“Have your passports ready, because we’re going back.”
Last Sunday morning, a Fortaleza fan addressed friends who were also dressed in the club’s three colors in a hotel in Montevideo. The look of sadness was still evident, as a few hours earlier the team from the Northeast of Brazil had painfully lost their first international final. On penalties, Ecuador’s LDU won the Copa Sudamericana 2023 trophy.
As the fan’s quote indicates, in the midst of sadness, pride stands out. After all, Fortaleza reached its first Conmebol tournament final in one of the most impressive upward trajectories in South American football in recent years. It was this feeling that translated the spirit of the fans in red, blue and white on the streets of Uruguay – whether in the capital Montevideo, or in Maldonado, which hosted the final in the cramped Domingo Burgueño stadium – a humble venue that could only host a final in South America.
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Fortaleza gave the feeling of champions to its fans who traveled almost 5 thousand kilometers. First, when Juan Lucero made it 1-0 at the start of the second half. However, LDU managed to equalize just eight minutes later.
But it was in the penalty shootout, after 120 minutes of battle, when the trophy seemed closer. The series of shots began with the Brazilian goalkeeper stopping veteran Peruvian striker Paolo Guerrero’s shot. Fortaleza had the early advantage, but the Ecuadorian opponents had the coolness to reverse the situation. The title slipped away after three missing opportunities. In one of them, with Pedro Augusto, all he had to do was get the ball into the net to be champion. Did not happen.
🤩🇪🇨🏆 A pitch side look at the decisive moment! pic.twitter.com/pob5iIK5Aq
— CONMEBOL Sudamericana (@TheSudamericana) October 29, 2023
It was not easy. Some tears fell, many outbursts needed to be expressed. However, pride was not shaken. So, there’s a little of this feeling for those who still have no idea what it meant for Fortaleza fans to be in Uruguay.
The popular team from the Brazilian Northeast was stuck in the Brazil Third Division for eight years, between 2010 and 2017. Then, with the leadership of revolutionary president Marcelo Paz, everything changed. Fortaleza climbed up to the Brazilian First Division and reached 4th place in 2021, under Argentine coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda. In the same year, they reached the Brazil Cup semifinals for the first time. The following year, the team make the first appearance in the Copa Libertadores, reaching the round of 16.
In the last six years, Fortaleza has increased its revenue by more than 1,100%. For the fans, more important than that, the team started show strengh against traditional country rivals from the south and southeast, winning sometimes and losing others. The feeling of being among the greats seems not to be fleeting.
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What the fans say
Many came from Fortaleza, but there were fans from various parts of Brazil: from the capital Brasília, Belém in the north of the country or from the giant São Paulo. It was a celebration beyond borders.
In the crowd of Fortaleza fans, Sátiro Teixeira’s family stood out. The fan took his wife Aline Paz and his two sons, Felipe and Daniel, to Uruguay. In the luggage, many stories of road trips to see the team during the struggle years.
“You follow the team in bad times, now in the best moment in history you want to be there too”, said Sátiro.
“It was annoying, people made fun of it a lot, especially during the Third Division, but today I’m the one who makes fun of it back. It was like that with my Corinthians friends in the Sudamericana semi-final, when we beat São Paulo too”, added the eldest son, Felipe, aged 15, explaining what it was like growing up in São Paulo as a Fortaleza fan.
Turista FC courtesy
The feeling that Fortaleza will return to the big South American stage didn’t just belong to the fans. The Turista FC agency is used to taking Brazilian fans to matches abroad in the Conmebol tournaments or in the FIFA Club World Cup, traveling in recent years with Flamengo and Palmeiras followers, for instance. According to executive Joao Paulo Fernandes, the relationship with Fortaleza fans is just beginning.
“We feel extremely honored to be able to be part of this important moment in the history of Brazilian northeastern football. We are sure that this was just another step towards a great achievement, which is very close. The fans had an incredible party in Uruguay, with lots of excitement and respect for what is being built by the club. Soon we will meet again with this more than special crowd.”
Those who wear blue, red and white with pride seem to have no doubts about this bright future.
TUDO SOBRE A EXPERIÊNCIA NA FINAL DA SUL-AMERICANA COM O TURISTA FC!
Neste sábado (28), o #Fortaleza enfrentou a LDU em Punta Del Este, no Uruguai, na final da Sul-Americana.
Infelizmente o título do Laion não veio, mas o torcedor esteve presente com a gente!Segue a thread 🧶 pic.twitter.com/U6TYjldl3b
— Turista FC (@TuristaFC) October 30, 2023
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