If you read my blog, you know one of my favorite hobbies is to follow football/soccer. My playing time and pro period is long gone, but I am still a fervent follower of the sport. In my travels, I had time to see some good matches and in football crazy countries, So when came to live as an expat in Brazil naturally I sought out the football, and gladly was in a bit football craze city of Curitiba in the State of Paranà , south Brazil. I like to update this memorable post for you and me ; hope you enjoy it as I.
Starting from less to more let me tell you about the Club Athletico Paranaense a football/soccer club based in Curitiba , State of Paranà. It was founded on March 26, 1924 of the merger of the International Football Club and the Paraná America. It plays the home games at the Arena da Baixada. It is popularly known as Furacão (Hurricane), nickname that was won in the 1950s. It,also, became the first team in Paraná to participate in a national competition.
Athletico is the owner of the Arena da Baixada stadium, officially Joaquim Américo Guimarães Stadium, considered one of the most modern in Latin America. It also has a sports center, considered among the five most innovative in the world. The Joaquim Américo Guimarães Stadium was inaugurated in June 1999, for an Atlético friendly against Cerro Porteño (Paraguay). For the 2014 Football/Soccer World Cup, this same stadium would be chosen as one of the venues of the maximum world event. For this, the stadium’s capacity was expanded to 40,000 spectators.
The colors of the Club Athletico Paranaense are T-shirt Red and black on first team and then t-shirt, black pants and black tights. Alternative t-shirt: White t-shirt, white pants and white socks. Their official Club Athletico Paranaense : https://www.athletico.com.br/en/
However, the one I followed the most as most of my local friends there were fans was the Coritiba Foot Ball Club. Let me tell you about it ok. The Coritiba Foot Ball Club is a club based in Curitiba, with its football/soccer section is popularly call Coxa. It was founded in 1909 by German immigrants. The first club in the State of Paranà as well as the first club green and white in Brazil.
It plays the games at the Estadio Couto Pereira located at Rue Ubaldino do Amaral, 37 . Its record was 80 000 with the presence of Pope John Paul II in 1980. Coritiba FBC currently appears in the Guinness Book of Records as the holder of the best winning streak in football with 24 consecutive victories. The Paranaense team achieved that mark on September 8, 2011, and that same day the famous book of world brands decorated it with the name of “Most victorious team in the world.” The Coritiba club has two groups of fans: the main one, Império Alviverde (green empire) with a second one known as the Mancha Verde (green spot). The official colors uniform are White t-shirt with two green horizontal stripes, black pants and white bands . The second team uniform: T-shirt with vertical green and white stripes, white pants and white bands. Alternative uniform: Green shirt, black pants and green socks.
The largest and most traditional stadium in Paraná, Major Antonio Couto Pereira is the house of the nation “coxa-branca” (white thigh) and one of the symbols of the Paranaense capital. It was inaugurated in 1932 under the name of Belfort Duarte Stadium. The Couto, as it is affectionately called, is located in the Alto da Glória neighborhood, close to the commercial center of the city. It has capacity for 37 000 spectators, has modern structures of food, shops and recreation spaces. It has the best type of grass in the world for football/soccer practice and an efficient security system.
I really enjoyed the games here and with great friendly company still in touch..! The official Coritiba Football Club: https://www.coritiba.com.br/Portal
After all, the classic advantage is for Coritiba, who has 127 wins against 107 Paranaense and 99 draws; last count I can find.Also, Coritiba has 39 titles to 25 for Paranaense. The Atle-Tiba is one of the most traditional derbies in Brazilian football/soccer. There you go folks, a dandy times in football stadiums in Curitiba !! Memories forever in memorable Curitiba.
And remember, happy travels,good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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