Flamengo seen as PSG’s equal before Intercontinental Cup final | OneFootball

According to L'Équipe, Flamengo boast 35 million supporters across Brazil and are the continent’s most popular and richest club. They meet PSG in Wednesday’s Intercontinental Cup final, with former striker Reinaldo judging the Rio side now PSG’s equal.

In Rio, no other team generates such noise, with big goals greeted by shouts of 'mengãooooo' and fireworks from wealthy districts to favelas.

Despite the time difference, the frenzy will intensify, and Rio mayor Eduardo Paes has granted a half-day holiday. Reinaldo, a club graduate who later joined PSG, calls the fans Flamengo’s greatest asset. He likens being a Flamenguista to a religion and says the country will pause like a World Cup final.

The fan base, forged in the era of Zico, Junior and Leandro, has been converted into major income through ticketing, sponsorship and marketing. The turning point came in 2013, when president Eduardo Bandeira de Mello began tackling long-accumulated debts. That groundwork preceded a Brasileirão-Libertadores double and a dominance contested mainly by Palmeiras.

Today, sound management has pushed revenue beyond 1.7 billion reais, or 280 M€. Broadcasting and ticketing lead the way, followed by academy sales from the ninho do urubu, such as Paqueta, Vinicius Junior and Wesley.

Club World Cup participation and titles across a 77-match season will bring in 80 M€ for the 130-year-old club. Thiago Freitas says this virtuous cycle is enabling stronger recruitment, underlined by arrivals such as Samuel Lino, Saul Niguez, Jorginho, Danilo and Alex Sandro. Reinaldo believes the hegemony is only just beginning.

Source: L'Équipe