Rio state level

Given the once-traditional structure of Rio state league divided in turno and returno occasionally complemented by a shorter third turno with the top overall teams, Vasco and Flamengo have clinched 50 out of the 68 turnos (25 each). In 4 occasions an extra play-off between both teams was needed to decide the turno. In 9 occasions the derby was the last-round decisive game for both teams.

The first turno of Rio de Janeiro state league, named "Taça Guanabara" is given an extra importance, as it incorporates a previously traditional competition from only the inner-city clubs. Flamengo clinched it 13 times and Vasco 9 in this period.

They also participated together in a final phase (in direct titles decisions, triangular, quadrangular or semifinals) in 17 occasions out of 24. In 6 occasions, a final phase was not necessary as one team have won all turnos, this occurred 3 times for Vasco in 1977, 1992 and 1998 and also to Flamengo in 1978, 1979 and 1996.

Flamengo ended up winning 11 titles in that period, while Vasco won 8. This in particular stems from Flamengo's three consecutive titles from 1999 to 2001.

• A: América
• B: Bangu
• F: Botafogo
• M: Flamengo
• N: Fluminense
• V: Vasco

National level

Though less frequent in the Campeonato Brasileiro, Flamengo and Vasco still have made decisive matches in final phases of the championship 3 times. Flamengo won in the 1983 edition quarterfinals. In 1992 and 1997, both played in the same group of the second stage, in which the 1st place of the group would advance to the finals. Flamengo advanced in 1992 and Vasco eliminated their rivals in 1997, even winning the derby in the last round 4–1. Both teams, in the 1971–2001 period, were two of the most successful ones in the Série A, as Flamengo had won 5 titles by then, and Vasco da Gama had won 4.

Roberto Dinamite vs. Zico

At a time, the rivalry was personified in both players, still today considered the two most important players of each clubs' history that played for about the same time lapse. Though Roberto started playing earlier, both reached early stardom around 1974 and continued until the late 1980s. Both players crystallized their teams' style of play, Zico embodying the more technical, refined Flamengo of the 1980s and Roberto the attacking and passionate style of Vasco at the time. His nickname, Dinamite, came after his powerful shots, given at the time he scored his first goal as a professional in 1972. The first big matches between the two started in the play-offs of 1976 Taça Guanabara, where Zico missed a penalty kick, awarding the turno title to Vasco. The same occurred a year later, giving Vasco the overall title. Later on, Flamengo had a clear edge as it swept all turnos in 1978 and 1979 (including the 1979 Special championship). In the early 1980s, Vasco saw Flamengo raise to its three national titles then but still consistently gave a run for the money of their arch-rivals, as in the 1980 finals. After being the runners-up three times in a row, from 1978 to 1981, ending behind Flamengo and Fluminense, Vasco eventually defeated the brilliant world-champion Flamengo side in 1982 to win the Carioca title again. Both players always displayed enormous respect for their opponents and somehow were constantly admired by the other side.

Tita and Bebeto

After the Zico and Roberto phase, both teams experienced a transition period, though still maintaining a high standard. In that period some important players change sides, raising some passionate and controversial discussions. First, Tita that had started his career playing for Flamengo but later on, joined Vasco. He even scored the winning goal in the 1987 Carioca finals in Vasco's 1–0 victory. Bebeto also followed the same path and offered Vasco brilliant participation in the 1989 Brazilian league title, before going to Europe and eventually winning the 1994 World Cup alongside Romário.

1988

In this year, the two teams decided the title in direct play-offs for the third time in a row. Flamengo had clinched the 1986 title and Vasco the 1987 one. They ended up deciding the 1988 title, in which Vasco confirmed its status as favorite and won the last game 1–0 while, playing with the advantage in case of a draw. The winning goal only came with 1 minute left to play and was scored by Cocada, who came on as a substitute a few minutes before. He ended up being sent off for a provocative celebration, but Vasco still won their 17th Carioca title.

Romário

Romário eschewed this rivalry, being ambiguous about his support, as he declared supporting neither club, but rather América, a smaller and formerly prestigious club of Rio. Romário started his carrer playing for Vasco and started as a professional in 1986, clinching the 1987 state title. After moving to PSV Eindhoven, and later, Barcelona, he decided to join Flamengo in 1995 when returning to Brazil, which outraged Vasco supporters. Despite this, he was still hired by Vasco in the late 1990s. Romário was somewhat forgiven as he won Vasco's fourth Brazilian title in 2000 and the Mercosur Cup in 2001, contrasting with his time playing for Flamengo, in which he only won the Carioca title of 1996. He was also the top striker of the Brazilian championship for Vasco twice, in 2000 and 2005, the latter at age 40.

