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Sport Club Internacional (), commonly known as Internacional, Inter de Porto Alegre or simply Inter, is a Brazilian professional football club based in Porto Alegre. They play in the Série A, the first division of the Brazilian league, as well as in Campeonato Gaúcho Série A, the first level of the Rio Grande do Sul state football league. The team's home stadium, known as Estádio Beira-Rio ("Riverside"), was one of the twelve 2014 FIFA World Cup venues and has a capacity of 50,128.
The club was founded in 1909 by the Poppe brothers, with the clear goal of being a democratic institution without prejudice. Its colors are red and white and its fans are known as Colorados. It is one of the most successful clubs in Brazil and the Americas, being the third club with the most international titles in Brazil, with seven trophies. Its historical rival is Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense, with whom it contests the Grenal, one of the biggest derbies in world football.
Internacional is part of a large membership-based sports club with more than 140,000 associates. 2006 was the most successful year in Inter's history as they won the Copa Libertadores and the FIFA Club World Cup for the first time, defeating European champions Barcelona in the latter and Club World Cup reigning champions São Paulo in the former. Inter once again won the continental title in 2010.
Other major honours include the 1975, 1976, and 1979 Brazilian league titles, the latter being the only time a club has won the title undefeated, the 2007 and the 2011 Recopa Sudamericana, the 1992 Copa do Brasil, and the 2008 Copa Sudamericana.
History
Foundation and early years (1910s)
The Club's foundation can be attributed directly to three brothers: Henrique Poppe Leão, José Eduardo Poppe, and Luiz Madeira Poppe. They arrived in Porto Alegre from São Paulo around 1908, a period marked by the rising popularity of football across Brazil.
The younger siblings, José and Luiz, had the desire to play football, a sport they learned to practice in São Paulo. Henrique, the older and influential brother, then orchestrated the creation of a new club.
thumb|left|160px|Henrique Poppe, founder of the club.
The genesis of Sport Club Internacional is linked to the combination of diverse nationalities. In contrast to the other teams in Porto Alegre at the time, which primarily catered to descendants of Germans, Inter emerged as inclusive to various ethnic backgrounds. and Charuto, an often drunk supporter who Luis Fernando Verissimo defined as "a Colorado in pure state", became symbolic fans who are still remembered today. The team of the time is often referred to as the "Rolo Compressor", Portuguese for "Steamroller", an expression coined by Rao for a team that had sustained success in Gaúcho football. The extremely offensive side played from 1939 to 1948 and won eight Rio Grande do Sul championships, and also achieved the first instance of a team winning the state championship six times in a row in Rio Grande do Sul.
On the pitch, Inter kept having success. The 1950s were marked by a squad of great players like Paulinho, Florindo, Oréco, Chinesinho, Odorico, Salvador, Jerônimo, Luizinho and Canhotinho, all led by the manager Teté
The Beira-Rio was largely built with the contribution of the fans, who brought bricks, cement, and iron for the construction, including from the countryside. In this regard, there were special radio programs to mobilize Internacional supporters throughout Rio Grande do Sul, but the 1960s were a challenging period for Inter in football, the Beira-Rio seemed like it would never be completed. Tired of the team's defeats at the nearby Eucaliptos Stadium, fans would go out to see the construction of the new stadium and to cheer for the construction workers.
Inter achieved great results in the first national championships it competed in at Beira-Rio, finishing in fifth place in the 1969, 1970 and 1971 tournaments, which were decided in quadrangular rounds. Gradually, names like Valdomiro, Claudiomiro, Carpegiani, Hermínio, Pontes, Cláudio Duarte, Tovar, and Carbone were taking on the leading roles of the red team. Leading the red dugout at the turn of the decade was the manager Daltro Menezes.
Changes and progress started in 1972. Now under the command of a new coach, Dino Sani, Inter received the reinforcement of Chilean center-back Figueroa, who would soon become an idol of the colorados. The year also brought a third place at the Brasileirão, achieved in a historic campaign that took the club to the semifinals against Palmeiras. A draw in 1-1, however, took the team from São Paulo to the finals. That year, the club also signed goalkeeper Manga from Nacional, and left winger Lula from Fluminense. With the signing of Lula for the left wing, which happened almost simultaneously with Minelli's arrival, Inter began to show greater balance on the sides of the field. Already beloved by the red crowd, Valdomiro, who participated in 1974 FIFA World Cup, ruled the right flank, but lacked a companion with football skills matching his own on the other side. In midfield, Paulo Roberto Falcão was already established as a starter. The main highlight in the central region, however, was Paulo César Carpegiani. One of Brazil's key players on the World Cup that year, the number 10 was idolized by the fans. To the duo of Paulos, Escurinho was added, thus completing Minelli's trio of midfielders. In the Brasileirão, two draws and one defeat in the final quadrangular resulted in another fourth place. However, this time, the team ended the season with greater authority than seen in the past. United, the group was ready to conquer Brazil.
