The dream of Atlético Mogi, the ”worst team in the world” – 04/24/2023 – Sport

“Dude, why doesn’t this chick watch the game quiet?”

What irritated the almost non-existent public at the Antônio Soares de Oliveira stadium, in Guarulhos, were the screams of Nicolly Amorim. She repeated, screaming, every 30 seconds, a “go, Thiago” with a strident sound. As if, alone, she could make her boyfriend decide the match.

It was an inglorious mission. Thiago is number 7 for Atlético Mogi, who last year earned the nickname “worst team in the world”. He inherited the nickname used to define the folkloric Ibis. In 2022, the São Paulo metropolitan area team reached 54 matches without a win. He beat the negative record of Pernambuco.

Atlético debuted this Sunday (23) in what is their home, the Second State Division. Despite the nomenclature, it is the fourth and last level of São Paulo football. As expected, the team increased the fast to 55 games after being defeated by 2-0 by Guarulhos.

“When he told me [sobre jogar no Atlético Mogi]I told him about the fame of the team, I remember reading the story [da quebra de recorde] from the Ibis. He knows. Player’s father suffers. Goalkeeper father, so…”

Ronald Godoi is the father of goalkeeper Tiago. Alongside his wife Silene, his son’s girlfriend Giovana (“you can put it there that she’s the best daughter-in-law in Brazil”, he says), and his friend Silas, he silently watches the suffering on the pitch. The ball passes through the area so many times that great saves are possible and failures almost inevitable. Both happened.

Godoi claims to be distressed, but doesn’t show it. As if he’s prepared for what he sees. Atlético Mogi’s specialty has been to concede goals.

In the sequence of 55 matches, there were 229, an average of 4.16 every 90 minutes. In last year’s championship, it took 8-0 against Joseense, 6-0 against Manthiqueira and 6-1 against Flamengo de Guarulhos. The attack scored 25 times.

The last victory took place on June 17, 2017: 1-0 against Real Cubatense, at home. The team was not placed last in its group that season because Guaratinguetá withdrew from the competition. It has been the Lantern every year since. It hasn’t been demoted just because it has nowhere else to go. There is no fifth division in São Paulo.

“We see it as a challenge. He knows there is a taboo and he went to the club to change that. It’s a motivation”, says Pedro da Silva Júnior, who asks to be called Nei, father of Brendon, Atlético’s number 10 Mogi. Alongside his wife Claudia, he asks his son to calm down on the field. The point guard is the one who complains the most about the way the match develops. He chases the ball all the time, but he can’t change the scoreboard.

Atlético Mogi is chaired by businessman Roberto Costa. The club’s Facebook profile shows pictures of it in Europe, looking for partners. The posts say that the purpose of the trips was to assemble teams and trade players. According to parents of athletes heard by the report, he claims to have contacts to make transactions with international teams.

On December 26, 2022, the association published a text announcing that it was looking for people interested in taking athletes aged 18 to 23 to compete in the Second Division. “We are looking for investment partners who are interested in making a serious partnership with qualified players to then be negotiated with clubs in the international market through Atlético Mogi, where we have the best partnerships”, says the statement.

Maintaining registration with the FPF (Federação Paulista de Futebol) costs a lot of money. Just to validate a professional club, the fee is R$ 800 thousand.

A Sheet tried to contact Costa, but he did not return calls.

Atlético Mogi players do not receive salaries. The expression used by them to refer to the tournament is “showcase”. It’s a chance to show up to get another job, they believe. Except for a surprising ranking, the team’s season lasts ten rounds and should end on June 24, again in Guarulhos, only against Flamengo.

They saw each other as they can. There are those who save money during the year to build a financial reserve and pursue their dream of playing professional football. Others rely on parental support. Thiago, number 7, has an online football shirt store, maintained with his girlfriend Nicolly.

She is never bothered by the sidelong glances as she shouts at her attacker.

“Wow, I already got into so many fights because of him…” he says.

The audience that goes to the stadium to see Atlético Mogi is made up of family members and girlfriends of players. They are their fans, not the team’s. In the stadium parking lot, only one car has a Mogi das Cruzes license plate. The squad doesn’t even train in the city. It carries out the activities in a center in Vila Mariana, in the south zone of the capital.

Football doesn’t just represent hope for players who play in a league that is supposed to be professional but don’t get paid a penny. It’s the dream that everything can change overnight, even in the state’s fourth division. It goes for those who follow them too. The faith that an Atlético Mogi victory could change their level because they will be in the news.

“A victory will make them go from hell to heaven. On the day of victory, everything changes”, believes Ronald, father of goalkeeper Tiago.

Maybe, but it wasn’t last Sunday. Things looked promising until the 13th minute of the second half. Tactically disciplined, Atlético Mogi even threatened in the attack and held the draw. But Samuel scored twice for Guarulhos, and full-back Messa was expelled. He finished.

The second goal, to worsen the mood of Ronald, Silene, Silas and the best daughter-in-law in Brazil, was missed by Tiago. They were impassive in front of the cries of “frangueiro” from the local crowd. Shortly before, the goalkeeper had prevented a sure goal from Guarulhos.

With time running out and the defeat consolidated, the visiting “fans” were sulking, almost all with their eyes on their cell phones. Even the Guarulhos public began to leave, certain that the result was guaranteed.

The next round will bring the confrontation with a local rival. In two games last year, União Mogi scored 15 goals at Atlético.

The only one who remained excited was the dog Brutus, who lives in the stadium.

“He is like that because there are people stepping on the lawn. No one can enter the field, no. Only him,” said an official at the site.