- Address: Rua General Almério de Moura, 131, Rio de Janeiro
- Country: Brazil
- Capacity: 21,000
- Opened: 21 April 1927
- Main use: Football
- Tenants: Vasco da Gama (football)
Extra stadium info – Estádio Vasco da Gama
The Estádio Vasco da Gama, which is also known as the Estádio São Januário, is among the main sports venues in Rio de Janeiro. It opened with a football match between CR Vasco da Gama and Santos FC. The visitors won the game. In 1974, Vasco da Gama won the Brazilian top-flight football league for the first time in their history. The stadium’s record attendance was set in 1978, when 40,000 people attended a football match of Vasco da Gama. Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama are named after the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama.
The South American championship for football clubs
In 1998, Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama won the South American championship for football clubs for the first time in their history after beating Barcelona Sporting Club from Ecuador. Vasco da Gama became the sixth football club from Brazil with a South American championship title. Santos FC became the first one after beating Peñarol from Uruguay in 1962.
World championship finals
Vasco da Gama played their first-ever world championship final in 1998. The Spanish side Real Madrid won the game 2-1. 51,000 people attended the match in Japan. In 2000, Vasco da Gama played in the first-ever world championship final between two football clubs from the same country. SC Corinthians Paulista defeated CR Vasco da Gama after penalties. 73,000 people attended the final in Rio de Janeiro. Romário de Souza Faria scored the first penalty for Vasco da Gama in the penalty shoot-out.
Romário de Souza Faria
Romário is generally regarded as one of the best football players of all-time. He started his professional football career with Vasco da Gama. In 1988, Romário played his first-ever world championship final with the Dutch side PSV from Eindhoven. In 1994, he won the FIFA World Cup with the national football team of Brazil after beating the Italian Republic in the United States.
