São Paulo Futebol Clube
Encyclopedia
São Paulo Futebol Clube (sɐ̃w ˈpawlu fuʧiˈbɔw ˈklubi São Paulo Football Club), commonly known as São Paulo, is a professional football club based in São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...

, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

. They play in the Campeonato Paulista
Campeonato Paulista
The Campeonato Paulista de Futebol Profissional da Primeira Divisão - Série A1, simply known as the Campeonato Paulista, is the top-flight professional football league in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. The league is contested between 20 clubs and typically lasts from January to April...

, São Paulo's
São Paulo (state)
São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil...

 state league, and the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
The Campeonato Brasileiro de Clubes da Série A , popularly known as the Brasileirão , is a professional football league at the top of the Brazilian football league system held annually since 1959. Contested by twenty clubs, it operates a system of promotion and relegation with the Série B...

 or Brasileirão, Brazil's national league, and are one of the only five clubs to have never been relegated, along with Santos, Flamengo
Clube de Regatas do Flamengo
Clube de Regatas do Flamengo , also known as Flamengo and familiarly as Mengão, is a Brazilian sports club based in the Flamengo bairro, Zona Sul, Rio de Janeiro, best known for its professional football team...

, Internacional
Sport Club Internacional
Sport Club Internacional is a Brazilian football team and multi-sport club from Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, founded on April 4, 1909, and are one of the only five clubs to have never been relegated, along with Santos, São Paulo, Flamengo and Cruzeiro. They play in red shirts, white shorts and...

 and Cruzeiro
Cruzeiro Esporte Clube
Cruzeiro Esporte Clube is a Brazilian football team, from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, and are one of the only five clubs to have never been relegated, along with Santos, São Paulo, Flamengo and Internacional. Founded on January 2, 1921, they are only one of three clubs to have participated in...

. São Paulo is Brazil's most internationally lauded team and third in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...

, after Boca Juniors
Boca Juniors
Club Atlético Boca Juniors is an Argentine sports club based in La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently plays in the Primera División....

 and Independiente
Club Atlético Independiente
Club Atlético Independiente is an Argentine athletic, sports and social club, which has its headquarters and stadium in the city of Avellaneda, Buenos Aires Province. The club is best known for its football team, that plays in the Argentine Primera División....

, with 11 international titles.

It is one of the most successful club in Brazilian football
Football in Brazil
Football is the most popular sport in Brazil. The Brazilian national football team has won the FIFA World Cup tournament a record 5 times, in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002, and is the only team to succeed in qualifying for every World Cup competition ever held. It is among the favourites to win...

 in terms of overall titles, having won a 21 state titles, six Brasileirão titles, a record 3 Copa Libertadores titles, 1 Supercopa Sudamericana
Supercopa Sudamericana
The Supercopa Sudamericana , also known as the Supercopa Libertadores João Havelange, Supercopa Libertadores, Supercopa João Havelange or simply Supercopa, was a football club competition contested annually by the past winners of the Copa Libertadores...

, 1 Copa CONMEBOL
Copa CONMEBOL
The Copa CONMEBOL was an annual football cup competition organized by CONMEBOL between 1992 and 1999 for eligible South American football clubs. During its time of existence, it was the third most prestigious South American club football contest after the Copa Libertadores and Supercopa...

, 2 Recopa Sudamericana
Recopa Sudamericana
The Recopa Sudamericana is an annual football match-up between the reigning champions of the previous year's Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana, South America's premier club competitions....

s, 2 Intercontinental Cup
Intercontinental Cup
Intercontinental Cup may refer to:*Intercontinental Cup , a world football competition run by UEFA and CONMEBOL*ICC Intercontinental Cup, a first-class cricket competition run by the International Cricket Council for 12 of its associate members...

s and 1 FIFA Club World Cup
FIFA Club World Cup
The FIFA Club World Cup is a football competition between the champion clubs from all six continental confederations.The first FIFA Club World Championship took place in Brazil in January 2000...

. São Paulo was a founding member of the of the Clube dos 13
Clube dos 13
Clube dos 13 is the organization responsible for representing the interest of the 20 greatest football clubs of Brazil, including members from several football state federations such as Federação Paulista de Futebol, Federação de Futebol do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Federação Gaúcha de Futebol and...

(English: 13's Club) group of Brazil's leading football clubs. Founded in 1930, São Paulo established itself as a major force in both Brazilian and South American football during the 1990s. In the 1990s, the club had one of the best ever teams in Brazil and South America under the coaching of Telê Santana
Telê Santana
Telê Santana da Silva, also known as Telê Santana , was a Brazilian football manager and former player...

, winning three state titles, one national championship, two Copa Libertadores, two Recopa Sudamericanas, two Intercontinental Cups, one Supercopa Sudamericana, one Copa CONMEBOL, one Copa Masters CONMEBOL
Copa Masters Conmebol
-Final:-Scorers:5 goals Almir3 goals Túlio Valdir1 goal Edmílson Ailton-External links:* at RSSSF...

.

They play in a white shirt with two horizontal stripes (one red and one black), and white shorts and socks. They are the third most popular football club in Brazil, with over 15 million supporters. The team's traditional home kit colour is a white shirt with two horizontal stripes (one red and one black), white shorts and socks. São Paulo's home ground is the 67,428-seater Morumbi
Estádio do Morumbi
Estádio Cícero Pompeu de Toledo is a stadium in São Paulo, Brazil, home of São Paulo Futebol Clube and its formal name honors Cícero Pompeu de Toledo, who was São Paulo FC's chairman during most of the stadium construction, and died before its inauguration....

 football stadium in São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...

, where it has played since 1947. The Morumbi was the venue for the Copa Libertadores finals of 1992, 1993, 1994, 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2006. São Paulo is Brazil's richest football club in terms of revenue, with an annual revenue of $111.9m (€78.2m
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...

), and the third most valuable club in the nation, worth over $353.4m (€246.9m
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...

) in 2011.

1900 – 1934: From Paulistano to São Paulo da Floresta

Club Athletico Paulistano was established on December 29, 1900 by São Paulo city youngsters after they watched a game between Internacional de São Paulo
Sport Club Internacional (SP)
Sport Club Internacional, commonly known as Internacional, were a Brazilian football team from São Paulo, São Paulo state. They competed several times in the Campeonato Paulista and won the competition twice.-History:...

 and Mackenzie College
Associação Atlética Mackenzie College
Associação Atlética Mackenzie College, commonly known as Mackenzie College, were a Brazilian football team from São Paulo, São Paulo state. They competed several times in the Campeonato Paulista.-History:...

. The club's first official game was played on May 3, 1902, when they were defeated by São Paulo Athletic
São Paulo Athletic Club
São Paulo Athletic Club, also known as SPAC, was a historic Brazilian football club founded on May 15, 1888 by Charles William Miller and several English immigrants, being one of the first football clubs in the country. The club's players were English employees of Companhia de Gás , London Bank and...

. After beating São Paulo Athletic on November 1, 1905 for the Taça Álvares Penteado, the team's captain Jorge Mesquita and other players left the club and joined Associação Atlética das Palmeiras. The new club was formed on January 25, 1930 and was named the São Paulo Futebol Clube. At the time, São Paulo's stadium was called Floresta, Forest in Portuguese, so the team was known as São Paulo da Floresta.In their first season, the team finished as runners-up in the Campeonato Paulista
Campeonato Paulista
The Campeonato Paulista de Futebol Profissional da Primeira Divisão - Série A1, simply known as the Campeonato Paulista, is the top-flight professional football league in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. The league is contested between 20 clubs and typically lasts from January to April...