The mobilization for the final was impressive. Even though the match was scheduled for Sunday, 14 December, hotel rooms in Porto Alegre had been fully booked since Friday. Even earlier, on Thursday, tickets for the Inter fans had been sold out. The Beira-Rio, massive as it was, seemed small compared to the passion of the fans, who came from all corners to the Rio Grande do Sul capital. Everyone wanted to be part of the decision - the people from the stands and the athletes field. Inter was aware of the quality of Cruzeiro, a traditional team already crowned as Brazilian champions in 1966, and boasting an abundance of star players in its lineup. Piazza led other stars such as Raul, Nelinho, Zé Carlos, Joãozinho, and Palhinha, all of whom were national team players. For this reason as well, that made the match be played at a reduced pace, characterized by constant analysis from both sides on the first half. Inter was the first club from Rio Grande do Sul to win the Brazilian Championship, which was largely dominated by teams from São Paulo, winners of 12 of the 18 national titles contested until then, whether in the current format or the previous Taça Brasil and Torneio Roberto Gomes Pedrosa. In total, there were 29 games, 58 points earned, 18 victories, eight draws, and only three defeats, Inter also scored more goals than any other team and conceded the fewest goals, Flavio was also the top scorer of the competition. With an even better team than the previous year, Internacional was once again sovereign in the first phase of the 1976 Brazilian Championship, with 7 wins and 1 loss in 8 games, scoring impressive 25 goals and securing the top position. The campaign in 1976 was remarkable: in 23 matches for the Brazilian Championship, the team won 19, drew one and lost just three.
The 1975 and 1976 titles gave Inter the chance to participate on the Copa Libertadores for the first couple of times. The national success wasn't repeated on the continental level, however. In 1976, the defending national champion and its runner-up represented Brazil in the Copa Libertadores de América. At that time, Inter and Cruzeiro were placed in a group with Paraguay's Olimpia and Sportivo Luqueño. They led the competition with some ease. However, in a contest where only one team could advance, the stars of Minas Gerais shone brightly. And one game, in particular, became immortalized. Cruzeiro 5, Internacional 4. Arguably the two best teams in Brazil, the teams from Rio Grande do Sul and Minas Gerais engaged in a decisive and spectacular clash. The following year, in 1977, Inter managed to advance past the group stage, defeating Corinthians and the Ecuadorian teams El Nacional and Deportivo Cuenca. However, once again, they succumbed to Cruzeiro in the next phase, losing at home in another closely contested match, 1-0. After three group stages, the semifinals were reached, in which Internacional eliminated Palmeiras, while Vasco da Gama left Coritiba behind. In the finalw, Internacional won 2-0 the first leg against Vasco in Rio de Janeiro. Excited by the advantage obtained in the first match and euphoric due to the great campaign, Inter fans filled the Beira-Rio for the second leg. Up to that point, in the 22 matches played in the championship, Inter had amassed 15 victories and seven draws, scoring 38 goals and conceding only 12. Therefore, more than just the title, the supporters in red and white desired the laurels of an undefeated conquest. With all players available, Ênio chose his ideal starting eleven. In goal was Benítez. João Carlos, Mauro Galvão, Mauro Pastor, and Cláudio Mineiro formed the defense, while Falcão, Batista, and Jair were the chosen midfielders. Finally, the attack consisted of Valdomiro, Bira, and Mário Sérgio. The team was superior and won 2-1, Bira scored the first and Falcão scored the final goal of the victorious campaign, sealing Internacional's third Brazilian championship on 23 December 1979. Internacional was a champion undefeated, a deed yet unmatched by any other club in Brazil.
