Flamengo museum reopens: tribute to Zagallo, World Cup cups | OneFootball

New feature will be available to the Nation starting this Tuesday (14)

The Flamengo Museum reopens its doors to the public this Tuesday (14), in Rio de Janeiro, with new attractions for fans. The main highlight is the temporary exhibition ‘Zagallo is Mengo: it has thirteen letters’, which pays tribute to one of football’s greatest icons. In addition, the venue will now offer a brand-new interactive experience for visitors.

The exhibition will be available until July 31 and brings together historic items from the career of Mário Jorge Lobo Zagallo. These include the Jules Rimet trophy from Brazil’s three-time World Cup triumph and the 1994 World Cup trophy, won when the former Flamengo man served as technical coordinator.

WHAT IS THE FLAMENGO MUSEUM’S NEW EXHIBITION LIKE?

The exhibition takes visitors through different moments of Zagallo’s life, from his first goal to his rise as one of football’s greatest legends. Right at the entrance, visitors can listen to a special narration by radio commentator Luiz Penido about the beginning of eternal Old Wolf’s journey.

In addition to photographs, reports, and collection pieces, the exhibition has been divided into themed sections: ‘Zagallo is Gávea’, ‘Zagallo is the World’, and ‘Zagallo is Legend’. Another new feature of the reopening is an interactive activation that places visitors inside decisive football match situations, such as taking a penalty kick.

SO, WHAT IS ZAGALLO’S CONNECTION TO FLAMENGO?

The first part of the exhibition highlights Zagallo’s four spells at Flamengo. In short, as a player, the Old Wolf won the Rio state championship three years in a row in 1953, 1954, and 1955, forming one of the greatest teams in Flamengo’s history alongside names such as Evaristo de Macedo and Dida.

Years later, he returned to Gávea as head coach and won the Guanabara Cup and the 1972 Rio State Championship, a period that marked Zico’s emergence in the senior squad. In 1984, the legend once again lifted the Guanabara Cup while in charge of the team. In his final spell, in 2001, he led Flamengo to the historic Rio State Championship title, marked by Petkovic’s unforgettable free-kick goal against Vasco, as well as the Copa dos Campeões title.

Among the items on display are the jacket worn by Zagallo in the 1950s, the pennant from the Rio state three-peat, and the jersey worn by Argentine goalkeeper Fillol. Therefore, the Flamengo Museum features rare items from the Mengão legend.

WHY IS ZAGALLO CONSIDERED A LEGEND OF WORLD FOOTBALL, AFTER ALL?

The second section of the exhibition highlights Zagallo’s journey with the Brazilian National Team. To this day, the Old Wolf is the only four-time world champion in football history, having won two World Cups as a player (1958 and 1962), one as head coach (1970), and another as technical coordinator (1994).

Among the main highlights are the Jules Rimet trophy and the 1994 World Cup trophy, loaned by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF). There are also historic photographs from the National Archives showing Zagallo representing both Flamengo and the Brazilian National Team.

SO THEN, WHY DID THE NUMBER 13 MARK ZAGALLO’S LIFE?

The final part of the exhibition explores Zagallo’s relationship with the number 13, a trademark of his career. A devotee of Saint Anthony, celebrated on June 13, the former coach maintained a strong connection with the number, which appeared in several important moments of his career.

The space brings together Saint Anthony statuettes loaned by Zagallo’s family and recalls coincidences that reinforced the Old Wolf’s fame, such as the world titles of 1958 (5+8=13) and 1994 (9+4=13), as well as Flamengo’s historic 3-1 win over Vasco in the 2001 Rio State Championship final.

SO, HOW CAN YOU VISIT THE FLAMENGO MUSEUM?

In short, the exhibition “Zagallo is Mengo: it has thirteen letters” will be open to the public from July 14 to 31, 2026, always from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Flamengo Museum, located at Avenida Borges de Medeiros, 997, Lagoa, Rio de Janeiro. Tickets can be purchased in advance through the official Flamengo Museum website or directly at the venue’s box office.

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