It was a 1910 tour to Brazil by an English football team which inspired the creation of Sao Paulo giants Corinthians, 105 years ago today, by enthusiastic locals.
According to the story, inspired by watching a game the night before involving London side Corinthian FC, five railway workers Anselmo Correa, Antonio Pereira, Carlos Silva, Joaquim Ambrosio and Raphael Perrone met under a gas lamp in the neighbourhood of Bom Retiro and decided to form a new club S.C. Corinthians Paulista.
Within three years they’d captured regional glory in the São Paulo championship as their supporter numbers grew. Their rivalry with the Rio state teams would see them become one of the biggest clubs in the country. However, a first Brazilian title wouldn’t arrive until 1990. A decade later Corinthians won the first ever Club World Cup against Vasca de Gama at the Maracana.
The club, whose most famous Ultras group are known as Gavioes de Fiel, Hawks of the faithful, achieved the same feat in 2012, defeating Chelsea 1-0 in Japan in front of 30,000 travelling fans – the same year they won a first Copa Libertadores crown.
In 2009 they signed the legendary Ronaldo who led them to the Copa do Brasil before announcing his retirement from football in 2011.
With 141 goals in 471 appearances, Brazilian icon Rivelinho is considered the greatest Corinthians player in history.
Earlier this year, the modern-day descendants of that original English touring side, Corinthian-Casuals returned to South America to commemorate that first game in front of 26,000 at the World Cup stadium Arena Corinthians. The Ryman Isthmian League South side held out for 78 minutes before falling to a 3-0 loss.
Main image: Italian designer Osvaldo Oz Casanova was commissioned to create a match-poster to celebrate the event.
Images: Corinthian-Casuals Football Club Facebook
Video: Vai Corinthians Film
Video: Corinthians