Philadelphia gets to meet Flamengo, a Brazilian soccer giant with a giant fan base

If you’re a soccer fan in Philadelphia, you probably know plenty about the big four European teams coming here for the World Cup: England’s Chelsea and Manchester City, Italy’s Juventus, and Brazil’s Real Madrid.

You might also have heard little bit about Brazil’s Flamengo, which will play two games here, starting Monday night against Tunisia’s Espérance (9 p.m., DAZN). But by kickoff, you probably will have heard more — literally.

Flamengo isn’t just famed for its seven Brazilian league titles and its three in the Copa Libertadores, South America’s continental championship. The Rio de Janeiro club, which plays at the city’s famed Maracanã stadium, is just as renowned for its enormous fan base.

The Switzerland-based International Centre for Sports Studies regularly surveys how many social media followers soccer teams across the world amass. Last year’s study, combining X, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, put Flamengo’s total at 54.3 million.

That’s No. 16 worldwide, the biggest total of any team from the Americas and the second-biggest of any team outside Europe. (Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr, home of superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, is a shade higher because of his individual fame.)

The biggest MLS team, Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, is a ways behind at 33.4 million. Then you have to keep going to find Argentina’s superpowers Boca Juniors (27.7 million) and River Plate (27.5 million), and Mexico’s biggest team, Club América (25.1 million).

“It is a team that has a huge fan base, and we know that wherever Flamengo goes, we are always going to have supporters following us,” manager Filipe Luis said, using the traditional Portuguese term torcida for fan base. “It has always been like this, it is always going to be like this.”

» READ MORE: The Club World Cup is controversial. Could Philadelphia’s games make it a success?

It has been on Flamengo’s past visits to the U.S. for preseason tours, including a game against the Union last year; and it was again when thousands of fans saw the team off at the airport for this trip.

“I never get used to it,” Luis said.

Flamengo fans also have a long-standing reputation for traveling to Club World Cups, wherever they may be. Philadelphia will get a taste of that passion Monday afternoon, when Flamengo fans gather at the Art Museum steps for a party before heading to the stadium.

It’s expected to start around 3 p.m., and will help pass the time until the late kickoff at Lincoln Financial Field.

» READ MORE: The FIFA Club World Cup is soccer’s summer spectacle. Some fear that ICE could turn it into something else.

“We know the strength and the backing that we have from our supporters,” Luis said. “I hope the players can return this love they have for us, and are able to transform that into playing soccer so they can feel represented by the players on the field.”

Luis knows the fan base’s history firsthand, because as a player he went to the 2019 and 2023 tournaments with the club after winning the Libertadores. He played in the 2019 edition, narrowly losing the final to England’s Liverpool.

“Once you wear the Flamengo jersey, you know that wherever you go, you will have a crowd following you,” Luis said. “When we won the Libertadores in 2022, and we heard that we had the possibility in 2025, I thought, ‘I will be there.’ Now I am — as a coach. So now I want to achieve a new dream.”

The 39-year-old achieved many dreams in his playing career. Before concluding that time with Flamengo from 2019-23, he won a slew of other big titles: Spain’s La Liga and the UEFA Europa League with Atlético Madrid, England’s Premier League and League Cup with Chelsea, and South America’s Copa América national team title with Brazil. He also made two Champions League finals with Athlético.

» READ MORE: Meet the teams and players who will be competing in Philly during the Club World Cup

His players include another Premier League veteran, former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Jorginho; and former MLS players Léo Pereira (Orlando City) and Luiz Arajuo (Atlanta United).

Pereira might not remember his only game against the Union, or he might not want to: a 6-1 blowout loss in the 2019 regular-season finale. Araujo never beat the Union either, with two losses in Chester and a scoreless tie at home.

It’s safe to say this visit will likely go better. Flamengo is favored to beat Espérance, setting the stage for a clash with Chelsea on Friday (2 p.m., TNT, DAZN) that’s one of the tournament’s top group stage games.

“I’m happy to be back here, and I’m so excited for [the game],” Pereira said. “The guys are so ready for this moment. We like the challenge. ... [Flamengo] is one of the biggest clubs in the world, it has a big history, so we want to make history again.”

» READ MORE: Before the Club World Cup’s fireworks, the Union offered some of their own in a dramatic win

And who wouldn’t want to be 18-year-old Flamengo attacking midfielder Joshua, who like so many Brazilians goes by just one name. He grew up in Rio, rose through Flamengo’s youth ranks, and joined the first team in January.

“For me, it’s a dream come true to wear this shirt in this incredible competition. ... Flamengo is my home,” he said. “I’ve been here in the U.S. four times, so I really enjoy this country, and I’m really happy to be here again, now with Flamengo.”