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Campeonato Carioca
Countries Template:Country data Rio de Janeiro
Confederation CBF
Founded 1906
Number of teams 16
Levels on pyramid 1
Relegation to Campeonato Carioca Second Level
Domestic cup(s) Copa do Brasil
Current champions Fluminense (33 titles)
(2023)
Most championships Flamengo (37 titles)
Website FFERJ Official Website
File:Soccerball current event.svg 2024 Campeonato Carioca

The Campeonato Carioca, also known as Campeonato Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, is the football league of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is one of the most prestigious national football tournaments. It is organized by the Rio de Janeiro State Football Federation.

The first season of the Campeonato Carioca was played in 1906 making it the third oldest league in Brazil, with only the Campeonato Paulista of São Paulo and the Campeonato Baiano of Bahia predating it.

Rivalries amongst four of the most prestigious Brazilian teams (Botafogo, Flamengo, Fluminense and Vasco da Gama) have marked the history of the competition.

The oldest clubs from Rio de Janeiro (America, Botafogo, Flamengo, Fluminense, São Cristóvão, Vasco da Gama) had inspired the creation of many clubs from other states.

Fluminense is the team with the largest number of titles of the 20th century, with 28, being known as the "champion of the century". Flamengo leads the new century with 11 titles and the overall with 37 titles.

History[]

The early years[]

In the beginning of the 20th century, the number of football clubs in Rio de Janeiro and Niterói increased dramatically, clubs such as Rio Cricket and Athletic Association in Niterói, Fluminense Football Club in 1902, and Bangu Atlético Club, América Football Club, and Botafogo Football Club in 1904 being founded. Football became very popular, and a campaign was initiated to organize a football league bringing together clubs such as Rio Cricket and Athletic Association, Fluminense Football Club, Football and Athletic Club, America Football Club, Bangu Atlético Club, Sport Club Petrópolis and Payssandu Cricket Club. On June 8, 1905, the Liga Metropolitana de Football (abbreviated LMF, Metropolitan Football League in English) was founded. LMF's first president was Bangu's José Villas Boas, who was soon replaced by Francis Walter in December of the same year.

In 1906, the first Campeonato Carioca was contested by six clubs: Fluminense, Botafogo, Bangu, Football and Athletic, Payssandu and Rio Cricket. América, despite being one of the league founders, did not contest the league's first edition. Fluminense became the first Rio de Janeiro state champion.

In 1907 the championship ended with Botafogo and Fluminense sharing the first position. As there was no official tie-break criteria in the league rules, both clubs diverged about how to decide the title: Botafogo claimed an extra-match, Fluminense claimed that the league should adopt the goal-average criteria. This crisis led the league to end its activities without declaring a champion. In 1996, after 89 years of argument, both clubs were finally declared champions.

On February 29, 1908, Fluminense, Botafogo, America, Paysandu, Rio Cricket, and Riachuelo founded Liga Metropolitana de Sports Athleticos (LMSA, meaning Metropolitan Athletic Sports League, in English), which organized the Campeonato Carioca of that year. This was won by Fluminense.

The splits of the league[]

AFRJ: the first split[]

In 1911, the first league split occurred, when Botafogo abandoned LMSA and founded Associação de Football do Rio de Janeiro (AFRJ - Rio de Janeiro Football Association in English). The league was nicknamed Liga Barbante (which means String League), because Botafogo was the only significant club contesting the competition. AFRJ was incorporated by LMSA in 1913.

LMDT: 1917-1932[]

In 1917, after several accusations of bribery, LMSA was replaced by Liga Metropolitana de Desportos Terrestres (Terrestrial Sports Metropolitan League, in English), usually known as LMDT. Fluminense won the competition of that year.

AMEA: the second split[]

On March 1, 1924, a second league split occurred, with the Associação Metropolitana de Esportes Athleticos (which means Athletic Sports Metropolitan Association, in English) being founded. AMEA, founded by the aristocratic clubs Flamengo, Fluminense, Botafogo and America imposed discriminatory rules against blacks and lower class citizens to their members. The Confederação Brasileira de Desportos (CBD - Brazilian Sports Confederation) itself stood on the racist league's side, declaring AMEA the official league of Rio de Janeiro from 1924 on, and disaffiliating LMDT. AMEA's competition was won by Fluminense, and LMDT's (The league was nicknamed Liga Barbante) (which means String League)competition was won by Vasco da Gama, the only significant club that remained on the old league. In 1925, however, AMEA abandoned its racist conditions and Vasco joined the strongest league, while LMDT remained being disputed only by minor clubs. Years later, the LMDT championship of 1924 was considered official - but not the following LMDT championships, though.

