from 1935 until early 1936, before transferring. In 1936, the club made its first international tour, to play friendly matches in Mexico and the United States. In nine matches, the team won six, drew one, and lost two. The following year, renovations began on the General Severiano Stadium, to expand it and put up new cement bleachers. In the reinauguration match in 1938, they won 3–2 over Fluminense. In this era, Botafogo lent players to the World cup. The edition with the largest number of players from the club called up was nine, in 1934, Italy: Goalkeepers Germano and Pedrosa, defender Octacílio, midfielders Ariel, Canalli, Martim Silveira and Waldyr, and the attacking duo Áttila and Carvalho Leite. 1940s: The fasting of Heleno de Freitas In the early 1940s, especially after the merger of rowing and football in 1942, Botafogo had great players on its team, but failed to win titles. Names such as Gérson dos Santos, Tovar, and Zezé Procópio passed through the club without lifting a trophy. Besides them, one of the greatest idols in Botafogo's history, controversial striker Heleno de Freitas, also left the club without winning trophies, except for the 1947 Início Cup and smaller competitions. In the team from 1940 to 1948, Heleno scored 209 goals in 235 games with the black-and-white jersey and formed alongside Tesourinha, Zizinho, Jair Rosa Pinto and Ademir Menezes the offensive quintet considered the greatest in the history of the Brazilian National team. Despite that, it was only after Heleno's departure, in 1948, that Botafogo won the Carioca Championship again: After three consecutive runner-up finishes, the Glorioso debuted in that year's edition, defeated 4–0 by São Cristóvão. From then on, under coach Zezé Moreira and led on the field by Octávio Moraes and Sylvio Pirillo, the team never lost again in the competition. In the last match of the tournament, Botafogo defeated Vasco, the team nicknamed Expresso da Vitória ("Victory Express") by 3–1 and became champions. The 1948 Carioca Championship was also responsible for the emergence of one of the club's mascots. During the preliminary match between Botafogo and Madureira, the dog Biriba, which belonged to the reserve defender Macaé, invaded the field, as if celebrating the victory of the team by 10–2. Club president Carlito Rocha fell in love with the animal, especially due to its black and white fur, and decided to adopt it as a mascot. From then