2001

The derby had very balanced statistics at this time, with a very slight advantage from Flamengo, specially in decisive matches. By the time of the late 1990s, Vasco was finally the major Carioca winner since 1923, when they started playing it, ahead of Flamengo and Fluminense. However, Flamengo made a comeback in that matter, as in early 2001 they won their third state championship in a row, being that all of them were won defeating Vasco in the finals. These wins of Flamengo happened during one of the greatest periods in Vasco's history, as they won two Brazilian titles and two South American titles. Due to these performances by Vasco, in each final between the two from 1998 to 2001, Flamengo was not considered the most likely side to win. Their third title, in 2001, came in a specially dramatic way, as Vasco played the last game with a one-goal advantage and as Petković scored a late winner for Flamengo, making it 3–1. For Flamengo fans, it was an answer from their club to humiliating defeats imposed by Vasco at the time, including two 5–1 wins.

2006

The clubs decided the finals of the 2006 Copa do Brasil. Though it was less prestigious at the time as the Brazilian clubs that were playing the Copa Libertadores did not compete in the tournament, this was considered the most important match in the history of the derby, as it was the first final between the two at a national level. Flamengo won the two legs and took the title, defeating Vasco 3–0 on aggregate. This was the second Cup title for the scarlet-blacks, while Vasco still did not have won the tournament by then. Due to this title, Flamengo also managed to win its fifth final in a row against Vasco in recent years.

2008–2011

In 2008, Vasco dropped to the Campeonato Brasileiro Série B, in a campaign in which they lost both matches against Flamengo. This was the first time one of the two were relegated in the Brazilian Championship. In the first match between two after that, Vasco beat Flamengo 2–0, however the Red-and-blacks were still able to clinch the title, the third in a row. In that same year Flamengo won the Campeonato Brasileiro for the sixth time, after 17 years. Meanwhile, in the second tier, Vasco got promoted winning the Série B title easily.

In the 2010 Brasileirão, Flamengo fought to avoid relegation until the end and finished 14th. The recently promoted Vasco side had a slightly better season, finishing 11th. Both derbies in the Campeonatio Brasileiro Serie A ended in draws, 0–0 and 1–1.

In the 2011 season, both clubs had better performances. The year started better for the Vultures, as they beat Vasco in the Taça Rio final after a penalty shootout and won their 32nd Campeonato Carioca title, since they had already won the Taça Guanabara that season. After being undefeated state champions, Flamengo's defeatless run ended when they lost 2–1 to Ceará in the Copa do Brasil quarterfinals and were eliminated. After that, Flamengo suffered a setback, which pushed Flamengo out of the Campeonato Brasileiro title run. Vasco however, had a better season overall, as they won their first Copa do Brasil title, defeating Coritiba in the finals. The Giant also fought for the Série A title until the end, but finished in second place, 2 points behind Corinthians, after a 1–1 draw in the Clássico dos Milhões on the final round.

Vasco's dark times and a new light for Flamengo

Flamengo started 2013 with a new president, Eduardo Bandeira de Mello, which was elected for a 3-year tenure, with the goal of paying up all the club's debts, which at the time were close in to 1 billion Reais. Despite having a mediocre campaign in the 2013 Campeonato Brasileiro, Flamengo managed to achieve their third Copa do Brasil title, beating the Athletico Paranaense in the finals, Cruzeiro in the Round of 16, and their other city rivals Botafogo in the quarter-finals, three teams that ended in the top 4 of the championship of that year.

In the other side of town, Vasco, after a good 2012 season, was relegated once again in 2013. All the 2011 Cup winning squad was out of the team, that ended up descending to Série B after a 5–1 defeat in the final round against Athletico Paranaense. Vasco managed to win two consecutive Carioca titles, in 2015 and 2016, however, the Giant was relegated one more time to Série B in 2015, just after being promoted in 2014.

In 2015, Flamengo and Vasco clashed in the Copa do Brasil for the second time in the derby's history, this time in the Round of 16. Vasco won the first leg 1–0 and drew the second 1–1, with a late equaliser from Rafael Silva. Despite being relegated that year, Vasco still managed to defeat their rivals in a knock-out stage of a national tournament for the first time.

Returning to the first division in 2017, Vasco managed to make a good campaign in the Campeonato Brasileiro and was qualified for the 2018 Copa Libertadores, after finishing in 7th place. However, the Admiral made mediocre campaigns in the national league in the following years, and ended up being relegated for the fourth time in 2020. In 2021, Vasco did not managed to be promoted to Série A for the first time, as in previous participations in the Série B, the club achieved its promotion right away. In 2022, the Giant was able to return to the first division, finishing 4th in the Série B.

In Flamengo's side, after the 2013 Copa do Brasil title, the club was consistently increasing its squad and performance in the following years. After paying a significant amount of their debts, the Vultures were having a surplus of money for the first time in decades, Flamengo started to bring in new stars for the team and after three years fighting for the top spots in the Brasileirão, they managed to win the Copa Libertadores for second time in the club's history, in 2019. Flamengo also won the Campeonato Brasileiro two times, in 2019 and 2020, the Copa do Brasil in 2022, and the Copa Libertadores once more in 2022, crowning a new golden era for the scarlet-blacks.

As a result of this recent disparity between the two teams, Flamengo managed to set a record streak of 17 unbeaten matches in the derby from 2016 to 2021, increasing its edge in head to head results.^[8]