Ronaldinho Gaúcho and four members of Brazil’s 2002 FIFA World Cup-winning squad have formed a band as part of a campaign activation for Guaraná Antarctica, performing alongside singer Ivete Sangalo at Maracanã Stadium ahead of the Brazilian National Team’s Farewell Match.
Voted FIFA World Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005, Ronaldinho Gaúcho joined fellow 2002 world champions Edílson, Júnior, Belletti, and Denílson on stage during the Warm-Up Show sponsored by Guaraná Antarctica. The players entered during the performance, with thousands in the stands singing along. The show was broadcast live nationwide.
Content was published on Instagram by Ivete Sangalo, Guaraná Antarctica, and the players’ official profiles.
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The activation drew on a piece of 2002 squad lore: a core group of players, led by Ronaldinho Gaúcho and Edílson, kept spirits high throughout the campaign by playing pagode and singing before and after matches. According to the release, that atmosphere is highlighted in the Netflix documentary series Ronaldinho: The Happiest Man in the World.
“Guaraná Antarctica celebrates the unique way Brazilians cheer, and this mix of football, music, and casual banter is in our DNA. Only the ‘Original from Brazil,’ which has been alongside the Brazilian National Team since before the Penta victory, could reunite the 2002 champions in a moment that is so authentically Brazilian. Our goal was to rescue the energy that led Brazil to its fifth title to fuel the thirst to cheer and win on the road to the Hexa (sixth title). It was entertainment that made sense for the fan, whether they were cheering from the stands or at home,” said Guilherme Poyares, Marketing Director, Guaraná Antarctica.
The band formation was part of Guaraná Antarctica’s campaign ‘Sede de Torcer É Coisa Nossa’ (The Thirst to Cheer is Our Thing), which the release describes as encouraging fans to root for the Brazilian National Team in its pursuit of a sixth World Cup title. The concept, according to the release, translated the collective and characteristically Brazilian way of experiencing football — both inside and outside the stadium.
“The laid-back vibe of the iconic 2002 National Team samba circles carries a unique, lighthearted, and originally Brazilian energy. It was a celebration to send good vibes to the new generation of the National Team and remind everyone that nobody cheers, celebrates, and turns football into a party quite like Brazilians. It was a moment of pure brasilidade (Brazilian essence), because the thirst to cheer is ‘Our Thing’,” Poyares said.
The creative concept was developed by Beta Collective, with design by NAF, execution by The Buzz Now, digital content strategy and production by Snack, and production of the Maracanã show by Recomendo.
Credits
Creative Agency: Beta Collective
Creative Directors: Bernardo Tavares, Marcelo Monzillo
Art Director: Marcelo Monzillo
Copywriter: Bernardo Tavares
Design: NAF™
Image Production: Beta Collective, NAF™
Image Retouching: Gustavo Dias
Marketing Director: Guilherme Poyares
