Football is a way of life in Brazil. Any patch of grass, dirt or even sand generally has a set of posts. And it's not just the kids kicking balls around.
Along Praia do Flamengo near Marina da Gloria eight small sized pitches sit alongside one of Rio de Janeiro's numerous glorious beaches. All the pitches are artificial turf, which is a good thing because the constant games would've worn the patch of land down to a crater.
Normally groups just turn up and play – there's no clock, no scoreboard. The game lasts as long as the players want to play, or until another couple of teams form on the sideline and wait for the next couple of goals.
On Saturday mornings the games are a little more organised, though not much. There's a ref but no uniforms. But the skill level is immense. Most are on the older side of 40 but they could still hold their own against players half their age.
Some have been coming to the park for more than a decade, every weekend. They're all blue-collar workers - at best - who probably dreamed of playing for Brazil in their younger days but never played to any particular level. They just love football, because in Brazil that's just what you do.
Greg Pearson / Newshub.
