The End for an Evil Character

By: Bruno Romani | June 28th, 2008

One of the most despised characters of Brazilian football is no longer. Last night Vasco da Gama held elections for new president, and Eurico Miranda lost the elections. Roberto Dinamite, one of the biggest idols in the history of the club, will be the new president. Dinamite beat Miranda with 140 against 103 votes.

After 41 years, Eurico Miranda has been disconnected from Vasco. In those 41 years, the man collected a few title, tons polemics and a couple of investigations.

In 2001, he was one of the targets of a congressional investigation which focused on the wrongdoings of Brazilian football. As usual, nothing happened. Eurico had a few connections from the time he served as a congressman, a period he said he did not represent the people in congress, but Vasco fans.

Among other things, Eurico is known for bizarre facts which are the personification of the “professional” Brazilian politician. In early 2001, he felt persecuted by TV Globo due to the events that led to the postponement of the final match of the 2000 Campeonato Brasileiro between Vasco and São Caetano. (Just as a reminder: In that match, part of Vasco’s stadium collapsed with 5 minutes into the match. Eurico just wanted the injured removed from the pitch, and wanted the match to resume. The match was transferred to a date in January of 2001.). Knowing that Globo was going to broadcast that match, Eurico made the logo of SBT (TV Glob’s rival channel at the time) appear on Vasco’s jersey for no money in exchange.

In a match between Vasco and Flamengo, Vasco had the rights to the money of the match. Eurico took the money with him from the stadium and was mysteriously robbed in the streets of Rio.

In 2000, he invaded the pitch in the match between Vasco and Paraná and prevented from being resumed.

The election of last night was the conclusion of something that started in 2006. At the time, Eurico won the elections for president. The opposition accused Eurico of fraud and took the case to the courts of Rio. The courts cancelled the result and forced Vasco to hold new elections, which now ended in the opposition’s hands. It may be the beginning of a new era.

Hail to Vasco! Eurico, we won’t miss you.

(Eurico and Dinamite in the early 80’s)