Despite losing what was, at that point, Internacional's most important match ever, the team went on to win the Campeonato Gaúcho four years in a row starting in 1981. The success of rivals Grêmio, however, winning the Brazilian Championship of 1981 and the 1983 Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup, alongside Inter's defeats at important finals made this decade a bittersweet one for the Colorado team. While the previous decade was full of laurels and glories, the 1980s didn't taste quite the same. Despite assembling talented teams and achieving good performances, Inter fell short in the most important competitions.
thumb|Nílson scored for Internacional in the Grenal of the Century
In the late 1980s Inter got close to winning the Brazilian Championship once more, reaching two consecutive finals. In 1987, Inter started off well after finishing the first phase in first place of their group with four wins, two ties, and two defeats. In the semi-finals, the squad overcame Cruzeiro after a 0–1 victory at the Mineirão. However, in the finals Inter lost the chance at a fourth title after being defeated by Flamengo, containing famous players as Zico, Bebeto, Jorginho, Leandro, Edinho, Leonardo, Andrade, Zinho and Renato Gaúcho.
In 1988, Inter once again reached a final, after finishing second in their group in the first phase. On the semi-finals, however, the Colorado faced a battle against arch-rivals Grêmio in what was called "The Grenal of the Century", so named because for the first time it pitted the bitter rivals against each other in a national competition knockout stage. The 1988 semifinal, decided only in February 1989, determined the finalist for the championship and also granted a spot in the Copa Libertadores. The exaggerated nickname was more than justified at the end of the match: the duel transcended the competition itself and became one of the most emblematic events in Inter's history. The red side ended the first half down 1–0 and with just ten players on the pitch after Grêmio dominated the first 45 minutes. In the second half, pushed by a large crowd at Beira-Rio, the Colorados came from behind to defeat Grêmio 2–1 with two goals scored by striker Nílson.
A few days later, Inter would lose the title to the surprising team of Bahia, showing that in the 1980s, even in the most successful moments, it was impossible to be completely happy. The Grenal of the Century was more than a game, it was a catharsis that transcended causes and consequences.
thumb|Internacional lost the semi-finals to Olimpia in the 1989 Libertadores.
In the 1989 Copa Libertadores, nine years after the 1980 final, Internacional got close to the Libertadores title once more. After a poor star on the competition; the team managed to progress to the Round of 16 but only after finishing third in their group, winning only two matches, drawing once and losing three. However, that would change in the knockout stages as Inter defeated five-times winners Peñarol 1–2 in Montevideo and 6–2 in Porto Alegre. The quarter-finals saw the team face off against Brazilian champions Bahia in a rematch of the Brasileirão finals of a few months earlier; this time, Internacional beat Bahia 1–0 at home and ground out a 0–0 draw to progress. The semifinals had Internacional face off against a tough opponent: Olimpia, who were the reigning champions of Paraguay. Olimpia, were blossoming in their second golden era with players such as Ever Almeida, Gabriel González, Adriano Samaniego, and star Raúl Vicente Amarilla, all coached by Luis Cubilla. After winning the first semifinal match at Defensores del Chaco 1-0, the team led by Abel Braga played for a draw at home to secure a spot in the final. Excited, 69,928 Inter fans packed the Beira-Rio, some of them already waving banners saying 'Inter, champions of America.' Little did they know that the dream would turn into a nightmare. Olimpia managed a spirited comeback and won the return leg 2–3 silencing the Beira-Rio. Inter even had a penalty kick in their favor, which was failed to convert into goal. Since the aggregate was tied at 3–3, a penalty shootout ensued to decide the finalist, and Olimpia won 3–5, eliminating the Colorados. This elimination has been dubbed as the worst trauma lived by the supporters at the Beira-Rio stadium.
thumb|Taffarel playing for Internacional in the 1980s
Even though the 1980s were not successful for the club, the decade marked the emergence of some players who became major stars in Brazilian football, such as midfielder Dunga and goalkeeper Taffarel, world champions in 1994 with the Brazilian national team, as well as talents like Luís Carlos Winck, Aloísio and Pinga. On 10 November, in a packed Beira-Rio and with a header by Dunga, at 36 minutes into the second half, Internacional defeated Palmeiras 1-0 and avoided relegation to the second division of the Brazilian Championship for the first time. The stadium lights were turned off at 46 minutes into the second half, moments after Inter's coach, Leão, was sent off. After a few minutes of interruption, the light returned, and the game could be concluded and Inter remained in the first division.
