Flamengo: Multi-Champion on the Field and the Number 10 in Cybersecurity
When we talk about Flamengo, we talk about passion, titles, and history. Over 130 years of winning trophies, capturing hearts, and bringing together one of the largest fan bases on the planet. A giant across different fields, pitches, courts, and arenas. And now, also beyond them.
This isn’t a story about goals or trophies. Today, the story we’re telling takes place far from the spotlight of the field, but it has become increasingly important for the club: strengthening the human factor in cybersecurity.
Awakening to a New Game
The digital era has brought many benefits to Flamengo: closer connections with fans, more innovation, and greater reach. But, of course, it also brought risks. And like any team aiming to stay at the top, Flamengo knew that far beyond firewalls and systems, it was essential to take care of one of the most important links in the security chain: the human factor.
It was at this point that the club took on a new challenge: focusing on Privacy as well. The message was clear— it was time to play seriously when it came to awareness and data protection.
Gamification: A Masterstroke
Traditional training just wasn’t working. Long videos, tedious webinars, rote memorization… none of it made sense in a dynamic environment like the club’s. And the Data Privacy team knew they needed something different, something more engaging… something that would truly ignite the winning spirit that runs through Flamengo’s veins!
“The team knew they couldn’t rely on that standard training. Compliance alone wasn’t enough. We needed a method that would spark real interest in the topic—something that connected with people’s daily routines.”
That’s when the red-and-black giant decided to step into the employees’ shoes and ask: what would it be like to learn about security in a way that’s fun, engaging, and actually effective?
By combining principles of andragogy and cybersecurity psychology, the club found that gamification was the right path to engage its teams. A program with games, leaderboards, badges, and a competitive experience made perfect sense within Flamengo’s organizational culture.
“We, who work in football and sports in general, have competition running through our veins. So gamification was a huge hit to grab everyone’s attention when it comes to cybersecurity.”
Since 2022, Flamengo has completed nine seasons with Hacker Rangers. Even as an optional program, participation and engagement have shown that commitment to cybersecurity is part of the club’s DNA.
The results, which could be another star on the red-and-black jersey, speak for themselves:
Latest Season:
40% access rate
49% of users completed at least one task
Nearly 5,000 tasks completed
Beyond Hacker Rangers
Flamengo’s awareness program, FLA+ Seguro, went far beyond adopting a gamified platform. The club built a complete cybersecurity and privacy ecosystem, offering a variety of initiatives to engage nearly 600 employees—always with a positive, relaxed, and engaging approach!
Today, Flamengo runs projects like the “Paredão do Mengão,” a comic-style magazine that turns technical topics into fun, accessible content, as well as biweekly engagement strategies featuring catch-up rounds, inter-season competitions, and a communication channel entirely dedicated to privacy.
“What we want is to teach in a way that people can easily understand. And before you know it, they’ll open the doors of their homes so we can talk to their families and friends about important topics. In a very light and engaging way, FLA+ Seguro extends beyond the physical boundaries of Flamengo.”
Behavior Change
And of course, all of Flamengo’s efforts have delivered real results for the club—results that can be seen in the small, everyday actions.
The security program has become part of employees’ daily routines, and today the team is not only more attentive to information protection but also genuinely excited about the topic.
“It’s really great to see how excited people get when talking about security. There’s always someone sharing that they activated a new feature or helped their family stay safe. We see firsthand how a positive teaching approach and simple language help bring people over to our side.”
One of the most emblematic moments of FLA+ Seguro came through a CyberAction report. An employee flagged that membership cards might be shared because the barcode scanner at the turnstiles could read photos of the codes on a phone. In other words, anyone with a photo of a membership card on their phone could gain entry to the club.
After the report, Flamengo quickly replaced the turnstiles with barcode scanners with turnstiles using facial recognition. This is the power of awareness driving real security improvements!
“Cyberattitudes are incredibly valuable. Many of the reports we receive aren’t even on the managers’ radar because they aren’t involved in day-to-day operations. We handle this information carefully, discuss it with the security and technology teams… and often, these reports turn into new security projects.”
4,662 Cyberattitudes
Average of 8.3 Cyberattitudes per user
With the right approach, anyone can be a security ranger.
Leadership Support and Recognition
At Flamengo, gamification is for everyone—literally, including the C-level executives! No one is left out, and everyone steps onto the field to be a champion.
“One manager even created a WhatsApp group with the team just to chat about the game. In the end, the entire department ranked among the top positions on the leaderboard.”
Even those who initially said they didn’t like gamification get involved over time. The club identifies these profiles, customizes strategies, and finds ways to bring them into the game, including a peer referral program.
“Gamification helps move beyond the digital and come to life in the real world. People connect with the experience. Here, we constantly hold recognition ceremonies, and managers from other areas also acknowledge employees’ efforts in security. At the end of each season, there’s a celebration complete with pom-poms, banners, and cheering… It’s literally a party!”
Chasing the Next Title
Flamengo has already earned the Black Certified seal from Hacker Rangers, a recognition of maturity and consistency in their awareness journey.
But of course, there’s still much more to achieve. When it comes to security, continuity is key—and in this regard, as in many others, the red-and-black team truly shines!
“No tool can replace human behavior. A cybersecurity mindset is crucial. From the perimeter to the digital environment, it’s people who control the technologies and manage operations. A well-trained eye can make all the difference.”