, and in 1931 São Paulo won the championship for the first time. In 1933, São Paulo played the first professional football match in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

, a 5–1 win over Santos
Santos Futebol Clube
Santos Futebol Clube is a Brazilian professional football club based in Santos, São Paulo They play in the Campeonato Paulista and the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, the highest professional leagues in São Paulo state and Brazil, respectively....

.

Due to mistakes made by the club's board, the team was severely crippled by financial difficulties and in debt. So, they merged with the Clube de Regatas Tietê, another sports club from the town. The football department was closed on May 14, 1935.

1935 – 1939: The rebirth of São Paulo FC

Just after the merge with Tietê that buried São Paulo da Floresta, the founders and re-founders created the Grêmio Tricolor, which originated Clube Atlético São Paulo, on June 4, 1935, and, finally, São Paulo Futebol Clube founded on December 16 of the same year.

The first game was against Portuguesa Santista
Associação Atlética Portuguesa Santista
Associação Atlética Portuguesa, usually known as Portuguesa Santista, is a Brazilian football team from Santos in São Paulo state, founded on November 20, 1917 by the Portuguese population of the city....

 on January 25, 1936. The match was almost cancelled, due to the city's anniversary. Porphyrio da Paz, football director and composer of the club's anthem, pleaded to the Board of Education Office and obtained permission for the game to continue.

Another merger occurred in 1938, this time with Clube Atlético Estudantes Paulista, from the neighborhood of Moóca
Mooca
Mooca from tupi mo-oka, meaning to build houses, is a district in the subprefecture of the same name in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Mooca today is about to reach the mark of 65,000 inhabitants, spread in . It is also considered one of the fastest growing districts in the city, experiencing over...

. With this new merge, they once again finished as runners-up in the Campeonato Paulista.

1940 – 1950: The Steam Roller

In 1940, when the Estádio do Pacaembu
Estádio do Pacaembu
Estádio do Pacaembu , as it is usually called, is a football stadium in São Paulo, located on Praça Charles Miller, no nº - in Pacaembu neighborhood. Its official name is Estádio Municipal Paulo Machado de Carvalho and it is owned by the Municipal Prefecture of São Paulo...

 was inaugurated, a new era began in São Paulo state
São Paulo (state)
São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil...

 football. São Paulo Futebol Clube took advantage of this, finishing as runners-up once again in the Campeonato Paulista in 1941. A year later the club paid 200 contos de réis
Brazilian real
The real is the present-day currency of Brazil. Its sign is R$ and its ISO code is BRL. It is subdivided into 100 centavos ....

, which is equivalent to R$ 162,000 today, to acquire Leônidas da Silva
Leônidas da Silva
Leônidas da Silva was an association footballer and commentator. He is regarded to be one of the most important players of the first half of the 20th century. He played for Brazil in two World Cups, and was the top scorer of the 1938 World Cup....

 from Flamengo
Clube de Regatas do Flamengo
Clube de Regatas do Flamengo , also known as Flamengo and familiarly as Mengão, is a Brazilian sports club based in the Flamengo bairro, Zona Sul, Rio de Janeiro, best known for its professional football team...

. Being a mjor club, São Paulo brought in other talented players like Argentinian António Sastre
Antonio Sastre
Antonio Sastre was an Argentine footballer who played most of his career for Club Atlético Independiente and São Paulo of Brazil. He is included in the Argentine Football Association hall of fame. Sastre was an all-round midfielder who could play well almost anywhere on the pitch due to his...

 and Brazilians Noronha
Noronha
Noronha is a family name common among some aristocratic families in Portugal.This family has its origins in the marriage of Alfonso, Count of Gijón and Noreña with Isabel of Portugal...

, José Carlos Bauer
José Carlos Bauer
José Carlos Bauer, commonly known as Bauer was a former Brazilian football player and manager. Born in São Paulo, he was the son of a Swiss man and an Afro-Brazilian woman....

, Zezé Procópio
Zézé Procópio
José Procópio Mendes, best known as Zezé Procópio was an association footballer in midfielder role....

, Luizinho
Luíz Mesquita de Oliveira
Luís Mesquita de Oliveira, best known as Luisinho, was an association footballer, one of the most valuable strikers of the 1930s....

, Rui
Rui Campos
Rui Campos or Rui was a Brazilian football player. He played for the Brazil in the 1950 FIFA World Cup.-Career:...

 and Teixeirinha. With these new additions, Tricolor became known as the Steam Roller, winning the Paulsita championship five times, in 1943, 1945, 1946, 1948 and 1949. During this time, the club was using the Canindé
Estádio do Canindé
The Estádio do Canindé, also known as Estádio Oswaldo Teixeira Duarte, is a football stadium inaugurated on January 11, 1956 in Canindé neighborhood, São Paulo, São Paulo state, with a maximum capacity of 21,004 spectators...

 as a training ground. But it was soon sold to Portuguesa
Associação Portuguesa de Desportos
Associação Portuguesa de Desportos, usually called Portuguesa or Lusa, is a sports club, and a Brazilian football team from São Paulo in São Paulo state, founded on August 14, 1920 by the Portuguese population of the city.-History:...

 to raise money for the construction of their new stadium the Estádio do Morumbi
Estádio do Morumbi
Estádio Cícero Pompeu de Toledo is a stadium in São Paulo, Brazil, home of São Paulo Futebol Clube and its formal name honors Cícero Pompeu de Toledo, who was São Paulo FC's chairman during most of the stadium construction, and died before its inauguration....

.

1951 – 1957: The Dry Spell

After the success of the 1940s, came drought in the early 1950s. The club only won two state championships in the 1950s, coming in 1953 and 1957. The latter championship was won with the help of experienced player Zizinho
Zizinho
Thomaz Soares da Silva, also known as Zizinho , was a Brazilian football player, who played as an attacking midfielder or winger for Brazil's national team. He came to international prominence at the 1950 World Cup, where scored two goals...

, who was 35 years old, and Hungarian manager Béla Guttmann
Béla Guttmann
Béla Guttmann was a Jewish Hungarian footballer and coach. He played as a midfielder for MTK Hungária FC, SC Hakoah Wien, Hungary and several clubs in the United States. However he is perhaps best remembered as a coach and manager of some the world’s leading football teams, including AC Milan, São...

. The club wallowed in mediocrity after this with the rise in Pelé
Pelé
However, Pelé has always maintained that those are mistakes, that he was actually named Edson and that he was born on 23 October 1940.), best known by his nickname Pelé , is a retired Brazilian footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time...

 and success of his club, Santos
Santos Futebol Clube
Santos Futebol Clube is a Brazilian professional football club based in Santos, São Paulo They play in the Campeonato Paulista and the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, the highest professional leagues in São Paulo state and Brazil, respectively....

. Also the club was focused on the construction of the Morumbi stadium pumping in all of their efforts and resources to complete the new stadium. With Pelé becoming a supertar at Santos and the distractions of building a new stadium, São Paulo entered its longest title-less period in history.

