By Fernando Cardoso
SAO PAULO (Reuters) -The Kansas City Chiefs wrapped up a brief visit to Brazil on Friday with a season-opening loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, but despite the defeat, the team outshined their divisional rivals in the fight for the hearts and minds of Brazilian fans.
In Sao Paulo for just the second ever NFL game in the city, Chiefs players - especially quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce - were treated as major celebrities throughout their stay, turning Corinthians
Arena into a scene reminiscent of Arrowhead Stadium.
Before kickoff, crowds of fans gathered around the Chiefs' tunnel, eager to catch a glimpse of the players as they went out for warm-ups, while Chargers’ entrance remained largely ignored. And during the game, the stands were awash in red, and Los Angeles players were booed at times.
"I thought the crowd and the atmosphere were awesome. It's something I will remember for the rest of my life", Mahomes told reporters post-game. "That part is really cool. I won't remember the result, but I will remember being here for sure."
It was bittersweet for the Chargers, who were designated as the home team by the NFL and missed the opportunity to face their rivals in front of their own fans. Still, led by quarterback Justin Herbert, they managed to secure a 27-21 win.
The crowd fell silent during the first half as the Chiefs struggled to get points on the board. But energy surged back when the reigning AFC champs appeared to turn the game around.
The superstar treatment began as soon as the Chiefs landed at the Sao Paulo airport on Wednesday. Dozens of enthusiastic fans greeted them, leading Mahomes to say in a press conference the next day that the Chiefs were obviously "known here".
"The people were phenomenal. The people that we ran into, fans, whether it was at the airport, whether it was today, on our travel here and throughout the game," Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said in a post-game press conference.
"The crowd was great, passionate."
Kansas City's popularity in Brazil is well-earned. The team's recent success - including five Super Bowl appearances in the last six years - has made them an attractive choice for new fans, especially in the South American country where the sport's popularity is growing at a fast pace.
Off-field factors have also played a role, with the relationship between Kelce and pop music icon Taylor Swift, who has a passionate fan base in the country, sparking more sympathy for the team.
The atmosphere on Friday was a sharp contrast to last year's game, when the crowd was almost evenly split between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers, creating a playoff-like environment in the stadium.
(Reporting by Fernando Cardoso; Editing by Tom Hogue)
