a common joke among brazilians is that god gave them three things to keep them occupied - samba, carnival and football (soccer).

while the theological soundness of this statement can be argued, it is well-established that if rio de janeiro isn't the capital of all three of these activities, it is definitely an unmistakable hotspot - the marvelous city is one of the premier soccer cities in the world.

the presence of notable brazilian clubs such as flamengo, botafogo, vasco da gama, and fluminense speaks for itself, as well as the maracanã, the biggest stadium in brazil (and at one time, the world).