Renaissance and international success (2000–2015)
After the long and disappointing 1990s, Inter would still have to face some challenges in the early 2000s decade before the tide started to change. After escaping relegation in 1999, in 2002 Internacional almost faced relegation once again. In the last match of the season, to avoid dropping to the second national division, Internacional didn't rely solely on themselves. The team needed Palmeiras to lose to Vitória in Salvador, and for Portuguesa not to win against Bahia in Canindé. Indeed, the parallel results unfolded. The biggest challenge would be defeating Paysandu in Belém, which in that same year had won the Copa dos Campeões against Cruzeiro. Therefore, it wasn't impossible to envision a loss at the Mangueirão. The intense heat in Belém prevented a faster pace in the first half, but Internacional returned for the second part and secured a 2–0 victory, with goals from Mahicon Librelato and Fernando Baiano. That year would also mark a tragedy for Librelato, who scored on that match. Just eleven days after helping saving Inter from relegation,
in the early hours of 28 November, a car accident on Beira-Mar Avenue in Florianópolis resulted in the death of the 21-year-old promising young forward. The car he was driving lost control on a curve near the Hercílio Luz Bridge and plunged into the sea. For years the player was remembered on a banner with the words "Librelato lives 7" at Beira-Rio.
It seemed liked another decade of difficult times was coming, but under the leadership of a new president, Inter was finding its way back to the top. Fernando Carvalho has a lot to do with the successful comeback of the club. Recognized even by political adversaries as an executive who understands football, the sports official first ran for the presidency of Internacional in 1999 but was defeated. He won in 2001, faced a difficult year in 2002, but started a transformation process in 2003 that led the club to the top of the world. Carvalho and his team took various measures to reform the club. These included implementing long-term contracts, particularly extending up to five years for young players, as well as adopting performance-based contracts. Additionally, they implemented a strategic plan aimed at boosting the number of club members and made substantial investments in the youth academy. Upon assuming the role, the club had a mere 7,000 associates. However, by the time they left the presidency, membership had soared to 45,000.
Internacional and LDU Quito in the 2006 Copa Libertadores quarter-final at Beira-Rio.|thumb|220px
Under the leadership of the chairman, Inter entered the new millennium seeking renewal from their youth teams. The club won four state titles in a row, from 2002 to 2005. The club modernized all its departments and prepared for a new football era. The South American Cup meant a return to the world stage and prepared the team for contesting the Copa Libertadores title. The campaign included eight wins, six draws, and just one defeat, to Ecuador's LDU Quito in the quarter-finals. To win the title, Internacional had to move past two clubs that had won the tournament three times – Uruguay's Nacional and São Paulo, who were the defending champions.
Against São Paulo, Internacional arguably won the title away in the first leg. In front of 80,000 são-paulinos attending the match at the Morumbi stadium, Rafael Sóbis scored twice in the second half before defender Edcarlos scored for São Paulo. Internacional needed just a draw in the second leg at home, and they left the pitch as South American champions for the first time. Striker Fernandão, who, along with Tinga, scored in the final match at the Beira-Rio stadium, was one of the 14 players finishing as top scorer of the Libertadores, with five goals. He was voted Man of the Match against São Paulo and won a Toyota Corolla as the prize. Fernandão put the car up for auction and gave the money to charity organizations.
Internacional competed in the 2006 FIFA Club World Cup and shocked the heavily favored European champions Barcelona with such stars as Ronaldinho and Deco 0–1000 in the final for their first ever World Championship. They would also win the 2007 Recopa Sudamericana. Amidst all the defeated in 2006, International had a bad start to the 2007 season. But to close this winning cycle with a triumph, Inter won the Recopa Sudamericana as they defeated Mexican club Pachuca with a final score of 5–2. In the first game in Mexico, the team had a good performance but was defeated 2–1. Alexandre Pato opened the scoring. In the second match, supported by over 51,000 fans crammed into Beira-Rio, Inter beat the opponent by a score of 4–0 – the biggest win of the competition's history.
