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. The rationale for the fans' behavior is that it can help the team gather strength to beat the opponent. Although their main and explicit objective is to support their clubs, torcidas are also linked with several incidents of hooliganism and football violence.

The name is based on the Portuguese verb torcer, which means "to wring" or "to twist"; the definition shifted to "to root for" after wringing scarfs became an emotional outlet for female Brazilian spectators attending football matches in the 1930s.

Due to hooliganism and violence associated with the Torcidas organizadas, the Brazilian government created the Estatuto do Torcedor, a law which regulates the Torcidas organizadas, giving them rights and duties.

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. The first one was the "Charanga Rubro-Negra" (Flamengo), created in 1942. Later, such associations became permanent, and were legally formalized as nonprofit recreational associations with the primary goal of providing a better spectacle at the stadium and surroundings. 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 the beginning the torcida organizada movement was fragmentary, but would later consolidate into larger bodies or leagues. Some torcidas would open branches throughout the country to support their teams playing away, given the national range of their supporters.

"Torcidas organizadas" later became infamous for their association with stadium violence, which would cause Justice to disband some of them (notably Gaviões da Fiel, Mancha Verde and Torcida Independente, both the top and most hard-core firms and active in one of the largest cities in the world: São Paulo). Some clubs would also be plagued by rival torcidas which would battle each other as well as the opponents.

A notable incident of violence was the "Battle of Pacaembu" in 1995. When the U-20 "Supercopa Junior" tournament finals between Palmeiras and São Paulo FC at the Pacaembu Stadium ended with a golden goal, Palmeiras supporters invaded the pitch to celebrate. São Paulo supporters invaded an area under renovation, stealing bricks, rocks, sticks and other building materials to invade the pitch as well and attack their rival supporters. As this was a junior tournament, police and paramedical services were too meagre to manage the riot. 108 people were wounded and one person died, resulting in tighter controls being imposed on the Torcidas Organizadas.

Rivalry is embedded in Brazilian football culture, but when it comes to their organized (or uniformed) supporters, things can take a turn for the worse. Some groups can relate only with their equals, a common occurrence for "torcidas organizadas", "barras bravas" and "firms" all over the world.