Remembering the Flamengo 1981 Kit: Zico, Tokyo and the Hoops

The Flamengo 1981 kit is the shirt of the club’s greatest season. Red and black hoops, a red V-neck, red cuffs and an Adidas Trefoil on the chest. In it, Zico’s side won the Copa Libertadores, the Campeonato Carioca and then beat Liverpool 3-0 in Tokyo to become champions of the world. Forty-five years later it is still the reference point for every Flamengo home shirt, including the 27-28 design that has just leaked.

What the Flamengo 1981 kit looked like

Wide horizontal hoops of red and black run across the body. A red V-neck collar and red cuffs frame it, the CR monogram crest sits on the left chest and a small Trefoil sits on the right. The cut is the short, close-fitting style of early-1980s football.

Adidas was the club’s kit supplier in the early 1980s. Sources differ on the exact dates of that first spell (1980 to 1992 in some Brazilian histories, 1981 to 1991 in others), but Brazilian histories agree that the Libertadores and Tokyo shirts were Adidas. Umbro took over in the 1990s, and Adidas returned in 2013.

White shorts completed the kit, and the 2025 remake gives them red and black side stripes and a black Trefoil, as in the period. Hoops over white is the look most fans picture when they think of Zico in his prime.

Three titles in three weeks

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The 1981 season ended with a burst of trophies. Paulo César Carpegiani had taken charge in July, and between late November and 13 December Flamengo lifted three trophies.

The Libertadores was the club’s first. Zico finished as the competition’s top scorer with 11 goals, and the deciding game at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo settled a final that had gone to a third match after Cobreloa won in Santiago.

Tokyo, 13 December 1981

The Intercontinental Cup was played at the National Stadium in Tokyo in front of 62,000 people, with a midday kick-off. Liverpool, managed by Bob Paisley and captained by Phil Thompson, were the European champions. Flamengo were captained by Zico.

It was over by half-time. Nunes scored after 12 minutes from a Zico pass. Adílio made it two on 34 minutes, following up after a Zico free-kick, and Nunes added the third before the break, again set up by Zico. There were no more goals after the break, and the Mexican referee Mario Rubio Vázquez blew for full time at 3-0.

Zico did not score, but he had a hand in all three goals and took the man of the match award. Flamengo became the second Brazilian club to win the trophy, after Santos, and in 2017 FIFA recognised Intercontinental Cup winners as club world champions. The supporters had called it “o Mundial” all along.

The players who wore it

The 1981 side is the one Flamengo fans still recite. Raul Plassmann in goal, Leandro and Júnior at full-back, Marinho and Mozer at centre-back, Andrade, Adílio and Zico in midfield, with Tita, Lico and Nunes ahead of them. Nunes was the season’s top scorer with 45 goals in all competitions.

Leandro, Júnior and Zico were part of Brazil’s 1982 World Cup squad a few months later, which ties the club side to the Brazil retro shirts of the same era.

The 2025 Adidas remake

Adidas Originals released a 1981 collection in March 2025, as reported by Footy Headlines. It included a remake of the hooped home shirt with the red V-neck and cuffs, white 1980s-cut shorts with red and black side stripes, a red track jacket and a white cotton tee with “CR Flamengo Brasil” lettering. Brazilian press reported prices from R$249.99 for the tee and shorts up to R$699.99 for the jacket.

Remakes are close to the originals but not identical. Crest detail, fabric and fit are modern, so if you want to know how a remake differs from a shirt from the period, our guide to retro remakes versus vintage shirts covers what to look at.

Why the 1981 hoops still matter

Every new Flamengo home shirt is compared with 1981. The Flamengo 27-28 home kit leak goes back to narrower hoops and a nod to the 1912 first shirt, while the current shirt keeps the broad hoops. Our Flamengo 2026-27 kits guide covers the home, away and third designs worn this season.

The 1981 team beat Liverpool, but if your loyalties are on that side, the Liverpool retro shirts page includes the 1981-84 home shirt from the same era.

Shop the 1981 look

• Retro Flamengo 1981 home shirt: red and black hoops, red V-neck and cuffs.
• White Flamengo 1981 retro tee: white body, red collar and cuffs, “CR Flamengo Brasil” lettering.
• Retro Flamengo 1995-96 home shirt, from the Umbro years.
• Flamengo 2026-27 home shirt, the current hoops.

Browse the full Flamengo collection or our list of classic retro football kits for more from the 1970s, 80s and 90s.

FAQ

Who made Flamengo’s 1981 kit?

Adidas. The Trefoil sits on the chest of the 1981 shirt, and Adidas supplied Flamengo from the early 1980s until Umbro took over in the 1990s.

What was the score when Flamengo played Liverpool in 1981?

Flamengo won 3-0 at the National Stadium in Tokyo on 13 December 1981. Nunes scored twice and Adílio once.

Did Zico score against Liverpool in 1981?

No. Zico set up all three goals and was named man of the match, but the scorers were Nunes (two) and Adílio.

Did Adidas remake the Flamengo 1981 shirt?

Yes. Adidas Originals released a 1981 collection in March 2025 with a remake of the hooped shirt, retro shorts, a red track jacket and a white tee.

Image credit: Footy Headlines (Adidas 2025 Flamengo 1981 collection).