Orlando City Lions Host Brazilian Champions Fluminense FC in International Friendly Saturday
A big game is coming up on Saturday evening as Orlando City Soccer Club plays host to Brazilian Champion Fluminense FC in an international friendly at Fifth Third Bank Field at the Florida Citrus Bowl. A big crowd is expected to see one of the worlds biggest teams and a sign of how important the game is to the visitors is the fact that the game will broadcast in Brazil on Globo TV, one of Brazil’s largest TV networks.
“We’re delighted to host a club like Fluminense,” said Orlando City Head Coach Adrian Heath (pictured below left.) “It’s not very often you get to play one of the biggest clubs from Brazil. They have some great players playing for them and it’s just a great opportunity for our players and fans alike to see them play.”
Fluminense FC competes in Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A, the top level of Brazilian soccer and this year they are also one of the sides representing Brazil in the prestigious Libertadores of American Cup. Led by Head Coach Abel Braga (pictured above right), who began his professional career with the club, Fluminense boasts some of the top talent from the country of Brazil and beyond.
The club was founded on July 21, 1902 by the sons of Carioca aristocracy, being led by Oscar Cox, a Brazilian sportsman, in the bairro of Flamengo, a direct contrast between the aristocratic founders and the modest ground it was founded on. The club is one of Brazil’s most successful clubs, having won the Brasileirão on four occasions and they have also won one Copa do Brasil. They have won the Campeonato Carioca 31 times and the Torneio Rio – Sao Paulo on two occasions. The club managed to perform a double in 1984 and 2012, winning both the Carioca and the Brasileirão. It has contributed the fifth-most players to Brazil’s national football team.
Fluminense holds many long-standing rivalries, most notably against Botafogo, Flamengo and Vasco da Gama.
Flu, as they are nicknamed, play their home games at the Estadio Jornalista Mario Filho, better known as the Maracanã, which currently holds up to 78,838 spectators. Fluminense’s home kit is maroon-and-green vertical striped shirts, with white shorts, accompanied by white socks; a combination that has been used since 1920. Adidas are the kit manufacturers.
The team has been in Orlando since Monday, training at the club’s practice facility in Sanford while taking in the Central Florida area.
Saturday’s match adds to the list of top-level clubs Orlando has played in the Central Florida area, which includes: English Premier League clubs Newcastle United, Stoke City, Bolton Wanderers and A.S. Roma of Serie A.
This is one game you really don’t want to miss and for ticket information, please go to OrlandoCitySoccer.com