1958 – 1969: Just the Stadium

Since the club's budget planning was focused on the Morumbi stadium construction, rather than the signing of new players, few expensive players were bought. The club did manage to bring in a few quality players, including Roberto Dias
Roberto Dias
Roberto Dias Branco or simply Roberto Dias was a footballer with São Paulo FC in Brazil. He was considered by Pelé to be the greatest Brazilian central defenders of the 1960s and 1970s. He was known for his finesse on defense--a player who didn't need to show a rough side...

 and Jurandir
Jurandir de Freitas
Jurandir de Freitas , nicknamed Jurandir, was a Brazilian footballer.He earned 15 caps for the Brazil national football team. He was part of the 1962 FIFA World Cup winning squad, but he did not play any matches during the tournament...

. However they could not help the fortunes of the once great club. For twelve years after the 1957 Paulista Championship title, the club did not win any major title. In 1960, Morumbi Stadium was inaugurated, and named after the late Cícero Pompeu de Toledo, who was the club's chairman during most of the stadium construction. One of the few happy moments for the fans during this period was the 1963 Paulista Championship 4–1 victory against Pelé's Santos.

1970 – 1979: Campeonato Brasileiro Glory

In 1970, the Morumbi stadium construction was finally concluded and players like Gérson
Gérson
Gérson de Oliveira Nunes, generally known as Gérson [], , nickname Canhotinha de ouro is an association footballer. He won numerous national trophies with the club sides of Flamego, Botafogo, São Paulo and Fluminense...

 from Botafogo
Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas
Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas , also known as Botafogo and familiarly as Estrela Solitária, is a Brazilian sports club based in Botafogo, neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, best known for its football team. They play in the Campeonato Carioca, Rio de Janeiro's state league, and the Campeonato...

, Uruguayan midfielder Pedro Rocha
Pedro Rocha
Pedro Virgilio Rocha Franchetti is a former Uruguayan footballer who played 52 games for the Uruguay national team between 1961 and 1974....

 from Peñarol
C.A. Peñarol
Club Atlético Peñarol also known as Carboneros, Aurinegros and familiarly as Manya, is an Uruguayan sports club based in the Peñarol barrio, Montevideo, best known for its professional football team. The team plays their home matches in Estadio Centenario, the largest stadium in the country, but...

 and Santos's goalscorer Toninho Guerreiro
Toninho Guerreiro
Antônio Ferreira, usually known as Toninho Guerreiro was a Brazilian international soccer player. He was born in Bauru and died in São Paulo....

 were hired. The club was managed by Zezé Moreira
Zezé Moreira
Alfredo Moreira Júnior, usually known as Zezé Moreira was a Brazilian footballer and football manager that coached Brazil for some games in 1952. He was born in Miracema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was brother of Aymoré Moreira and Ayrton Moreira, both of them also successful coaches in the...

, who was the manager of Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...

 at the World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...

 in 1954
1954 FIFA World Cup
The 1954 FIFA World Cup, the fifth staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Switzerland from 16 June to 4 July. Switzerland was chosen as hosts in July 1946. The tournament set a number of all-time records for goal-scoring, including the highest average goals scored per game...

, won the Paulista Championship after beating Guarani
Guarani Futebol Clube
Guarani Futebol Clube is a Brazilian football club located in Campinas, São Paulo. Guarani is also known as Bugre, a popular term for an Indigenous Brazilian...

 2–1 in a the Campinas
Campinas
Campinas is a city and municipality located in the coastal interior of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. is the administrative center of the meso-region of the same name, with 3,783,597 inhabitants as of the 2010 Census, consisting of 49 cities....

, a week before the end of the competition.
In 1971, the club beat Palmeiras
Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras
Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras is a Brazilian football club from São Paulo. The club was founded on August 26, 1914, as Palestra Italia but changed to the current name on September 14, 1942...

 1–0, with a goal from Toninho Guerreiro
Toninho Guerreiro
Antônio Ferreira, usually known as Toninho Guerreiro was a Brazilian international soccer player. He was born in Bauru and died in São Paulo....

, in the final to capture another state title. That year saw the inaugural Campeonato Brasileiro
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
The Campeonato Brasileiro de Clubes da Série A , popularly known as the Brasileirão , is a professional football league at the top of the Brazilian football league system held annually since 1959. Contested by twenty clubs, it operates a system of promotion and relegation with the Série B...

, with the club finishing as runner-ups behind Atlético Mineiro
Clube Atlético Mineiro
Clube Atlético Mineiro , are a Brazilian football club based in Belo Horizonte, the oldest in the city. Founded in 1908, they play in the Campeonato Mineiro and Campeonato Brasileiro Série A or Brasileirão. Atlético Mineiro have been Brazilian champions once, state winners a record 40 times and...

, who was managed by Telê Santana
Telê Santana
Telê Santana da Silva, also known as Telê Santana , was a Brazilian football manager and former player...

.

In the following years, Pelé's Santos and Corinthians
Sport Club Corinthians Paulista
Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, commonly just known as Corinthians , is a Brazilian football club based in the city of São Paulo. They play in the São Paulo state league, as well as the Brasileirão, Brazil's top national league...

 declined, and São Paulo and Palmeiras ruled the football of São Paulo state. In 1972, Palmeiras
Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras
Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras is a Brazilian football club from São Paulo. The club was founded on August 26, 1914, as Palestra Italia but changed to the current name on September 14, 1942...

 won the state championship title, only one point ahead of São Paulo. A year later in 1973 Palmeiras won the Brazilian Championship over Tricolor. In 1974
1974 Copa Libertadores
The Copa Libertadores 1974 was the 15th edition of the Copa Libertadores, CONMEBOL's annual international club tournament. Independiente won the competition.- Group 1 :- Group 2 :- Group 3 :- Group 4 :- Group 5 :- Group 1 :- Group 2 :...

, São Paulo took part of the Copa Libertadores
Copa Libertadores de América
The Copa Santander Libertadores de América , known simply as the Copa Libertadores and originally known as the Copa Campeones de América , is an annual international club football competition organized by CONMEBOL since 1960...

 losing in the final to Independiente
Club Atlético Independiente
Club Atlético Independiente is an Argentine athletic, sports and social club, which has its headquarters and stadium in the city of Avellaneda, Buenos Aires Province. The club is best known for its football team, that plays in the Argentine Primera División....

, in a replay.

In 1975 the club was managed by the former goalkeeper José Poy
José Poy
José Poy was an Argentine football player who spent the majority of his career with São Paulo in Brazil, making a total of 565 appearances. After retiring as a player, Poy spent a number of spells as manager of São Paulo....

, and won the Paulista Championship after defeating Portuguesa
Associação Portuguesa de Desportos
Associação Portuguesa de Desportos, usually called Portuguesa or Lusa, is a sports club, and a Brazilian football team from São Paulo in São Paulo state, founded on August 14, 1920 by the Portuguese population of the city.-History:...

 in a penalty shootout.

Valdir Peres
Valdir Peres
Valdir Peres, real name Valdir Peres de Arruda, , was an association footballer. He played goalkeeper, in particular with São Paulo FC and the Brazilian national team...

, Chicão
Francisco Jezuíno Avanzi
Francisco Jezuíno Avanzi, best known as Chicão was a Brazilian association football player in defensive midfielder role...

, Serginho Chulapa
Serginho Chulapa
Sérgio Bernardino, also known as Serginho or Serginho Chulapa was an association footballer who played striker.-Career:...

 and Zé Sérgio
Zé Sérgio
José Sérgio Presti, best known as Zé Sérgio is a former football player who played as a striker....

 were the club's best players in securing their first Brazilian Championship during the 1977 campaign. The title was won with a penalty shootout victory over Atlético Mineiro at the Mineirão
Mineirão
Mineirão , officially Estádio Governador Magalhães Pinto established in 1965 in Belo Horizonte, is the largest football stadium in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and the second largest in the country, after Maracanã...