Professionalization and the union of the league[]

On January 23, 1933 Bangu, Fluminense, Vasco and America founded the Liga Carioca de Futebol (Carioca Football League, in English), also known as LCF, the first professional league of Rio de Janeiro. At the time, the Confederação Brasileira de Desportos did not accept professionalism, and stood on AMEA's side. For this reason, LCF was nicknamed "pirate league". On 1934 CBD finally accepted professionalism, but LCF and AMEA didn't merge for political reasons. On December 11, 1934, Botafogo, Vasco, Bangu, São Cristóvão, Andaraí, Olaria, Carioca and Madureira founded the professional Federação Metropolitana de Desportos (which means Sports Metropolitan Federation, in English), usually known as FMD, replacing AMEA as the official Rio de Janeiro league affiliated to CBD.

In 1937, the Brazilian football clubs became professional teams. On July 29, 1937, FMD and LCF merges, giving birth to the Liga de Football do Rio de Janeiro (which means Rio de Janeiro Football League), also called LFRJ. In 1941, LFRJ changed its name to Federação Metropolitana de Futebol (which means Metropolitan Football Federation), also known as FMF. To celebrate the union, a friendly match between Vasco da Gama and America was played. Because of this match, the matches played between Vasco and America are nicknamed Clássico da Paz, which means Peace Derby, in English.

Federação Carioca de Futebol (FCF)[]

On April 21, 1960, the Brazilian capital city became Brasília, so, Federação Metropolitana de Futebol changed its name to Federação Carioca de Futebol (Carioca Football Federation, in English), also called FCF. América won the state championship of that year.

After 1975[]

On March 15, 1975, Rio de Janeiro and Guanabara states merged under the name of Rio de Janeiro.

On September 29, 1978, Federação de Futebol do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro State Football Federation, in English), also known as FERJ, was founded, after Guanabara state's FCF and Rio de Janeiro state's FFD (which means Federação Fluminense de Desportos, or Sports Football Federation, in English) fused.

In 1979, there was an extra Campeonato Carioca which also included the countryside state teams, which, until that year, contested the Campeonato Fluminense. This extra competition, known as Primeiro Campeonato Estadual de Profissionais (First Professionals State Championship, in English) was won by Flamengo, who was also the champion of the regular competition, but does not count in the overall titles.

In 1996, Taça Cidade Maravilhosa was contested only by clubs from Rio de Janeiro city. This competition was contested by eight teams (America, Bangu, Botafogo, Flamengo, Fluminense, Madureira, Olaria and Vasco da Gama), which played against each other once. Botafogo was the champion, Flamengo being the runners up. In the same year, a state championship was played, which was won by Flamengo.

Format[]

The competition is usually divided in three stages: the traditional Taça Guanabara, Taça Rio and the Finals.

Taça Guanabara is the first stage of the competition, with the teams divided into two groups. The traditional "big four", namely, Botafogo, Flamengo, Fluminense and Vasco da Gama are seeded. Two of them would be in one group and the other two would be in the other group. It is possible other teams also be seeded in some ways, but the seeding criteria is not codified in the regulation and has never been publicly available. The teams then play against each team of the same group once and the top team of each group plays against the second team of the other group in the semi-finals, with the winners qualified for the final.

Taça Rio is the second stage of the competition. Teams are divided into the two same groups of Taça Guanabara, but each team plays against every team from the other group once. The top team from each group compete in the semi-finals with second team from the opposite group, and winners of the semi-finals compete for the Taça Rio.

The winners of Taça Guanabara and Taça Rio compete in the two-legged Finals of Campeonato Carioca, and the winner is crowned tournament champion. If the same team wins both the Taça Guanabara and the Taça Rio, it is automatically crowned tournament champion rendering Finals unnecessary.

