Vasco's biggest rivals are from the same city: Fluminense, Botafogo and Flamengo, with the latter being its biggest rival. The games between Vasco and Flamengo ("Millions Derby") are the most watched in Brazil. The matches are usually played in the Maracanã, and reunite the two biggest crowds of Rio de Janeiro.^[5]

[edit] Kit evolution

Vasco da Gama's kit evolution.

Vasco da Gama is one of the oldest Brazilian clubs and has had several different kits in its history. Vasco da Gama's first kit, used in rowing, was created in 1898, and was completely black, with a left diagonal sash.

Vasco da Gama's first football kit, created in 1916, was completely black, and was easily identified because of the presence of a white tie and a belt.

In 1929, the club's kit was changed. The tie and the belt were removed. However, the kit remained all-black.

In the 1930s, the home kit's color was changed again. The kit became black with a white right diagonal sash.

In 1945, the kit's color was changed to white, and a black diagonal sash was introduced. The sash was introduced because the club's manager at the time, the Uruguayan Ondino Viera liked the sash used in his previous club's kit, River Plate, of Argentina, and adopted this pattern in Vasco da Gama's away kit. So, both kits had a right diagonal sash.^[6]

In 1988, the sash located on the back of the shirt was removed.

In 1998, the kit design was changed again. This kit became very similar to the 1945 one. However, a thin red line was placed around the sash.

Vasco has currently three kits. The home shirt's main color is white, with a black sash. The short and the socks are white. The away kit is similar to the home kit, but the main color is black, the sash is white, and the shorts and socks are black. The third kit is similar to the one used in 1929, being all-black, without the sash. The color of the player names and numbers is gold.

Currently, Reebok is the maker of all three Vasco da Gama's shirts. In 2009, it will be Champs.

[edit] Logo and flag

The eight stars on the crest and flag signify: 1- South American Club Championship: 1948; 2- Libertadores Cup: 1998; 3- Mercosur Cup: 2000; 4- Brazilian National Championship: 1974; 5- 1989; 6- 1997; 7- 2000; 8- The Unbeaten Championship of Earth-and-sea of 1945.

[edit] Anthems

Vasco's official anthem was composed in 1918, by Joaquim Barros Ferreira da Silva, it was the club's first anthem.^[7] There is another official anthem, created in the 1930s, called Meu Pavilhão (meaning My Pavilion), which lyrics were composed by João de Freitas and music by Hernani Correia. This anthem replaced the previous one.

The club's most popular anthem, however, is an unofficial anthem composed by Lamartine Babo in 1942:

[edit] Ultras