. However they could not retain their success and did not win any other title until 1980.

The 1980s: Tricolor Decade

In the 1980s, São Paulo won an impressive amount of titles. The club was built from the back, with an impressive central defending pair of Oscar
José Oscar Bernardi
José Oscar Bernardi , nicknamed Oscar, is a noted association footballer, having been on the Brazil national football team and a member of São Paulo Futebol Clube and Associação Atlética Ponte Preta, and having played in defence at the Football World Cup in 1978, 1982, and as a reserve in 1986...

 and Dario Pereyra
Dario Pereyra
Alfonso Darío Pereyra Bueno is a Uruguayan former football player. Having played for Club Nacional de Football in his home country, he reached stardom playing for São Paulo FC as a centre-back along with Oscar...

. These two players helped the club to win the Paulista Championship in 1980 and 1981.

In 1985, the manager Cilinho
Cilinho
Otacílio Pires de Camargo, commonly known as Cilinho , was a Brazilian football coach, responsible for the discovery of many talents...

 introduced to the world the Menudos
Menudo (band)
Menudo was a Puerto Rican boy band that was formed in the 1970s by producer Edgardo Díaz, releasing their first album in 1977. The band achieved much success, especially during the 1980s, becoming the most popular Latin American teen musical group of the era....

 of Morumbi
, a team of young, good-looking men who attracted much female attention at the time, especially Silas
Paulo Silas
Paulo Silas do Prado Pereira, best known as Silas is a former Brazilian football player and is currently manager of the Qatari club Al-Arabi.-Career:...

, Müller and Sidney. In that same year, the club won the Paulista Championship. The club's striker was Careca, a centre forward who played in the 1986 FIFA World Cup
1986 FIFA World Cup
The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia had been originally chosen to host the competition by FIFA but, largely due to economic reasons, was not able to do so and officially...

. Careca eventually went on to join forces with Maradona and Giordano at Napoli
S.S.C. Napoli
Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli, commonly referred to as Napoli, is a professional Italian football club based in Naples and founded in 1926. The club has spent most of its history in Serie A, where it currently plays its 2011–12 season....

, composing what the fans would call the "MaGiCa", magic in Italian. Later in his career, Maradona would refer to Careca as the best player he had ever played with. In the midfield of São Paulo was Falcão
Paulo Roberto Falcão
Paulo Roberto Falcão is a Brazilian head coach and former footballer, currently managing Sport Club Internacional. He is widely considered one of the best players in Internacional and Roma history, and one of the most talented midfielders of all time, especially at his peak in the mid 1980s...

, who came in from Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

's A.S. Roma
A.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...

, nicknamed the King of Rome.

In 1986, manager Pepe
José Macia
Pepe, real name José Macia, is a former association footballer and manager. He was left winger for Santos F.C. and the Brazilian national team...

 lead the club to its second Brazilian Championship title, defeating Guarani
Guarani Futebol Clube
Guarani Futebol Clube is a Brazilian football club located in Campinas, São Paulo. Guarani is also known as Bugre, a popular term for an Indigenous Brazilian...

 in a penalty shootout, the final is still regarded as one of the most exhilarating matches in Brazilian Football history. In 1987, Dario Pereyra left the club. In that year, the Menudos team won its last title. The Tricolor Decade ended with the 1989 Paulista Championship title and with a second place in the Brazilian Championship, after losing to Vasco da Gama in the final match.

1990 – 1995: The Telê Era

In 1990, After a poor start of the campaign Telê Santana
Telê Santana
Telê Santana da Silva, also known as Telê Santana , was a Brazilian football manager and former player...

 was hired as the club's coach. São Paulo was the Brazilian Championship runner-up. In the following year, the club won the Paulista Championship.

In 1991, after being two times in a row Brazilian Championship runner-up, São Paulo won its third competition title, after beating Carlos Alberto Parreira
Carlos Alberto Parreira
Carlos Alberto Gomes Parreira is a Brazilian former football manager. He managed Brazil to championships at the 1994 World Cup, the 2004 Copa América, and the 2005 Confederations Cup...

's Bragantino
Clube Atlético Bragantino
Clube Atlético Bragantino, or Bragantino as they are usually called, is a Brazilian football team from Bragança Paulista in São Paulo that was founded on January 8, 1928....

. Was the making of a giant taking place, as it would be proved by the following years in which this team would claim total dominance either Nationally and Internationally.

In 1992 they, were known as the São Paulo of Telê, Zetti
Zetti
Armelino Donizetti Quagliato, best known as Zetti is a former association football goalkeeper and coach manager.-Playing career:Zetti played with São Paulo from 1990 to 1996...

 and Raí
Raí
Raí, full name Raí Souza Vieira de Oliveira is a former Brazilian football midfielder. He was part of the Brazil team which won 1994 FIFA World Cup. He also played for São Paulo FC when he had the most glorious time of his career, and Paris Saint-Germain, two clubs for which he has achieved...

, reached the Copa Libertadores final, against Newell's Old Boys
Newell's Old Boys
Club Atlético Newell's Old Boys is an Argentine sports club based in Rosario. The club was founded on November 3, 1903, and is named after Isaac Newell, one of the pioneers of Argentine football...

 of Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...

. In the first leg, in Rosario
Rosario
Rosario is the largest city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It is located northwest of Buenos Aires, on the western shore of the Paraná River and has 1,159,004 residents as of the ....

, Newell's Old Boys won 1–0. In the second leg, São Paulo beat the other side 1–0, and won the competition in the penalty shootout.

Lineup: Zetti
Zetti
Armelino Donizetti Quagliato, best known as Zetti is a former association football goalkeeper and coach manager.-Playing career:Zetti played with São Paulo from 1990 to 1996...

 Cafu
Cafu
Marcos Evangelista de Moraes , better known as Cafu, is a former Brazilian footballer who is widely regarded as one of the greatest right-backs ever. He was given this nickname due to his speed up and down the right flank which was reminiscent of Cafuringa, a Brazilian forward from the 1970s...

 Antonio Carlos
Antônio Carlos Zago
Antônio Carlos Zago, widely known as "Antônio Carlos" or "A.C.Zago", is a former Brazilian footballer and current coach.-Club career:...

 Ronaldão
Ronaldão
Ronaldão can refer to:*Ronaldo Rodrigues de Jesus, a Brazilian footballer*Ronaldão , a football stadium in Poços de Caldas, Brazil...

 Iván Pintado Adílson Elivélton
Elivélton
Elivélton Alves Rufino, commonly known simply as Elivélton , is a Brazilian football player who played for several Campeonato Brasileiro Série A clubs...

 Raí
Raí
Raí, full name Raí Souza Vieira de Oliveira is a former Brazilian football midfielder. He was part of the Brazil team which won 1994 FIFA World Cup. He also played for São Paulo FC when he had the most glorious time of his career, and Paris Saint-Germain, two clubs for which he has achieved...

 Palhinha Müller 
Coach: Telê Santana
Telê Santana
Telê Santana da Silva, also known as Telê Santana , was a Brazilian football manager and former player...

