Why is Flamengo’s mascot a vulture? Discover how the story began | OneFootball

The Vulture Became the Mascot of Flamengo Starting from the 1969 Season

Many fans of Flamengo are curious to know why the mascot of the Most Beloved team is a vulture. Therefore, Coluna do Fla brings all the details for the red-black fans to be inside the history of the Gávea Club.

In What Year Did the Vulture Become the Mascot of Flamengo?

Everything started in the 1969 season. At the time, most of the fans of Flamengo were low-income, black people from the outskirts. For this reason, the rivals used this social aspect to insult the Most Beloved fans.

One of the most used insults by Flamengo's rivals was the vulture. The red-black fans, of course, didn't like the insults. However, everything changed from June 1, 1969, on the eve of a classic against Botafogo, in which the Most Beloved won 2-1.

How Did It All Happen?

This is because, according to the official website of Flamengo, four people (Luiz, Romilson, Victor, and Erick), who were tired of the racist insults, took a vulture to the Maracanã. The four friends picked up the bird from a landfill and wrapped it in a sheet to enter the 'Sacred Temple' with what would become the new mascot of the club.

The four friends managed to pass the Maracanã security with the vulture after wrapping the bird in a Flamengo flag. Thus, a few minutes before the ball rolled, the red-black fans released the bird, which landed on the grass of the 'Sacred Temple'.

The Flamengo fans at the time began to chant: "It's a vulture, it's a vulture!". Therefore, from that moment on, the red-black fans looked at the bird in a different way and accepted it as the new mascot of the Most Beloved.

— Since the animal carrying a Flamengo flag was on the field, the red-black fans were in ecstasy! And the party started, vibrating and shouting: 'It's a vulture, it's a vulture!'. There was no other way, Flamengo won that game 2-1. From then on, the game changed, and the vulture became the new mascot —, describes Flamengo on its official website.

How Has the Mascot Evolved Since 1969?

From the 2000 season, the vulture gained a design and became known as Samuca. However, fans of Flamengo didn't buy into the idea and continued calling it by the bird's name. In 2008, the Red-Black introduced a line of mascots that began to represent the team at the Maracanã, Uruba and Urubinha.

What Are the Names of Flamengo's Current Mascots?

Currently, fans of Flamengo call the two vultures Urubão and Binho. The official mascots attend all of the Most Beloved's games, even events promoted by the Red-Black.

Binho is a version made for young fans of Flamengo to have more affection for the Gávea Club's mascot. Urubão, on the other hand, was created to demonstrate the team's breed, with an intimidating look.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.