Despite being red after 29 seconds: Botafogo wins the Copa Libertadores for the first time

After 29 seconds, midfielder Gregore caught opponent Fausto Vera in the head with the sole of his shoe while fighting for the ball, resulting in a bleeding cut and a red card. Botafogo had to play the most important game in the club’s history completely outnumbered. There they were again, the old demons.

At home in the bars in Rio, which is experiencing the first hot days of the approaching summer, the competitors’ fans were once again overcome with glee. A sentence made the rounds that is used in Brazil when someone stumbles shortly before the goal: Nadar e morrer on praia – Swim to die on the beach. Like last year in the race for the championship title, when Botafogo was swallowed up like a runaway in a cycling race and passed through to fifth place.

Eduardo Vargas misses the chances to equalize. Then the Botafoguenses lie in each other’s arms

But Artur Jorge kept a clear head on the touchline in the enormous oval of the Estádio Monumental. Many colleagues would have replaced an offensive player with a defender. The 52-year-old, on the other hand, remained courageous and continued to rely on his great four: the Argentine playmaker and world champion Thiago Almada, 23, brought from Atlanta in July for the equivalent of 22 million euros, the most expensive purchase in the history of the Brazilian league; the small whirlwind Savarino 28, from Venezuela; center forward Igor Jesus, 23, who replaced Real Madrid’s Endrick in the national team; and the athletic winger Luiz Enrique, 23, who returned to Brazil from Betis Sevilla in January and was also recently nominated for the national team.

After a good combination and a rebound, Enrique made it 1-0 (35th) and then took a penalty, which Alex Telles converted to make it 2-0 (44th). Later, Enrique, who was presented with a golden shoe as “Hero of the Tournament,” said: “I’m living a dream.”

The opponent from Belo Horizonte seemed to put that in danger in the second round. Substitute Eduardo Vargas, formerly of Hoffenheim, made it 1-2 (47th), the Chilean headed free after a corner from the tireless captain Hulk, now 38 years old. But Vargas missed two great chances to equalize in the end. And overall, the tenth place in the Brazilian league was too unimaginative.

Botafogo was able to increase the lead to 3-1 through Junior Santos in the last of the seven added minutes. When the referee blew the final whistle, the Botafoguenses lay in each other’s arms on the pitch and in the stands, crying with joy.

For days, the guests from Brazil had bathed Argentina’s capital in black and white, the colors of both clubs. They had been allocated around 20,000 tickets each, but many Botafogo fans simply came without them. The journey from Rio is a little easier than from Belo Horizonte, and the fans were hungry.

Atlético, the first official football champions of Brazil in 1937 and often simply named after their mascot oh galocalled the rooster, had already won the Copa Libertadores in 2013 oh bruxothe sorcerer, Ronaldinho Gaucho.

The Botafoguenses, on the other hand, flocked to Buenos Aires to set out for new shores on the banks of the Rio de la Plata. Because the most important continental title was still missing. Followers reached Buenos Aires not only by plane, but also after 40 hours by bus or by boat from Uruguay. Three brave people even came by bike. Fans also traveled from Canada, the USA and Europe – never before had the club with the white star on a black background mobilized so many supporters for a game abroad. And they enjoyed the trip even before kick-off, fraternized with Boca Juniors supporters in front of the La Bombonera stadium, danced the samba in the tango district of San Telmo, and cried when they met John Textor on the street.

Since the US investor, nickname Papai – Dad, who bought 90 percent of the club’s shares two years ago, is looking up. The competition may also turn up its nose at the cash injection from the businessman from Missouri, who received a check for $23 million on Saturday night for the triumph. At Flamengo and Palmeiras, although their own squads are still much more expensive, they even complain about distortion of competition because Botafogo, unlike themselves, cannot cover the costs with current income. But a financial fair play rule only exists in Europe.

With the win, Botafogo qualifies for the Club World Cup

That doesn’t affect the fans, including artists like pop diva Anitta and samba king Zeca Pagodinho. Oh gloriousthe Glorious, the club is called, but the Glory desperately needed this refresh. It’s a long time ago, the golden era of the 50s and 60s with the dribbling artist Garrincha, the world champion Mário Zagallo and record player Nilton Santos, after whom the Olympic Stadium is named, in which the team plays its home games and in which 50,000 fans watch the final this time watched on big screens. After the victory, as always, fireworks were set off, after all Botafogo translated means “set it on fire” or “set fire”. The name goes back to a warship.

As winners of the Copa Libertadores, the team not only deserves the last place in the Club World Cup next summer, but above all gloria eternaeternal glory: This is the slogan South America’s football association uses to promote the competition.

So the title stays in Rio, Fluminense won last year and Flamengo before that. Since Vasco da Gama also won, all four of the city’s big clubs now have the trophy in their showcase. And there would also be room for the championship trophy in the Botafogo museum. On Wednesday we play against Internacional in Porto Alegre. This time they would like to avoid a mishap, “for Garrincha’s sake,” as a radio reporter said.