 
}}

In the same year, in Tokyo the club won its first Intercontinental Cup, beating Johann Cruyff's "Dream Team" FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....

 2–1, after reversing the score. Was a game played at the highest of levels, and was a treat for all the football fans around the world who have witnessed. A testimony of the greatness of both coaches Johann Cruyff and Telê Santana
Telê Santana
Telê Santana da Silva, also known as Telê Santana , was a Brazilian football manager and former player...

. Trully a match not to be forgotten.
After returning to Brazil, the club beat Palmeiras 2–1 and achieved its 18th state championship title (since 1930).

In 1993, São Paulo again won the Copa Libertadores, after beating Universidad Católica
Club Deportivo Universidad Católica
Club Deportivo Universidad Católica is a professional football club based in Santiago, Chile, which plays in the Primera División.Universidad Católica is one of the most successful and popular football clubs in Chile and considered one of the three "big teams"...

 of Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...

. After the competition , Raí left the club. São Paulo won the Intercontinental Cup again, in Tokyo, after beating Fabio Capello
Fabio Capello
Fabio Capello is an Italian football manager and former player. He is the manager of the England national football team.Capello has the distinction of winning the domestic league title with every club he has coached throughout his career...

's and "Gli Invicibili" AC Milan 3–2. Müller scored the winning goal in the 86th minute of the match, from a Toninho Cerezo assist. The São Paulo vs. Milan clash has gone down in the annals of the game as one of the most spectacular matches in history.

In 1994, the club again reached the final of the Copa Libertadores, this time against Argentina's Vélez Sársfield
Club Atlético Vélez Sársfield
Club Atlético Vélez Sársfield is a sports club based in the Liniers neighborhood of western Buenos Aires, Argentina. Vélez is best known for its football team, that plays in the Argentine Primera División, the top level of the Argentine league system...

, but they were defeated by the Argentine side in the penalty shootout, at Morumbi stadium.
But by the end of this year, São Paulo won the Copa CONMEBOL
Copa CONMEBOL
The Copa CONMEBOL was an annual football cup competition organized by CONMEBOL between 1992 and 1999 for eligible South American football clubs. During its time of existence, it was the third most prestigious South American club football contest after the Copa Libertadores and Supercopa...

 (the predecessor of the Copa Sudamericana
Copa Sudamericana
The Copa Bridgestone Sudamericana de Clubes , known simply as the Copa Sudamericana , is an annual international club football competition organized by the CONMEBOL since 2002. It is the second most prestigious club competition in South American football. CONCACAF clubs were invited between 2004...

) defeating Peñarol of Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...

, one of the most important clubs of the continent, in the final of the tournament.

1996 – 2004: Post-Telê Traumatic Shock?

In the beginning of 1996, due to health issues, Telê Santana left São Paulo, ending the club's golden era. After him, between 1995 and 2004, 14 managers worked on the club without staying long. Among the most notable titles during those 10 years were the 2000 Paulista Championship and the club's first Rio-São Paulo Tournament
Torneio Rio-São Paulo
Torneio Rio – São Paulo was a traditional Brazilian football competition contested between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro teams until from 1935 until 2002....

 title in 2001. Rogério Ceni
Rogério Ceni
Rogério Ceni is a Brazilian goalkeeper. He has been a member of the Brazilian Série A club São Paulo since September 7, 1990, playing more than 1,000 matches and winning 2 Copa Libertadores trophies and one Club World Championship with them...

, Julio Baptista
Júlio Baptista
Júlio César Baptista is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays as an attacking midfielder or forward for Málaga CF of the Spanish La Liga...

, Luís Fabiano
Luís Fabiano
Luís Fabiano Clemente , commonly known as Luís Fabiano, is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays for São Paulo and the Brazilian national football team as a striker.-Early career:...

 and Kaká
Kaká
Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite , commonly known as Kaká , is a Brazilian football attacking midfielder who currently plays for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team. Kaká started his footballing career at the age of eight, when he began playing for a local club...

 were the club's stars. The club's idol, Raí briefly played for the club between 1998 and 2000, and with him, the club won the Paulista Championship twice, in 1998 and 2000, after beating Corinthians and Santos, respectively. In 2004 São Paulo was back in the Copa Libertadores after 10 years since its last final against Vélez. The team reached the semifinals but it was surprisingly eliminated by the underdogs Once Caldas, from Colombia. In the end of that year Émerson Leão
Émerson Leão
Émerson Leão is a Brazilian manager and former football player. He is one of the all-time best Brazilian goalkeepers. A documentary video produced by FIFA, FIFA Fever, called him the third-most impressive defense player of all time. He was born in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo.-Playing career:He was...

 was hired as the club's coach, after the club's unsuccessful campaign in winning the Libertadores Cup again.
In 2003, São Paulo FC made a deal with Santangelo Club Aficionado, from the Spanish amateur league, and since then, the Spanish club changed its name to São Paulo Madrid
São Paulo Madrid
São Paulo Madrid was a professional football club from Madrid, Spain. The club was founded as Santangelo C.A., but due to a partnership with São Paulo of the Brazil, on March 8, 2003, the club played their first game with the Brazilian football club jerseys against U.D. Hortaleza at El Pardo. The...

.

2005: Once Again, the Best in the World

In 2005, with Leão as the club's manager, São Paulo easily won the Paulista Championship. However, Leão would soon leave the club, and Paulo Autuori, which had been previously the Peru national football team
Peru national football team
The Peru national football team, known as 'el equipo inca', represents Peru in international football competition and is managed by the Peruvian Football Federation . The team competes against the other nine members of FIFA's CONMEBOL conference, which encompasses the countries of South America...

's manager, was hired to replace him. São Paulo won the Libertadores Cup that year, beating another Brazilian team, Atlético Paranaense
Clube Atlético Paranaense
Clube Atlético Paranaense is a Brazilian football team from Curitiba in Paraná, founded on March 26, 1924. The club won the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A in 2001.-History:...

 in the final match. Atlético was not allowed to play in its own home stadium, Kyocera Arena
Kyocera Arena
Estádio Joaquim Américo Guimarães, commonly referred to as Arena da Baixada , is a football stadium in the Água Verde neighborhood of Curitiba, Paraná. Opened in 1914, it is the home field of Atlético Paranaense, who also owns and operates the stadium...

, because it has a maximum spectator capacity below the minimum capacity required by CONMEBOL
CONMEBOL
The South American Football Confederation , commonly known as CONMEBOL , is the continental governing body of association football in South America and it is one of FIFA's six continental confederations...

 for the Copa Libertadores final two matches. The first leg, to be hosted by Atlético, then ended up being at Estádio Beira-Rio
Estádio Beira-Rio
Estádio José Pinheiro Borda, better known as Estádio Beira-Rio due to its location beside the Guaíba River, is a football stadium in Porto Alegre, Brazil. It serves as the home stadium for Sport Club Internacional...

 in Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre is the tenth most populous municipality in Brazil, with 1,409,939 inhabitants, and the centre of Brazil's fourth largest metropolitan area . It is also the capital city of the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is the southernmost capital city of a Brazilian...

, ending in a 1–1 draw. In the second leg, at Estádio do Morumbi, São Paulo beat Atlético Paranaense 4–0. São Paulo became the first Brazilian club to have won three Copa Libertadores titles.

Lineup: Rogério Ceni
Rogério Ceni
Rogério Ceni is a Brazilian goalkeeper. He has been a member of the Brazilian Série A club São Paulo since September 7, 1990, playing more than 1,000 matches and winning 2 Copa Libertadores trophies and one Club World Championship with them...

