Soccer

DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS? ROMÁRIO’S LAST GAME WITH THE FLAMENGO MANTO WAS IN CAXIAS DO SUL

In 1999, the star experienced the last act of his history at Mais Querido when he participated in a party with girls after defeat to Juventude

26 Jun 2024 | 08:14 |

This Wednesday (26) Flamengo returns to Caxias do Sul, in Rio Grande do Sul, to face Juventude in the Brasileirão. This confrontation doesn't happen that often in the history of the two teams and it's worth remembering one of them, 25 years ago.

It was in Caxias do Sul that the relationship between Romário and Flamengo came to an end. Younger people may not know, but Baixinho was fired from Rubro-Negro in November 1999, after a 3-1 defeat to Juventude, in the Brasileirão, followed by a visit to the famous Festa da Uva and partying in concentration. The incident marked the troubled end of his time at the Rio club.

Romário arrived at Flamengo in 1995, as the main attraction of the club's centenary. Voted best player in the world and responsible for Brazil's fourth world championship in 1994, Baixinho had the world at his feet and decided to don the Sacred Mantle and return to his beloved Rio de Janeiro. In total, there were 241 games and 204 goals scored. On the field, Shirt 11 did his job. And outside of that, he was the protagonist of a series of confusions.

Romário had three spells at Flamengo (1995/96 – 1997 – 1998/99). In the last one, he arrived from Valencia in January 1998 and stayed until the infamous game with Juventude, on November 10, 1999, for the Brasileirão. The biggest star of that generation and hero of the four, Baixinho didn't like to give satisfaction to anyone. And he rarely did. His attitude has always been one of independence and self-confidence, characteristics that both helped and harmed him.

After the 3-1 defeat at Alfredo Jaconi, in which he scored the red-black goal, Romário decided that he would visit the Grape Festival. He took with him full-backs Maurinho and Fábio Baiano and striker Leandro Machado. According to Maurinho's report, in 2023, everyone was free to leave, but some did not respect the time to return. The nighttime getaway ended up becoming one of the most controversial moments in Romário's career.

According to the former Flamengo full-back, the visit to the Festa da Uva did not yield any results. nothing more than a few hugs, smiles and posing for photos. Maurinho assured that nothing much happened that night, but other reports show that it was not quite like that. An article in IstoÉ magazine, on November 24, 1999, revealed that the case was much more serious. The reports at the time showed a scene of parties and excesses that went against the club's rules.

Upon returning to the Reynolds Hotel, the real party began. According to the IstoÉ report, six girls from the nightclubs Madrigal, in Porto Alegre, and Cassino, in Caxias do Sul, were taken to a “private event”. Around ten players from the squad participated in the party. In times before cell phones and social networks, the scandal exploded on the pages of newspapers and on television programs. The repercussion was immediate and negative, affecting the image of everyone involved.

Romário, as expected, did not deny that he participated in the party. Away from the group that stayed in Rio Grande do Sul to play a selective Copa Libertadores tournament, Baixinho arrived in Rio saying that he had left and that he would continue leaving. President Edmundo Santos Silva confirmed the decision to send the star away, unless Romário apologized, which he did not happen. Camisa 11 ended up signing with Vasco, where he stayed until 2002.

From the episode in Caxias do Sul, there was the famous photo with the Queen of the Grape Festival, Fabiana Koch, from Caxias, who graduated as a dentist and was at the center of a request for impeachment by the mayor of Caxias, Flávio Cassina, in 2020. Romário's dismissal from Flamengo marked the end of an era at the club and highlighted the complexities of managing a player with a strong personality and undeniable talent.

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Mengão está muito próximo de conquistar seu nono título da competição e pode fazê-lo com uma campanha irretocável em ambos os turnos

Flamengo tem chances de ser o time de melhor campanha nos dois turnos do Brasileirão - Foto: Gilvan de Souza/Flamengo

25 Nov 2025 | 15:15 |

Às vésperas de poder conquistar o título brasileiro nesta terça-feira (25), o Flamengo também mira outro feito relevante na Série A: terminar a competição como o melhor time tanto do primeiro quanto do segundo turno. O Rubro-Negro enfrenta o Atlético-MG na Arena MRV, em Belo Horizonte, pela 36ª rodada, em clima de possível consagração.

Na briga direta pelo troféu, o Flamengo depende de um tropeço do Palmeiras e de uma vitória em BH para confirmar a conquista antecipada. E, paralelamente, está muito próximo de assegurar a liderança do returno. Até aqui, em 16 partidas na segunda metade do Brasileirão, são nove vitórias, quatro empates e três derrotas.

PRIMEIRO TURNO DE ALMANAQUE

No primeiro turno, o desempenho foi ainda mais dominante. Em 19 rodadas, o time somou 13 vitórias, quatro empates e apenas duas derrotas, com 38 gols marcados e somente nove sofridos, números que consolidaram o Rubro-Negro como equipe a ser batida. Apesar de uma leve oscilação nas últimas semanas, a campanha do Mais Querido segue robusta. A equipe lidera o campeonato com 74 pontos, quatro à frente do vice-líder Palmeiras.

PALMEIRAS, CRUZEIRO E MIRASSOL NA DISPUTA

Ao longo da competição, Palmeiras e Cruzeiro permaneceram próximos do Flamengo, mantendo a disputa intensa no alto da tabela. Agora, a luta paralela é pelo título, mesmo que simbólico, de melhor time do returno.

Quatro equipes somam os mesmos 31 pontos na segunda metade do Brasileirão: Flamengo, Palmeiras, Cruzeiro e Mirassol. O Rubro-Negro aparece na liderança pelo saldo de gols (21). Com três rodadas restantes, a disputa estatística promete emoção paralela ao caminho rumo ao título brasileiro e o Mengão segue no controle dos dois objetivos.

VEJA A SEQUÊNCIA DE CADA EQUIPE

FLAMENGO

Atlético-MG – fora – 36ª rodada
Ceará – casa – 37ª rodada
Mirassol – fora – 38ª rodada

PALMEIRAS

Grêmio – fora – 36ª rodada
Atlético-MG – fora – 37ª rodada
Ceará – fora – 38ª rodada

MIRASSOL

Vitória – fora – 36ª rodada
Vasco – fora – 37ª rodada
Flamengo – fora – 38ª rodada

CRUZEIRO

Ceará – fora – 36ª rodada
Botafogo – casa – 37ª rodada
Santos – casa – 38ª rodada

DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS? ROMÁRIO’S LAST GAME WITH THE FLAMENGO MANTO WAS IN CAXIAS DO SUL