After the Recopa triumph, Internacional struggled to refill the ranks left after the triumphant generation of 2006; the club finished in 11th place in the Série A, which was barely enough to allow Internacional to participate in the 2008 Copa Sudamericana. In 2008, Internacional won their state championship and participated in a friendly tournament called Dubai Cup 2008. In the same year, Internacional won the Copa Sudamericana, beating Argentine side Estudiantes de La Plata, becoming the first Brazilian winners of the trophy. Internacional repeated the Copa Sudamericana title; finished in a much-improved 6th place in the national league; retained their state title; reached the finals of the Copa do Brasil (the best finish the club has had since 1999); and won the Suruga Bank tournament. On 2 April 2009, Inter launched its third uniform celebrating its centenary, with a golden shirt, red shorts and red socks. The golden shirt represented the glories won in their history. In August 2009, English club Tottenham Hotspur announced that a partnership was completed between the two clubs. The team performed extremely well on the 2009 Brazilian Championship, finishing as runners-up to Flamengo by 2 points. With this 2nd place, Internacional qualified to participate, once again, in the 2010 Copa Libertadores.
thumbnail|Internacional line-up for [[2015 Copa Libertadores|Copa Libertadores game against Emelec on 18 March 2015.]]
Beira-Rio during the renovation works in 2012.|thumb|220px
Internacional was the top-seed of Group 5, which also contained Ecuador side Deportivo Quito and Emelec, as well as Cerro from Uruguay. In the 2010 season, Internacional finished first in their group, winning their three home matches and tying their away games, no least thanks to figures such as Kléber, Alecsandro, Giuliano and Argentine midfielder Andrés D'Alessandro. This saw the Colorados face off against Argentine champions Banfield; the series finished in a tight 3–3 scoreline, with Kléber's away goal in Banfield enough to send them through to the quarterfinals. In that stage, Internacional faced reigning champions Estudiantes, in a rematch of the 2008 Copa Sudamericana Finals. Despite dominating most of the first leg played in Porto Alegre, Internacional only managed a 1–0 win. In Argentina, Estudiantes were winning 2–0 until the 88th minute, when Giuliano, Internacional's star goalscorer, put the ball in the net to give Inter a much needed goal and see them through to the semifinals to meet São Paulo, in a rematch of the finals four years earlier. Again, Internacional only managed a 1–0 win at home despite dominating the game, and in São Paulo Alecsandro scored the decisive, away goal that saw Inter go through to their third final ever of the competition. Internacional won their second Copa Libertadores title after they defeated Guadalajara 1–2 in the first leg and 3–2 in the second leg to clinch a 5–3 aggregate win.
This victory gave Internacional the right to compete once again in the 2010 FIFA Club World Cup, with the goal of repeating the 2006 feat and becoming one of the very few Brazilian soccer clubs to have won the Club World Cup twice. However, they were eliminated in the semi-final by Congolese side TP Mazembe, the African champions, in a 0–2 upset that completely stunned Brazilian soccer specialists and fans, and also most international soccer observers.
Renovated [[Beira-Rio Stadium, home of Sport Club Internacional.|thumb|220px]]
Starting with minor works in 2011, the Beira-Rio stadium went through a complete renovation to receive matches of 2014 FIFA World Cup. The project named 'Giant Forever' went on full force in March 2012 when Inter partnership with Andrade Gutierrez took off, and lasted about two years. During this period, the home of the Colorados was adapted to the international football requirements and standards stipulated by FIFA, while maintaining the same structure and soul. The reopening was marked by a historic celebration show, along with a friendly match against Peñarol, who also participated in the inauguration tournament of the Stadium in 1969. Just like the Eucaliptos stadium in 1950, the home of Inter once again became a venue for a World Cup. International stars like Messi, Toni Kroos, Robben, and Benzema shone on the field during the five matches played there.
That led to the club's first relegation in its history, only ten years after winning the 2006 FIFA Club World Cup over a historical FC Barcelona team. Despite this setback, the club would eventually be promoted after finishing second in 2017 Campeonato Brasileiro Série B.
Beira-Rio
Beira-Rio's hosted most of Internacional's titles|thumb|220px
Internacional plays its home games on its own stadium Beira-Rio. The stadium was built in the 1960s largely with the contribution of the fans, who brought bricks, cement, and iron for the construction and was inaugurated in April 1969. The stadium was completely closed for renovations for the World Cup starting in December 2012. During this period, Inter had to make do with temporary homes, such as Estádio do Vale in Novo Hamburgo and Estádio Centenário in Caxias do Sul.