 Fabão Lugano
Diego Lugano
Diego Alfredo "Tota" Lugano Moreno is a Uruguayan footballer who currently plays for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Uruguay national football team as a central defender....

 Alex
Alex Bruno Costa Fernandes
Alex Bruno Costa Fernandes is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays for Sport in the Brazilian Série B as a centre back.-Honours: Santo André**Brazilian Cup: 2004 São Paulo**São Paulo State League: 2005...

/Edcarlos Cicinho
Cicinho
Cícero João de Cézare, nicknamed Cicinho, in Pradópolis, São Paulo, Brazil), is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays for Serie A club Roma.Currently married to longtime girlfriend, Reem Borriello; the two have one son, Heitor...

 Josué
Josué Anunciado de Oliveira
Josué Anunciado de Oliveira, or simply Josué , is a Brazilian defensive midfielder. He currently plays for German Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg.-Club career:...

 Mineiro Júnior
Jenílson Ângelo de Souza
Jenílson Ângelo de Souza, usually known as Júnior is a former association footballer who has twenty-two international caps to his name, scoring one goal against Costa Rica in 2002 FIFA World Cup....

 Danilo
Danilo Gabriel de Andrade
Danilo Gabriel de Andrade, or simply Danilo , is a Brazilian attacking midfielder...

 Luizão
Luiz Carlos Bombonato Goulart
Luiz Carlos Bombonato Goulart, known as Luizão , is an association footballer who played striker. He has been capped 17 times by Brazil, scoring two goals in the last game of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Qualification vs Venezuela, a 3–0 Brazilian victory...

/Diego Tardelli
Diego Tardelli
Diego Tardelli Martins , simply known as Diego Tardelli, is a Brazilian football player who currently plays as a striker for Russian Premier League club FC Anzhi Makhachkala and for the Brazilian national team....

 Amoroso
Márcio Amoroso
Márcio Amoroso dos Santos is a retired Brazilian footballer. He has played his football for several teams in Japan, Italy, Germany, Spain and Greece while representing Brazil at international level.-Club career:...

/Grafite
Grafite
Edinaldo Batista Libânio , commonly known as Grafite is a Brazilian footballer who plays for UAE Football League club Al-Ahli Dubai....

 Coach: Paulo Autuori
 
}}


In December 2005, São Paulo competed in the FIFA Club World Championship
2005 FIFA Club World Championship
-Quarter-finals:-----Semi-finals:-----Fifth Place:-Third Place:-Final:-Scorers: 2 goals Amoroso Peter Crouch Mohammed Noor Alvaro Saborio...

 in Japan. After beating Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...

's Al-Ittihad 3–2, the Brazilian team faced the European champions Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...

 from England in the final. A 1–0 scoreline against the English team was enough to give São Paulo its third Intercontinental title, in a memorable match by Rogério Ceni
Rogério Ceni
Rogério Ceni is a Brazilian goalkeeper. He has been a member of the Brazilian Série A club São Paulo since September 7, 1990, playing more than 1,000 matches and winning 2 Copa Libertadores trophies and one Club World Championship with them...

. The single goal was scored by Mineiro in the first half of the match. Other players in that year's squad included centre-back Diego Lugano
Diego Lugano
Diego Alfredo "Tota" Lugano Moreno is a Uruguayan footballer who currently plays for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Uruguay national football team as a central defender....

, full-back Cicinho
Cicinho
Cícero João de Cézare, nicknamed Cicinho, in Pradópolis, São Paulo, Brazil), is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays for Serie A club Roma.Currently married to longtime girlfriend, Reem Borriello; the two have one son, Heitor...

 and forward Amoroso
Márcio Amoroso
Márcio Amoroso dos Santos is a retired Brazilian footballer. He has played his football for several teams in Japan, Italy, Germany, Spain and Greece while representing Brazil at international level.-Club career:...

.


Lineup: Rogério Ceni
Rogério Ceni
Rogério Ceni is a Brazilian goalkeeper. He has been a member of the Brazilian Série A club São Paulo since September 7, 1990, playing more than 1,000 matches and winning 2 Copa Libertadores trophies and one Club World Championship with them...

 Fabão Lugano
Diego Lugano
Diego Alfredo "Tota" Lugano Moreno is a Uruguayan footballer who currently plays for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Uruguay national football team as a central defender....

 Edcarlos Cicinho
Cicinho
Cícero João de Cézare, nicknamed Cicinho, in Pradópolis, São Paulo, Brazil), is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays for Serie A club Roma.Currently married to longtime girlfriend, Reem Borriello; the two have one son, Heitor...

 Josué
Josué Anunciado de Oliveira
Josué Anunciado de Oliveira, or simply Josué , is a Brazilian defensive midfielder. He currently plays for German Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg.-Club career:...

 Mineiro Júnior
Jenílson Ângelo de Souza
Jenílson Ângelo de Souza, usually known as Júnior is a former association footballer who has twenty-two international caps to his name, scoring one goal against Costa Rica in 2002 FIFA World Cup....

 Danilo
Danilo Gabriel de Andrade
Danilo Gabriel de Andrade, or simply Danilo , is a Brazilian attacking midfielder...

 Aloísio
Aloísio José da Silva
Aloísio José da Silva, or simply Aloísio , is a Brazilian striker. He currently plays for CRB.Aloísio suffered a freak accident where he temporarily lost consciousness following a collision during Campeonato Brasileiro Série B match on August 25, 2009.-Honours:Goiás* Goiás State Championship:...

 Amoroso
Márcio Amoroso
Márcio Amoroso dos Santos is a retired Brazilian footballer. He has played his football for several teams in Japan, Italy, Germany, Spain and Greece while representing Brazil at international level.-Club career:...

 
Coach: Paulo Autuori
 
}}

2006: A Good year

After the almost perfect 2005 season, São Paulo experienced some changes. Paulo Autuori left the team to coach Kashima Antlers
Kashima Antlers
are a Japanese professional association football club playing in the J. League Division 1. Antlers is derived from the city name, Kashima, which literally means "deer island"....

 in the J. League. Muricy Ramalho
Muricy Ramalho
Muricy Ramalho is a Brazilian head coach and former football player. On July 23, 2010 it was reported that he had been offered the post of the coach of the Brazilian national football team, replacing the sacked Dunga. However, Fluminense, his team at the time, refused to release him for the job...

 was signed up as the new coach, having led Internacional
Sport Club Internacional
Sport Club Internacional is a Brazilian football team and multi-sport club from Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, founded on April 4, 1909, and are one of the only five clubs to have never been relegated, along with Santos, São Paulo, Flamengo and Cruzeiro. They play in red shirts, white shorts and...

 to the runners-up position in the 2005 Brazilian Championship. In his first tournament as a manager, Ramalho reached second place in the Paulista Championship, losing in the final to Santos.

During that period, São Paulo began playing in the 2006 Copa Libertadores
Copa Libertadores 2006
The 2006 Copa Toyota Libertadores was the 47th edition of the Latin American Copa Libertadores football club tournament. 38 teams from 11 football associations have taken part, starting with the first qualifying round played on 24 January 2006...

. They again reached the final, but this time faced Brazilian opposition, Internacional. They lost the first match 1–2 and tied the second 2–2, which was not enough to assure São Paulo a fourth continental title.

