Torcida organizada
Torcidas organizadas (Portuguese pronunciation: [toʁˈsidɐz oʁɡɐ̃niˈzadɐs], organized fans or organized supporters) are formal (or informal) associations of football fans in Brazil in the same vein as barras bravas in the rest of Latin America, hooligan firms in United Kingdom and ultras in the rest of Europe, North America, Asia, Australia and North Africa.
The torcidas are characterized by forming associations looking for the best way to support the team with flags, football chants, mosaics and performances inside and outside the stadium.
[2] In the beginning of the 1940s, and until the 1960s, torcidas organizadas were informal associations of fans who gathered to buy fireworks, cloth for large flags, and other stuff to be used during celebrations.
Some of the noteworthy torcidas organizadas from this time were: Torcida Jovem Fla and Raça Rubro-Negra (Flamengo), Gaviões da Fiel (Corinthians), Torcida Independente and Dragões da Real (São Paulo FC), Mancha Verde (Palmeiras), Força Jovem Vasco (Vasco da Gama), Máfia Azul (Cruzeiro), Galoucura (Atlético Mineiro), Torcida Jovem do Santos (Santos FC), Young Flu (Fluminense), Fúria Jovem do Botafogo (Botafogo), Bamor (Esporte Clube Bahia), Torcida Jovem do Sport (Sport Club do Recife), Os Imbatíveis (Esporte Clube Vitória), Inferno Coral (Santa Cruz Futebol Clube), Os Fanáticos (Clube Atlético Paranaense), Império Alviverde (Coritiba Foot Ball Club), Garra Alvinegra (ABC Futebol Clube), Máfia Vermelha (América de Natal).
In 2017, Moacir Bianchi, one of the founders of Palmeiras' torcida organizada Mancha Verde, was murdered by a member of the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) as he attempted to mediate and prevent a hostile takeover by a PCC-backed faction.
[4] Teams active over a wider range on national and international field have come to experience historical clashes that created fierce rivals, as well as close and loyal allies.
An example for this is the union between three of the main organized firms then and today: Mancha Verde (Palmeiras), Força Jovem Vasco (Vasco) and Galoucura (Atlético Mineiro) who have a friendship that dates back to the early 1980s, while rivals Torcida Jovem Fla (supporters of Flamengo), Torcida Independente (supporters of São Paulo FC) and Máfia Azul (Cruzeiro) are also linked to each other.
In reference and prejudice to this, Mancha Verde, Galoucura and Força Jovem do Vasco put heir middle fingers up and called themselves "dedos pro alto" (raised fingers); the alliance between Young Flu (Fluminense) Fúria Independente Guarani and Fúria Independente Paraná also have their touching fists symbol.
Players for both teams, especially from Flamengo and São Paulo, are known to represent these 'expressions' after scoring a goal on the pitch, driving the hard-core fans crazy with pride.
As matter of fact, many supporters who belong to torcidas cannot stand anyone around them criticizing the players, which often results in brawls in the middle of the crowd.
