The Brazilian soccer club Corinthians has a longstanding rivalry with local team Palmeiras, dating back over a century. Corinthians has a strict ban on the color green to avoid any association with their rivals. Players can be fined for wearing green clothing or boots and sponsors must adhere to the club’s policies. The club’s fanbase numbers over 35 million, and they go to great lengths to distance themselves from Palmeiras, who they have been feuding with since their inception.
Despite Corinthians’ aversion to the color green, the upcoming NFL game in Sao Paulo between the Green Bay Packers and the Philadelphia Eagles will bring green to the NeoQuimica Arena. The Eagles, as the host team, agreed to wear black helmets, white shirts, and black pants – the colors of Corinthians – to gain favor with the Brazilian fans. Many Palmeiras supporters have vowed to wear green clothes to the game, in a show of solidarity with their team, despite Corinthians’ traditions.
The rivalry between Corinthians and Palmeiras has deep roots, with tensions escalating over the years. The rejection of the color green stems from a tragic incident in 1969 when Corinthians players were killed in a car crash and Palmeiras refused to let them bring in replacement players. This event solidified the animosity between the two clubs and led to the ban on green within Corinthians’ sphere, which remains in place to this day.
Despite Corinthians’ financial struggles and Palmeiras’ recent success in winning major titles, the policy against green persists. The club has even refused green warm-up vests offered during international competitions, opting instead to wear other colors. The rejection of green is a significant aspect of Corinthians’ culture and is upheld by players, fans, and executives alike, contributing to the intense rivalry between the two teams.
Some Corinthians supporters, like Claudia Luane, find common ground with the Green Bay Packers, who are the only community-owned team in the NFL. Luane appreciates the Packers’ emphasis on involving regular people in running a football team, a sentiment that resonates with her support for Corinthians. Despite their struggles in the league, Corinthians’ fanbase remains strong, filling stadiums and showing support for their team, even if they have to watch a game where green is present.
As the game approaches, tensions between Corinthians and Palmeiras supporters remain high, with green being a symbolic representation of the rivalry. The unique circumstances surrounding the NFL game in Sao Paulo, where the usual colors of the Eagles are set aside in favor of black to align with Corinthians, adds another layer to the historic feud between these two clubs. Regardless of team colors, the excitement and passion for the game of football transcend rivalries and traditions, uniting fans in the shared love of the sport.