After the end of the Copa Libertadores, the squad focused only on the Brazilian Serie A. In the 12th round, they grabbed the leading position and kept it all the way until the end of the season, celebrating their fourth Campeonato Brasileiro
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 2006
The 36th season of the Campeonato Brasileiro began on April 15, 2006, and reached its end on December 3, 2006.-Format:The format was similar to the 2005 edition, though fielding two fewer teams. 20 teams competed, each team playing the other in a home-and-away format...

 trophy in the 36th round, out of a total of 38, on November 19, 2006, with a 1–1 tie against Atlético Paranaense. São Paulo also broke some records, such as reaching 28 rounds leading the National Championship in a row (the previous record was 18 rounds). Also, they became the first team to become national champions in the new league system
League system
A league system is a hierarchy of leagues in a sport, usually with a system of promotion and relegation between consecutive levels of the hierarchy. They are often called pyramids due to their tendency to split into an increasing number of regional divisions the further down the pyramid one descends...

 format with most victories, besides being considered the best offense and defense among all teams that year.

Lineup: Rogério Ceni
Rogério Ceni
Rogério Ceni is a Brazilian goalkeeper. He has been a member of the Brazilian Série A club São Paulo since September 7, 1990, playing more than 1,000 matches and winning 2 Copa Libertadores trophies and one Club World Championship with them...

 Fabão Miranda André Dias
André Dias
For Al Ain's Brazilian striker André Dias, see André Felippe Seixas Dias.André Gonçalves Dias, or simply André Dias , is a Brazilian football central defender. He currently plays for Lazio.-Club:...

 Souza/Ilsinho
Ilsinho
Ilson Pereira Dias Júnior , commonly known as Ilsinho, is a Brazilian right midfielder who currently plays for Sport Club Internacional...

 Josué
Josué Anunciado de Oliveira
Josué Anunciado de Oliveira, or simply Josué , is a Brazilian defensive midfielder. He currently plays for German Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg.-Club career:...

 Mineiro Júnior
Jenílson Ângelo de Souza
Jenílson Ângelo de Souza, usually known as Júnior is a former association footballer who has twenty-two international caps to his name, scoring one goal against Costa Rica in 2002 FIFA World Cup....

 Danilo
Danilo Gabriel de Andrade
Danilo Gabriel de Andrade, or simply Danilo , is a Brazilian attacking midfielder...

 Leandro Aloísio
Aloísio José da Silva
Aloísio José da Silva, or simply Aloísio , is a Brazilian striker. He currently plays for CRB.Aloísio suffered a freak accident where he temporarily lost consciousness following a collision during Campeonato Brasileiro Série B match on August 25, 2009.-Honours:Goiás* Goiás State Championship:...

 Coach: Muricy Ramalho
Muricy Ramalho
Muricy Ramalho is a Brazilian head coach and former football player. On July 23, 2010 it was reported that he had been offered the post of the coach of the Brazilian national football team, replacing the sacked Dunga. However, Fluminense, his team at the time, refused to release him for the job...

 
}}

2007: Undisputed Best

Again after not showing good results in 2007 Copa Libertadores, São Paulo won the Brazilian Title for the second year in a row. The team was 15 points ahead of the second place Santos.

Lineup: Rogério Ceni
Rogério Ceni
Rogério Ceni is a Brazilian goalkeeper. He has been a member of the Brazilian Série A club São Paulo since September 7, 1990, playing more than 1,000 matches and winning 2 Copa Libertadores trophies and one Club World Championship with them...

 Breno
Breno Borges
Breno Vinicius Rodrigues Borges , commonly known as Breno, is a Brazilian football central defender. He currently plays for Bayern Munich.-São Paulo:Breno was a member of the Brazilian Olympic U-23 national team...

 Miranda André Dias
André Dias
For Al Ain's Brazilian striker André Dias, see André Felippe Seixas Dias.André Gonçalves Dias, or simply André Dias , is a Brazilian football central defender. He currently plays for Lazio.-Club:...

 Souza Hernanes
Hernanes
Anderson Hernanes de Carvalho Andrade Lima , commonly known as Hernanes is a Brazilian midfielder who currently plays for Lazio.Hernanes can be used as a playmaker in the centre attacking midfield role...

 Richarlyson Jorge Wágner
Jorge Wágner
Jorge Wagner Goés Conceição, or simply Jorge Wagner, , is a Brazilian attacking midfielder, who currently plays football for J...

 Leandro Dagoberto
Dagoberto
Dagoberto Pelentier is a Brazilian professional footballer nicknamed Dagoberto who currently plays as a forward for São Paulo. Born in Dois Vizinhos, he formerly played for Atlético Paranaense.-International career:...

 Aloísio
Aloísio José da Silva
Aloísio José da Silva, or simply Aloísio , is a Brazilian striker. He currently plays for CRB.Aloísio suffered a freak accident where he temporarily lost consciousness following a collision during Campeonato Brasileiro Série B match on August 25, 2009.-Honours:Goiás* Goiás State Championship:...

 
Coach: Muricy Ramalho
Muricy Ramalho
Muricy Ramalho is a Brazilian head coach and former football player. On July 23, 2010 it was reported that he had been offered the post of the coach of the Brazilian national football team, replacing the sacked Dunga. However, Fluminense, his team at the time, refused to release him for the job...

 
}}

2008: Six titles, three in a row

In the middle of the season, São Paulo was 11 points behind the league leaders, Gremio, and almost gave up fighting for the title. But in the end, the team won the championship for the third year in a row, becoming the first team in Brazil to have won the national title six times (a feat equaled by Flamengo one year later). Manager Muricy Ramalho was also the first manager in Brazilian soccer to win three Brazilian titles in a row with the same team.

Lineup: Rogério Ceni
Rogério Ceni
Rogério Ceni is a Brazilian goalkeeper. He has been a member of the Brazilian Série A club São Paulo since September 7, 1990, playing more than 1,000 matches and winning 2 Copa Libertadores trophies and one Club World Championship with them...

 Rodrigo
Rodrigo Baldasso da Costa
Rodrigo Baldasso da Costa, often known as simply Rodrigo is a professional football player, currently playing in Sport Club Internacional.-Career:...

 Miranda André Dias
André Dias
For Al Ain's Brazilian striker André Dias, see André Felippe Seixas Dias.André Gonçalves Dias, or simply André Dias , is a Brazilian football central defender. He currently plays for Lazio.-Club:...

 Joílson
Joílson Rodrigues Macedo
Joílson Rodrigues Macedo or simply Joílson , is a Brazilian right back. He currently plays for Atlético Clube Goianiense on loan from Boavista.- Career :...

 Hernanes
Hernanes
Anderson Hernanes de Carvalho Andrade Lima , commonly known as Hernanes is a Brazilian midfielder who currently plays for Lazio.Hernanes can be used as a playmaker in the centre attacking midfield role...

 Jean
Jean Raphael Vanderlei Moreira
Jean Raphael Vanderlei Moreira or simply Jean , is a Brazilian footballer. He currently plays for São Paulo.Mainly a defensive midfielder, he can also play as a right defender....

/Richarlyson Jorge Wágner
Jorge Wágner
Jorge Wagner Goés Conceição, or simply Jorge Wagner, , is a Brazilian attacking midfielder, who currently plays football for J...

 Hugo
Hugo Henrique Assis do Nascimento
Hugo Henrique Assis do Nascimento or simply Hugo , is a Brazilian attacking midfielder who plays for Al-Wahda.-Career:...

