The question that sparks the debate: why doesn’t Flamengo sing the national anthem?

In every Copa Libertadores final, there’s a moment that confuses millions of viewers outside Brazil: Flamengo fans stay silent or indifferent when the national anthem plays. Some see it as controversial, but in reality, it’s part of a deeply rooted tradition. For the Rubro-Negro Nation, the ritual is clear: in a club final, the flag that matters isn’t Brazil’s, it’s the Clube de Regatas do Flamengo.

This behavior, surprising to many foreigners, is understood in Brazil as a pure expression of identity. And it’s this very identity that explodes every time Flamengo reaches a continental final.

The cultural power of Flamengo’s anthem: a song worth more than the flag

To understand this phenomenon, you must look at Brazil’s powerful football culture. In Brazil, clubs act as true social institutions. Supporting a team is not just fandom it’s a regional, emotional, even family-forming identity passed down through generations.

Flamengo’s anthem, composed in the 1940s by Lamartine Babo, is far more than a song: it’s a sacred symbol. For the Flamengo supporters, that melody is a war cry, an act of faith, and a reminder that their club is an essential part of their lives.

That’s why, when the solemn moment of the national anthem arrives, the reaction is different: in a club final, the feeling of belonging to Flamengo outweighs any patriotic emotion. This is not Brazil on the pitch. This is Flamengo.

The international view: surprise, criticism, and a misunderstood phenomenon

Among journalists, fans, and analysts abroad, this behavior often sparks debate. Some see it as unpatriotic; others as rebellious.

However, for Brazilians and especially Flamengo supporters, it’s not politics, not protest, and not a lack of love for their country. It’s simply a cultural choice lived with passion: the club comes first, everything else later.

It has even sparked jokes, rivalries, and arguments with other fanbases, but for Flamengo supporters, this act is part of their essence, their football DNA.

Ultimately, Flamengo fans do not sing the national anthem during Libertadores finals because their club identity outweighs any national symbol. It’s tradition, emotion, and a uniquely Brazilian football ritual that the rest of the world is still trying to understand.