usually played with four players, altinha is hailed as a social and non-competitive sport - it is a great game as anyone can play and only a ball and some space are needed, with no nets or specific boundaries.

both men and women participate with the woman's championship taking place on ipanema beach - where a winner is declared based not on a score, but on how creative and acrobatic the moves are to keep the ball in the air. after each game of football, foot volley, volleyball, or altinha, players typically dive straight into the waters of the atlantic to cool off.