List of champions and top scorers[]

Amateur era[]

Season Winner Runner-up Comments Top Scorer Club Goals
1906 Fluminense (1) Paissandu Horácio Costa Fluminense 18
1907 Botafogo(1)
Fluminense (2)
Paissandu both clubs were declared champions in 1907 Flávio Ramos Botafogo 6
1908 Fluminense (3) Botafogo
América
Emílio Etchegaray
Edwin Cox
Fluminense 13
1909 Fluminense (4) Botafogo Flávio Ramos Botafogo 16
1910 Botafogo (2) Fluminense Abelardo Delamare Botafogo 22
1911 Fluminense (5) America James Calvert Fluminense 5
1912 Paissandu (1) Flamengo by LMSA, Liga Metropolitana de Sports Athleticos Henry Robinson Paissandu - LMSA 24
1912 Botafogo (3) SC Americano by AFRJ, Associação de Football do Rio de Janeiro - recognized later as an official championship Mimi Sodré Americano - AFRJ 12
1913 America (2) Flamengo Mimi Sodré Botafogo 13
1914 Flamengo (1) Botafogo Ojeda
Riemer
Harry Welfare
America
Flamengo
Fluminense
9
1915 Flamengo (2) Fluminense Harry Welfare Fluminense 19
1916 America (3) Botafogo Aluízio Botafogo 12
1917 Fluminense (6) America Luís Menezes Botafogo 16
1918 Fluminense (7) Botafogo Luís Menezes Botafogo 21
1919 Fluminense (8) Flamengo Brás de Oliveira São Cristóvão 24
1920 Flamengo (3) Fluminense Arlindo
Claudionor
Botafogo
Bangu
17
1921 Flamengo (4) America Nonô Flamengo 11
1922 America (4) Flamengo Pastor Bangu 10
1923 Vasco da Gama (1) Flamengo Nonô Flamengo 17
1924 Fluminense (9) Flamengo by AMEA, Associação Metropolitana de Esportes Athleticos Nilo Fluminense 28
1924 Vasco da Gama (2) Bonsucesso by LMDT, Liga Metropolitana de Desportos Terrestres - recognized later as an official championship Telê Andarahy - LMDT 16
1925 Flamengo (5) Fluminense Nonô Flamengo 27
1926 São Cristóvão (1) Vasco da Gama Vicente São Cristóvão 25
1927 Flamengo (6) Fluminense Nilo Botafogo 30
1928 América (4) Vasco da Gama Vicente
Telê
São Cristóvão
Andarahy
20
1929 Vasco da Gama (3) America Russinho
Telê
Vasco
América
23
1930 Botafogo (6) Vasco da Gama Preguinho
Ladislau
Fluminense
Bangu
20
1931 America (5) Vasco da Gama Russinho Vasco 17
1932 Botafogo (6) Flamengo Preguinho Fluminense 21
1933 Botafogo (7) Fluminense by AMEA, Associação Metropolitana de Esportes Athleticos Nilo Botafogo 19
1934 Botafogo (8) Olaria by AMEA, Associação Metropolitana de Esportes Athleticos Bianco Andarahy - AMEA 13

Professional era[]

