On Thursday, during the Copa Liberdores match between Nacional and Mexican club Toluca, Nacional fans showed their team spirit and covered three-quarters of Estadio Centenario stadium and most of its 65,000-capacity stands with the colorful tribute.
The grueling task of making the 1968-foot by 170-foot banner took over a year-and-a-half once the design was decided upon and took hundreds of fans to lug it into the stadium before lowering it over the crowd. The home crowd effort paid off. Nacional won 4-0.
On the left of the banner, the words "Al bolso lo hace grande su gente" are written. They translate to, "The fans make Bolso (the club's nickname) a great team".
To the right, it reads, "La Banda del Parque. La que nunca abandona", which translates to, "The group from the park, that will never abandon the club."
In addition, the names were printed of the 5,400 fans who helped bring the dream of the flag to reality, while a tribute to the club's founding fathers is also written.
"Padre y Decano del futbol uruguayo" y 'Primer club criollo de America' ('The Father and Dean of Uruguayan football" and "The first creole club in America"). Creole refers to European descendants who were born in the Americas, thus making them the first club not founded or controlled by foreigners.
Nacional, Uruguay's most successful club, have won the Copa Libertadores, South America's Champions League, three times - in 1971, 1980 and 1988 - while adding 44 league titles.
If the fans get tired of using it at every game, it could become the world's longest Slip 'N Slide®.
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