It’s a battle of Young vs. Old in Brazil this Sunday as Sada Cruzeiro F.A. hits the road to face off against the Corinthians Steamrollers at the famous Estadio do Flamengo in Sao Paulo.
One of the most storied and traditional teams in Brazil, the two-time national champion Corinthians Steamrollers are also one of the most famous. With 1.4 million followers on Facebook, the Steamrollers enjoy a larger social media presence than a handful of NFL teams. But with their glory days behind them, the once premier team from Sao Paulo now finds itself winless in national competition, relying on both youth and patience to rebuild a once thriving program.
Corinthians Steamrollers (right) in Brazilian state semifinals, May 2017
On the other side of the field, Sada Cruzeiro continues to be the hottest team in Brazil. Riding a streak of 455 days and counting without a loss, the team from Belo Horizonte is absolutely dominating in its first year of top-league competition. Under the leadership of second-year head coach Daniel Levy, Sada Cruzeiro is outscoring its opponents by an average margin of 42 – 2 during the BFA regular season.
Credit Cruzeiro’s breakneck offense to Levy’s up-tempo system and the play of star Brazilian quarterback, Alvaro Fadini. If Levy is the mastermind, then Fadini–who in his last 3 games has passed for 10 touchdowns and rushed for 2 more–is unquestionably the driver of this offensive machine
“He’s probably the most coachable player I’ve ever been around,” says Levy, who also mentored Fadini as the head coach of the Vila Velha Tritoes in 2014.
“We have a lot of weapons on offense, but it’s Alvaro’s comfort in the system that has made us so successful. The physical talent is one thing. But the intelligence, the leadership, and the toughness is really where he sets himself apart from other QBs.”
Sada Cruzeiro beat Minas Locomotiva 42-0 earlier this year
On the defensive side of the ball, Levy credits the leadership of his coaching staff for the unit’s stingy results.
“You have a guy like Lex Braga as a DC–a Brazilian with international experience, who can coach these guys at a high level while speaking Portuguese–and it makes all the difference in the world. And then there is my Assistant Head Coach, Leandro Veal. Anyone who brings nearly a decade of NFL experience is going to make an impact. So those guys make my job a lot easier.”
So how does a team who is dominating everyone who steps in their path prepare to face a struggling opponent?
“The same as we prepare for anyone. It’s never about them,” says Levy, referring to Cruzeiro’s opponents.
“It’s always about us. No matter who we’re facing, our level must always remain the same. That’s the only way I know to play football.”
Watch the game live here. Kickoff: Sunday, Sept. 10, 10a (3p CEST, 9a EDT)