Season Winner Runner-up Comments Top Scorer Club Goals
1933 Bangu (1) Andaraí by LCF, Liga Carioca de Futebol - recognized later as an official championship Tião Bangu 13
1934 Vasco da Gama (4) São Cristóvão by LCF, Liga Carioca de Futebol - recognized later as an official championship Alfredinho Flamengo 10
1935 Botafogo (9) Vasco da Gama by FMD, Federação Metropolitana de Desportos Ladislau Bangu - FMD 18
1935 America (6) Fluminense by LCF, Liga Carioca de Futebol - recognized later as an official championship China Bonsucesso 16
1936 Vasco da Gama (5) Madureira by FMD, Federação Metropolitana de Desportos Carvalho Leite Botafogo 15
1936 Fluminense (10) Flamengo by LCF, Liga Carioca de Futebol - recognized later as an official championship Hércules Fluminense 23
1937 Fluminense (11) Flamengo Niginho Vasco 25
1938 Fluminense (12) Flamengo Carvalho Leite Botafogo 16
1939 Flamengo (7) Vasco da Gama Carvalho Leite Botafogo 22
1940 Fluminense (13) Flamengo Leônidas Flamengo 30
1941 Fluminense (14) Flamengo Pirilo Flamengo 39
1942 Flamengo (8) Botafogo Heleno Botafogo 28
1943 Flamengo (9) Fluminense João Pinto São Cristóvão 26
1944 Flamengo (10) Vasco da Gama Geraldino Canto do Rio 19
1945 Vasco da Gama (5) Botafogo Lelé Vasco 13
1946 Fluminense (15) Botafogo Rodrigues Fluminense 28
1947 Vasco da Gama (6) Botafogo Dimas Vasco 18
1948 Botafogo (10) Vasco da Gama Orlando
Otávio
Fluminense
Botafogo
21
1949 Vasco da Gama (7) Fluminense Ademir Vasco 31
1950 Vasco da Gama (8) America Ademir Vasco 25
1951 Fluminense (16) Bangu Carlyle Fluminense 23
1952 Vasco da Gama (9) Flamengo Menezes
Zizinho
Bangu 19
1953 Flamengo (11) Fluminense Benítez Flamengo 22
1954 Flamengo (12) America Dino da Costa Botafogo 24
1955 Flamengo (13) America Paulinho Flamengo 23
1956 Vasco da Gama (10) Fluminense Valdo Fluminense 22
1957 Botafogo (11) Fluminense Paulo Valentim Botafogo 22
1958 Vasco da Gama (11) Flamengo Quarentinha Botafogo 20
1959 Fluminense (17) Botafogo Quarentinha Botafogo 25
1960 America (7) Fluminense Quarentinha Botafogo 25
1961 Botafogo (12) Flamengo Amarildo Botafogo 18
1962 Botafogo (13) Flamengo Saulzinho Vasco 18
1963 Flamengo (14) Fluminense Bianchini Bangu 18
1964 Fluminense (18) Amoroso Fluminense 19
1965 Flamengo (15) Bangu Amoroso Fluminense 10
1966 Bangu (2) Flamengo Paulo Borges Bangu 16
1967 Botafogo (14) Bangu Paulo Borges Bangu 13
1968 Botafogo (15) Vasco da Gama Roberto Botafogo 13
1969 Fluminense (19) Botafogo Flávio Fluminense 15
1970 Vasco da Gama (12) Fluminense Flávio Fluminense 18
1971 Fluminense (20) Botafogo Paulo César Caju Botafogo 11
1972 Flamengo (16) Fluminense Doval Flamengo 16
1973 Fluminense (21) Vasco da Gama Dario Flamengo 15
1974 Flamengo (17) Vasco da Gama Luisinho Tombo America 20
1975 Fluminense (22) Botafogo
Vasco da Gama
Zico Flamengo 30
1976 Fluminense (23) Vasco da Gama Doval Fluminense 20
1977 Vasco da Gama (13) Flamengo Zico Flamengo 27
1978 Flamengo (18) Vasco da Gama Zico
Cláudio Adão
Roberto Dinamite
Flamengo
Flamengo
Vasco
19
1979 Flamengo (19) Fluminense Zico Flamengo 26
1979 Flamengo (20) Vasco da Gama extra tournament Zico Flamengo 34
1980 Fluminense (24) Vasco da Gama Cláudio Adão Fluminense 20
1981 Flamengo (21) Vasco da Gama Roberto Dinamite Vasco 31
1982 Vasco da Gama (14) Flamengo Zico Flamengo 21
1983 Fluminense (25) Flamengo Luisinho Tombo America 22
1984 Fluminense (26) Flamengo Baltazar
Cláudio Adão
Botafogo
Bangu
12
1985 Fluminense (27) Bangu Roberto Dinamite Vasco 12
1986 Flamengo (22) Vasco da Gama Romário Vasco 16
1987 Vasco da Gama (16) Flamengo Romário Vasco 16
1988 Vasco da Gama (17) Flamengo Bebeto Flamengo 17
1989 Botafogo (15) Flamengo Bebeto Flamengo 18
1990 Botafogo (16) Vasco da Gama Gaúcho Flamengo 14
1991 Flamengo (23) Fluminense Gaúcho Flamengo 17
1992 Vasco da Gama (18) Flamengo Ézio Fluminense 15
1993 Vasco da Gama (19) Fluminense Valdir Vasco 19
1994 Vasco da Gama (20) Flamengo Charles
Túlio
Flamengo
Botafogo
14
1995 Fluminense (28) Flamengo Túlio Botafogo 27
1996 Flamengo (24) Vasco da Gama Romário Flamengo 26
1997 Botafogo (17) Vasco da Gama Romário Flamengo 18
1998 Vasco da Gama (21) Flamengo Romário Flamengo 10
1999 Flamengo (25) Vasco da Gama Romário Flamengo 19
2000 Flamengo (26) Vasco da Gama Romário Vasco 19
2001 Flamengo (27) Vasco da Gama Edílson Flamengo 16
2002 Fluminense (29) Americano It was sub judice until April 14, 2009, when Fluminense were officially confirmed as the champions.[1] Fábio Volta Redonda 16
2003 Vasco da Gama (22) Fluminense Fábio Bala Fluminense 10
2004 Flamengo (28) Vasco da Gama Valdir Vasco 14
2005 Fluminense (30) Volta Redonda Túlio Volta Redonda 12
2006 Botafogo (18) Madureira Dodô Botafogo 9
2007 Flamengo (29) Botafogo Dodô
Marcelo
Botafogo
Madureira
13
2008 Flamengo (30) Botafogo Wellington Paulista Botafogo 14
2009 Flamengo (31) Botafogo Maicosuel Botafogo 12
2010 Botafogo (19) Flamengo Vágner Love Flamengo 15
2011 Flamengo (32) Fluminense Fred Fluminense 10
2012 Fluminense (31) Botafogo Alecsandro Vasco 12
2013 Botafogo (20) Flamengo Hernane Flamengo]] 12
2014 Flamengo (33) Vasco da Gama Edmilson Vasco 11
2015 Vasco da Gama (23) Botafogo Fred Fluminense 11
2016 Vasco da Gama (24) Botafogo Tiago Amaral Volta Redonda 10
2017 Flamengo (34) Fluminense Paolo Guerrero Flamengo 10
2018 Botafogo (21) Vasco da Gama Pedro Fluminense 7
2019 Flamengo (35) Vasco Bruno Henrique Flamengo 8
2020 Flamengo (36) Fluminense Gabi
João Carlos
Flamengo
Botafogo
8
2021 Flamengo (37) Fluminense Alef Manga Volta Redonda 9
2022 Fluminense (32) Flamengo Gabi Flamengo 9
2023 Fluminense (33) Flamengo Germán Cano Fluminense 16