The stadium reinauguration took place in April 2014. Beira-Rio is now the second biggest stadium in the Rio Grande do Sul state and also South Brazil and can currently accommodate a total of 50,848 people. Additionally, a standing area introduced in early 2019 can now hold up 5,000 supporters.
The stadium hosted the last match in the finals of most of Inter's most important titles including the national titles of 1975,1976 and 1979, the 1992 Copa do Brasil, the 2006 and 2010 Copa Libertadores and 2008 Copa Sudamericana.
Symbols
Crests
The first crest of Sport Club Internacional was designed with the initials SCI in red over a white background, without the red contour that appeared shortly afterward. In the Fifties, the colors were inverted, the initials written in white over a red background. Stars were added to crest after the 1975 and 1976 national titles, a third star accompanied by a silver laurel was placed above the symbol after the 1979 undefeated national title, the laurel would later be removed in the 1980s. A fourth star was added after the 1992 Copa do Brasil title.
After the club won the Copa Libertadores, the emblem gained another star which was 50% bigger was placed above the other four. However, Inter won the FIFA Club World Cup that same year, and the star symbolizing the Copa Libertadores title was moved down between the four stars representing the club's national honors, and a new diamond star was placed above it to commemorate the world crown. In 2007, after winning the Recopa Sudamericana, a crown was added to the crest to represent the clubs three international titles in a row, silver laurels were also added representing the Brasileirão titles as placed below the crest. This version of the crest was short lived, though, as in 2009, a circle with the name and year of foundation of the club were added around the traditional crest and the crown, laurels and stars were all removed for the club's centenary.
<gallery>
File:Sport Club Internacional 1909 Crest.svg|First crest, adopted at foundation.
File:Sport Club Internacional logo (1909-1957).svg|Added circle, adopted in the 1910s
File:Sport Club Internacional logo (1957-1977).svg|Colors were inverted in the late 1950s
File:Sport_Club_Internacional_1977_Crest.svg|Crest used to celebrate the second national title in 1976.
File:Sport_Club_Internacional_1980_Crest.svg|Crest used to celebrate the third national title in 1979, won undefeated.
File:Sport Club Internacional logo (1983-1992).svg|Updated crest adopted in the 1980s.
File:Sport Club Internacional logo (1993-2006).svg|Crest used to celebrate the Copa do Brasil title in 1992.
File:Sport Club Internacional logo (2006).svg|Crest used to celebrate the 2006 Libertadores title.
File:Sport Club Internacional logo (2007-2009).svg|Crest used to celebrate the 2006 FIFA Club World Cup title.
File:Sport_Club_Internacional_2008.svg|Crest used to celebrate the international titles of 2006 and 2007.
File:Sport Club Internacional logo.svg|Current crest, created for the club's centenary in 2009.
</gallery>
Flag
Internacional flag at Beira-Rio.|thumb|160px
The flag of Sport Club Internacional consists of two right-angled triangles with the official colors red and white, with the red triangle having its base on the flagpole. In the upper corner, next to the flagpole, there is the club's crest and the founding year. At the Beira-Rio stadium, fans can behold a 110 square meters flag on a mast of 55 meters in height.
Saci
Initially, in the 1950s, the newspapers of the time created the figure of a little black boy wearing the Colorado jersey to represent Internacional and its popular and black fanbase in cartoons. The character later evolved to be a Saci, which was popularized by a drawing by Ziraldo. Like the black boy from the original cartoons, the main characteristic of Saci is mischief; he is very playful, enjoys teasing animals and people. He was adopted by Internacional as the club's mascot precisely because of these traits of "playing pranks on its opponents".
Anthem
Nélson Silva was a carioca from Rio de Janeiro, a composer from the slums, who lived in Porto Alegre. The musician first visited Rio Grande do Sul to perform with his musical group, Águias da Noite in the early 1940s. After the show, though, he never left. He became a radio host, with shows on TV Piratini and Farroupilha Radio, in addition to continuing to sing and play in nightclubs, but most importantly, he became an Internacional fan.
In 1956, Silva was listening to a match between Inter and Aimoré on the radio, a friendly held in São Leopoldo. He was distraught upon learning that his favorite team had lost 3-1.
The anthem stayed in a drawer at Farroupilha radio station for a long time, according to Turiassu Silva, Nelson's son. He showed it to some colleagues, the words spread, and eventually, it became popular among the fans. In 1966, the club launched a contest for the creation of an anthem.