One Sunday afternoon, at the end of 1966, I went to watch my first football match at Maracanã. For members of the home club, there was the possibility of occupying the blue chairs, which were located under the stands. Despite enjoying a little more comfort than the concrete steps, visibility was not good, especially in relation to what was happening on the opposite side of the lawn. The heat of the crowd, the shredded papers and the collective cry for a goal were missing. A few years later, as a regular visitor to the stands, I never returned to that “privileged place”.
On the field, two teams with different uniforms: one of them, Botafogo, with black and white shirts with vertical stripes, black shorts and gray socks; the other, my crush at first sight since that game, wore a red shirt, shorts and white socks. It was America (without accent, as the original name was inspired by English) Football Club, a traditional sports association in Rio de Janeiro, which turns 119 years old on September 18th.
Even though my father warned that supporting America was painful, that Sunday afternoon the team with Ari in goal, Alemão in defense, Edu and Eduardo in attack, starting remarkable careers, won 3 x 0. It was decided, the color of the pavilion it was the color of my heart.
Despite the difficult situation in which he finds himself, outside the Brazilian championship and in the second division of the Campeonato Carioca, he has accumulated seven championship titles, a trajectory of discipline, including Belfort Duarte, the defender who named the award for players who remained ten years without being sent off. It was Belfort Duarte who was responsible for the inclusion of black athletes in the main team and was part of the team responsible for the first Rio title, in 1913.
After leaving their stadium on Rua Campos Sales, America did not win a Rio championship again. The title of first champion of the State of Guanabara, won over Fluminense in 1960, was the last state achievement.
From the vicinity of Praça Afonso Pena, the club moved to modest facilities at the Wolney Braune Stadium, former president, with around 5,000 seats, on Rua Barão de São Francisco, in Andaraí, where it remained between 1967 and 1993, being negotiated for the construction of a shopping center on the site.
In January 2000, America opened its new stadium, outside the city of Rio de Janeiro, in the municipality of Mesquita. The headquarters remained on Rua Campos Sales, housed in a new and modern project.
The Giulite Coutinho Stadium has a capacity for around 15,000 fans, with the possibility of expanding up to 32,000 seats. It has a modern design, excellent lighting and a distribution of flow between the crowds that favors the flow of the public without crossing.
The many difficulties the association is going through resulted in the loss of its headquarters, with its consequent demolition and the promise of building a shopping center on the site, added to new social facilities.
The stadium in Mesquita suffered damage from storms and windstorms, when the roof of the social sector was ripped off by the force of the wind, which also damaged the lighting towers.
But the American fans are always like that, starting with me. We still clearly remember the 1974 Guanabara Cup title over the magnificent Fluminense team. Our red team had players like Luizinho, Edu, the remarkable and disciplined defender Alex, an entire memorable group. In 1982, with a more modest team, they managed to become Champion of Champions, in a tournament that included the main Brazilian clubs.
Another anniversary of America Football Clube. The color of the pavilion is the color of our hearts. Congratulations, America! Always to the victory!
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2023-09-13 21:44:24
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