Titles by club[]

Club Winners Runners-up Winning years
Flamengo
37
35
1914, 1915, 1920, 1921, 1925, 1927, 1939, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1963, 1965, 1972, 1974, 1978, 1979-I, 1979-II, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021
Fluminense 33 25 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1911, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1924, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1940, 1941, 1946, 1951, 1959, 1964, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1995, 2002, 2005, 2012, 2022, 2023
Vasco
24
26
1923, 1924, 1929, 1934, 1936, 1945, 1947, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1956, 1958, 1970, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1988, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 2003, 2015, 2016
Botafogo
21
21
1907, 1910, 1912, 1930, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1948, 1957, 1961, 1962, 1967, 1968, 1989, 1990, 1997, 2006, 2010, 2013, 2018
America
7
8
1913, 1916, 1922, 1928, 1931, 1935, 1960
Bangu
2
4
1933, 1966
São Cristóvão
1
1
1926
Paysandu
1
2
1912
  • Paysandu Cricket Club abandoned football activities in 1914. Nowadays it is called Paissandu Atlético Clube, and it is a social club only.

See also[]

  • Campeonato Carioca (lower levels)
  • Taça Guanabara
  • Taça Rio

References[]

  • MÉRCIO, Roberto. A História dos Campeonatos Cariocas de Futebol. Rio de Janeiro: Ed. FERJ.

External links[]

Template:Brazilian Football Competitions

Template:Use American English

ca:Campionat carioca de:Staatsmeisterschaft von Rio de Janeiro es:Campeonato Carioca fr:Championnat de Rio de Janeiro de football it:Campionato Carioca he:אליפות ריו דה ז'ניירו בכדורגל pl:Campeonato Carioca pt:Campeonato Carioca de Futebol ru:Лига Кариока fi:Campeonato Carioca sv:Campeonato Carioca

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