Operário Ferroviário Esporte Clube, based in Ponta Grossa, Paraná, is a club with a unique identity in Brazilian football, currently plying its trade in the Brazilian Série B. The team, known as "Fantasma" (The Ghost), plays its home matches at the Estádio Germano Krüger. Founded in 1912 by railway workers, the club's name and colors pay homage to its industrial roots. Operário has spent much of its history in the state leagues and lower national divisions, cultivating a reputation as a tough, hard-working side. A key era of resurgence began in the late 2010s, culminating in a historic promotion to Série B in 2018 and a subsequent, against-all-odds promotion to Série A in 2019, a campaign marked by extraordinary teamwork and defensive solidity. While their stay in the top flight was brief, it cemented their status as a modern-day fairy tale. In the current Série B, Operário Ferroviário is known as a disciplined and organized team, difficult to break down and always a tough opponent. The fan base, though not massive, is deeply passionate and takes great pride in the club's blue-collar ethos and recent historic achievements.