goods – Photo: Amanda Rosa

Vendor Antonio Gomez, who sells sporting goods on the streets of the center, is taking a bigger risk than Oliveira assumed. Weeks ago, he placed an order for 400 pieces of music from the “Flamingo Champion Quartet of the Libertadores”, which the dealer has sold since Thursday (27) – and other stores in the surrounding area have been selling such items since last week. The parts are purchased from the manufacturer at a cost of R$7.00 each, and the unit is resold to fans for R$20.00, with Gomez actually making a profit.

– There was a lot that happened yesterday. We will sell more that day. God willing, I intend to sell almost everything – reported the seller, who also said that if Flamengo beats Palmeiras, he will order another 2,000 songs to be sold next week.

Sales of festive Flamengo banners also invaded newsstands in the days leading up to the Libertadores’ decision. Journalist Andre Rangel believes that if the club is in a major final like this, it is already worth the investment, because the demand from fans in the lead-up is certain. Although he is positive about sales, he recognizes the risk of not seeing a return if the team loses.

Banners naming Flamengo as champions of the Brazilian are also being sold - Photo: Amanda Rosa — Banners naming Flamengo as champions of the Brazilian are also being sold – Photo: Amanda Rosa

– It is the risk of trading. “We are using this opportunity to try to win something and hope the team becomes champion, so as not to lose the money invested,” the newsboy said. In 2021, for example, when the Red and Black lost the Americas Cup to Alverde, traders suffered losses. Antonio said he had to get rid of the banners indicating that Flamengo had won that year, while Andre said that despite this, there was a positive balance in that harvest.