In the United States and Europe, identity construction based on opposition is often called “tribal,” with little self consciousness of the racist implication of the word. In Brazil, one is more likely to hear a phrase like, “the eternal Fla-Flu of politics,” referring to Flamengo and Fluminense, two classical football teams from Rio de Janeiro, whose 1963 contest attracted the largest crowd in world football history: 194,603 spectators in Maracanã.

Join Learning from Brazil as we look at how football can help us understand political polarization.