It was derby day, but nothing changed. Joao Leite believed that he had been assigned by Jesus Christ to spread the word of God among other football players.
In December 1982, just like he had done for every match for the past three years, the goalkeeper randomly approached an opponent before the big game started.
The Cruzeiro keeper was presented with a copy of the Bible by Jesus, who told him he had a gift for him.
The circumstances made it seem a little strange. He admitted to feeling angry when he received the book.
He joined the religious movement of Athletes of Christ after changing his mind. He was not the only convert.
Some of the most influential people in Brazilian football were members of Athletes of Christ.
They were four in number at their first meeting. It would grow to about 7,000 across 60 countries, including high-profile football players such as 2007 Ballon d'Or winner Kaka and ex-Bayern Munich centre-back Lucio.
Leite, who played five times for Brazil, says that it all began with Alex Dias Ribeiro, a Formula 1 driver who competed with "Jesus Saves" slogans on his cars.
The Brazilian Football Association banned me from playing with Christ Saves on my shirt and threatened to deduct points from my team.
I began to give Bibles to other players. There was a lot of prejudice against evangelical players. The national team didn't feel comfortable. It wasn't easy for me.
Around 1980, when Leite set out on his mission, 88.9% of Brazil's population identified as Catholics. The movement of evangelicalism is within Protestant Christianity.
The balance has changed a lot. Datafolha put the figures at 50% and 31% in 2021.
By 2032, it is predicted that evangelical churches will be drawing more worshipers in Brazil.
The Athletes of Christ movement went from strength to strength after Leite retired from football.
In Argentina, the association's own TV show was aired three times a week. They tried to convert Diego Maradona.
One of their most prominent figures, Brazil right-back Jorginho, handed out Bibles to his opponents when he captained his club side.
He was a member of the Brazil team that beat Italy in a shoot-out to win the 1994 World Cup. Five of them formed a circle in the center of the pitch and thanked God after Roberto Baggio's penalty flew over the bar. The sixth member had a six-yard box.
When Baggio picked up the ball, Taffarel said he had no doubt that we would win.
The cover of the book "Quem Venceu o Tetra?" was a picture of Taffarel, now a goalkeeping coach at a soccer team, celebrating with his arms raised to the heavens in front of a Baggio, a Nichiren Buddhist.
The testimony from the players gave credit to God for the victory, which was criticized by Mario Zagallo. It was a turning point.
The popularity of the Athletes of Christ movement has waned. Since 1994, the influence of evangelicalism within the national team has increased.
Leite encountered some hostility towards his faith within the national set-up in the 1980s, whereas now evangelical pastors are granted special access to team camps. They rely on donations from players to travel and hold services in separate rooms. In some cases, the pastor has become a part of the players.
During the 2002 World Cup, which Brazil also won, the defenders would join in prayer.
"You could do whatever you wanted on your days off," Lucio told the magazine Revista Trip in 2010. "For me, those were moments of faith.
Positive ideas on how to handle the enormous pressure we had to face in those games were discussed.
The players wore white shirts with slogans such as "I love God" and "I belong to Jesus" after winning the Confederations Cup.
The officials told them to remove them, but Lucio draped his shorts around the trophy as he raised it. A warning letter was sent to Brazil by Fifa, who banned political, religious or personal statements, after the Danes publicly complained about the image.
In the year after, voices from within Brazil began to question whether evangelicalism had too much influence on the national set-up.
Ronaldinho wouldn't go to the World Cup because football isn't enough, according to the cover page of the magazine. You have to be a member of theigrejinha to do that.
After Brazil were knocked out of the World Cup by the Netherlands, there were claims that a long-serving performance analyst had been replaced with someone who had more evangelical experience.
In 2015, the chief of security was fired by the Brazilian FA for allowing an evangelical service to take place inside the team's hotel without the knowledge of the coach.
The pastor posted on social media that heaven was celebrating because three lives accepted Jesus Christ and made the right decision. Several people were present, including Alisson Becker and Fabinho, David Luiz and Lucas Moura.
In Brazil, evangelicals have grown in number and power. It is also in politics.
More than 70% of the evangelical community supported far-right president Jair Bolsonaro in the elections.
Bolsonaro, who was born into a Catholic family and later re-baptised in the Jordan river by an evangelical pastor, promised to appoint a Supreme Court judge who was "terribly evangelical". He has delivered.
A video of the first lady of Brazil shouting "Glory to God" and speaking in tongues went viral after she was confirmed for the role by an evangelical pastor.
The reopening of churches during the Covid-19 epidemic was defended by Mendonca, who was the attorney general. He said his appointment was one small step for man and one giant step for evangelicals.
There was a rumour in 1986 that Brazil was considering making Catholicism its only official religion. 32 evangelical federal deputies were elected that year. There are 105 such deputies and 15 senators.
Some of them hold services at the Chamber of Deputies. 58 legislators dedicated their vote to God when Dilma Rousseff was impeached.
Critics link evangelicalism in politics with a strengthening of the conservative agenda and a rise in intolerance that does not allow for those of other religious beliefs, especially those of African origin, to express themselves.
With the next presidential elections set for 2 October, many evangelical football players like Neymar are seen as playing a key role in boosting his appeal, as Bolsonaro's national approval rating recently dropped to 22%.
Walter Casagrande, a former Brazil international and now a pundit, has criticized the Paris St-Germain forward.
It was interesting to note the celebration of Paulinho when he scored for Brazil in a 4-2 win over Germany at the Olympic Games.
Taking a stand against religious persecution, the 21-year-old made the gesture of an archer in homage to Oxossi, his orixa, in the Candomble religion.
Candomble has been practised in Brazil in the past in secret, a mixture of traditional beliefs from different regions in Africa. It still comes under attack from radical evangelicals who consider the religion to be satanic.
There is still room for all religions in Brazil and in the national team, according to Paulinho.
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