Corinthians celebrates Maracanã's 76th anniversary and remembers memorable moments on the Rio stage

- By Henrique Pereira / Central do Timão Editorial

This Tuesday morning, Corinthians paid tribute to the 76th anniversary of the Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho, the traditional Maracanã, inaugurated on June 16, 1950. Even though it is located in Rio de Janeiro, the stadium occupies a special place in the memory of black and white fans for having been the scene of some of the most emblematic episodes in the club's history, such as the Corinthian Invasion of 1976, the conquest of the first FIFA Club World Cup, in 2000, and the title of the Copa do Brasil in 2025.

"One of the biggest stages in world football, Maracanã turns 76 years old this Tuesday! Stage of historic titles for Corinthians, the stadium saw Timão up close lift the FIFA Club World Cup in 2000 and the Copa do Brasil in 2025! Long live the Mário Filho Stadium and here's to more achievements from #TimeDoPovo", wrote the club.

Photo: Rodrigo Coca/Ag. Corinthians

The official debut of the Maracanã took place in a friendly between the teams of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, won by the São Paulo team 3-1. The São Paulo team had three representatives from Corinthians: goalkeeper Homero, midfielder Carbone and striker Luizinho, known as Pequeno Thum.

Over more than seven decades, the stadium has hosted some of the most important events in international sport. Among them are the decisions of the 1950 and 2014 World Cups, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2016 Olympic Games. Corinthians also left its mark at different moments in this trajectory.

One of the most remembered chapters is the Corinthian Invasion of 1976. In the semi-final of the Brazilian Championship against Fluminense, approximately 70 thousand Timão fans traveled to Rio de Janeiro to support the team. After a 1-1 draw in regulation time, Corinthians won the penalty shootout 4-1 and secured their place in the tournament final.

The feat, which turns 50 in 2026, was highlighted in the club's new uniform collection for the 2026/27 season. Inspired by the models used at that time, the shirts feature internal seals with the inscription "INVASÃO 1976", in addition to the use of the shield adopted by Corinthians in that period.

Decades later, Maracanã once again became the scene of a historic black and white conquest. In 2000, Corinthians won the first Club World Cup organized by FIFA by beating Vasco da Gama on penalties. After a goalless draw during the 90 minutes, Timão won the decision 4-3 on penalties and took the trophy.

More recently, on December 21, 2025, the club once again celebrated a title at the Rio stadium. In the final of the Copa do Brasil, Corinthians defeated Vasco 2-1, with goals from Yuri Alberto and Memphis Depay, and won the fourth cup of the national competition.

Despite the remarkable memories, Timão's overall numbers at Maracanã are not favorable. In 162 matches played at the venue, the team recorded 44 wins, 37 draws and 81 losses, recording a success rate of 34.77%. During the period, he scored 177 goals, an average of 1.09 per game, and conceded 267, equivalent to 1.65 per game.

Corinthians' greatest scorers in the stadium's history are Baltazar and Rivellino, both with seven goals scored at Maracanã.

In the current season, Corinthians was only on stage once. On April 1st, they ended up being beaten by Fluminense 3-1, in a duel valid for the Brazilian Championship.

The next visit to the stadium could take place during the 27th round of the Brasileirão, when Timão is scheduled to face Flamengo, with a base date set for September 13th.

In addition to the national tournament, the club can still return to Maracanã in other competitions. For the Copa do Brasil, Fluminense and Vasco appear as possible opponents along the way. In the Libertadores, if they advance in their respective brackets, Corinthians and Flamengo will be able to face each other in a possible semi-final.

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Source: Timao Central