Mineirão & BH Football: The Most Passionate City in Brazil
Belo Horizonte's football culture — divided between Atlético Mineiro and Cruzeiro — is among the most intense in Brazil; the Mineirão stadium hosted the infamous 7-1 World Cup semi-final and remains one of South America's great football temples
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Mineirão Stadium
The 66,000-capacity Mineirão – renovated for the 2014 World Cup – is where Brazil suffered the infamous 7-1 loss to Germany in the semi-finals; The stadium atmosphere of the Atlético or Cruzeiro derby is extraordinary
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Atlético Mineiro (Galo)
Atlético Mineiro — Galo (rooster) — has passionate support throughout Minas Gerais; their Copa Libertadores campaigns and domestic titles have produced some of Brazil's most dramatic footballing moments
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Cruzeiro Football Club
Cruzeiro's blue-whites are the other half of the BH football divide — the Clássico Mineiro between the two clubs fills Mineirão and divides the city in a rivalry comparable to any in world football
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The Football Museum of Mineirão
The museum inside the Mineirão covers Brazilian football history with a special focus on Minas Gerais football — the World Cup section documents the 7-1 semi-final with unusual candor
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BH Football Bar Culture
The sports bars of Savassi and the city center are transformed on match day — the tradition of watching football with beer, coxinha and the passionate commentary of Mineiros is a cultural experience in itself
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Estadio Independência
The historic 23,000-capacity Independência in the América FC area is one of Brazil's oldest stadiums — the stadium has hosted World Cup matches and has retained a classic Brazilian soccer atmosphere