 Dagoberto
Dagoberto
Dagoberto Pelentier is a Brazilian professional footballer nicknamed Dagoberto who currently plays as a forward for São Paulo. Born in Dois Vizinhos, he formerly played for Atlético Paranaense.-International career:...

 Borges
Humberlito Borges Teixeira
Humberlito Borges Teixeira or simply Borges , is a Brazilian striker. He currently plays for Santos.-União São João:Before coming to União São João started by clubs without much expression...

 Coach: Muricy Ramalho
Muricy Ramalho
Muricy Ramalho is a Brazilian head coach and former football player. On July 23, 2010 it was reported that he had been offered the post of the coach of the Brazilian national football team, replacing the sacked Dunga. However, Fluminense, his team at the time, refused to release him for the job...

 
}}

2009 – 2011

After losing the semifinals of the Campeonato Paulista 2009, manager Muricy Ramalho was being under pressure from the beginning of the year, when the squad did not perform well. The dissatisfaction from the board of directors led to his being fired from the manager post, following a defeat in the home leg of the 2009 Libertadores Cup
Copa Libertadores 2009
The 2009 Copa Libertadores de América was the 50th edition of the Copa Libertadores, CONMEBOL's premier annual international club tournament....

 to Cruzeiro. That was São Paulo FC's fourth consecutive Libertadores Cup elimination to a team from Brazil. Ricardo Gomes took over the position from Ramalho.
Then, São Paulo had a hard time before recovering its breath to compete again against the big dogs.
In 2010 São Paulo lost again against Internacional
Sport Club Internacional
Sport Club Internacional is a Brazilian football team and multi-sport club from Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, founded on April 4, 1909, and are one of the only five clubs to have never been relegated, along with Santos, São Paulo, Flamengo and Cruzeiro. They play in red shirts, white shorts and...

 at 2010 Libertadores Cup and Ricardo Gomes left out from the manager post, after this the young players Lucas
Lucas Rodrigues Moura da Silva
Lucas Rodrigues Moura da Silva known as Lucas , is a Brazilian football attacking midfielder. He currently plays for São Paulo and Brazilian national team. Lucas is in the list of FIFA's players to watch in 2011...

 and Casemiro started to play on senior team. In 2011 the club brought Rivaldo
Rivaldo
Rivaldo Vítor Borba Ferreira , commonly known simply as Rivaldo , is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for São Paulo, on loan from Mogi Mirim, as an attacking midfielder and sometimes as a supporting striker.He most notably played five years with Spanish club FC Barcelona, with whom he...

 and Luis Fabiano
Luís Fabiano
Luís Fabiano Clemente , commonly known as Luís Fabiano, is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays for São Paulo and the Brazilian national football team as a striker.-Early career:...

 was bought for 7.6 million euros, the most expensive hiring in the history of São Paulo, still in 2011 Rogério Ceni
Rogério Ceni
Rogério Ceni is a Brazilian goalkeeper. He has been a member of the Brazilian Série A club São Paulo since September 7, 1990, playing more than 1,000 matches and winning 2 Copa Libertadores trophies and one Club World Championship with them...

 scored his hundredth goal in over main rival of the tricolor, the Corinthians
Sport Club Corinthians Paulista
Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, commonly just known as Corinthians , is a Brazilian football club based in the city of São Paulo. They play in the São Paulo state league, as well as the Brasileirão, Brazil's top national league...

.

Colors and badge

When Paulistano and Palmeiras merged, their colors (red and white for Paulistano and black and white for Palmeiras) were inherited by São Paulo. Not only the colors match the ones in São Paulo's state flag, it also represents the three main races that lived in Brazil during that period: the native Americans (represented by the red), the Europeans(represented by the white) and the Africans (represented by the black).

The home uniform is a white shirt, with two horizontal stripes at chest's level, the upper one being red and the lower one being black, with the badge in the center of the chest. The shorts and socks are all-white. The away uniform consists in a red shirt with red, black and white vertical stripes (the white stripes are narrow than the others), black shorts and socks.

The badge, which was designed by Walter Ostrich in the early days of São Paulo, consists in a shield with a black retangle in the upper section with the initials SPFC in white. Below the rectangle it shows a triangle with three colors: red, white and black). The badge also shows five stars, two gold and three red ones. The gold ones pay homage to Adhemar Ferreira da Silva's world and olympic records and the red ones represents the world championships won by São Paulo.

Stadium

São Paulo's stadium is officially named Estádio Cícero Pompeu de Toledo (Cicero Pompeu de Toledo Stadium), although most people refer to it by its nickname Estádio do Morumbi (Morumbi Stadium). It was inaugurated in 1960, with a maximum sitting capacity of 120,000 people, but now its maximum capacity is only 80,000 seats, and only 75,000 tickets are sold each game for safety reasons. But has had 146.082 people in 1977 as its record attendance for a football match .

The club also owns two training grounds, one named Centro de Treinamento Frederico Antônio Germano Menzen (Frederico Antônio Germano Menzen Training Center), and nicknamed Centro de Treinamento (CT) da Barra Funda (Barra Funda's Training Center), which is used mostly by the professional team. The other is the Centro de Formação de Atletas Presidente Laudo Natel (President Laudo Natel Athletes Formation Center), nicknamed Centro de Treinamento (CT) de Cotia (Cotia's Training Center), which is used by the youth teams.

Current squad

As of July 19, 2011
(on loan from Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...

)

Youth & reserve squad

Out on loan

Current technical staff

Honors

International
  • FIFA Club World Cup
    FIFA Club World Cup
    The FIFA Club World Cup is a football competition between the champion clubs from all six continental confederations.The first FIFA Club World Championship took place in Brazil in January 2000...

     (1):
    2005
    2005 FIFA Club World Championship
    -Quarter-finals:-----Semi-finals:-----Fifth Place:-Third Place:-Final:-Scorers: 2 goals Amoroso Peter Crouch Mohammed Noor Alvaro Saborio...

  • Intercontinental Cup
    Intercontinental Cup (football)
    The European/South American Cup, commonly referred to as the World Club Championship, Intercontinental Cup or Toyota Cup, was a football competition endorsed by UEFA and CONMEBOL, contested between the winners of the European Cup and the South American Copa Libertadores...

     (2):
    1992
    1992 Intercontinental Cup
    The 1992 Intercontinental Cup was a football match played on December 13, 1992 between FC Barcelona, winners of the 1991-92 European Cup, and São Paulo, winners of the 1992 Copa Libertadores. The match was played at the National Stadium in Tokyo. It was Barcelona's first appearance into the...

    , 1993
    1993 Intercontinental Cup
    The 1993 Intercontinental Cup was a football match played on December 12, 1993 between A.C. Milan, runners-up of the 1992-93 UEFA Champions League, and São Paulo, winners of the 1993 Copa Libertadores. The match was played at the National Stadium in Tokyo...



Continental
  • Copa Libertadores (3): 1992
    1992 Copa Libertadores
    The 1992 Copa Libertadores was the 33rd edition of the Copa Libertadores, CONMEBOL's annual international club tournament. São Paulo won the competition....

    , 1993
    1993 Copa Libertadores
    The Copa Libertadores 1993 was the 34th edition of the Copa Libertadores, CONMEBOL's annual international club tournament. São Paulo won the competition....

    , 2005
  • Copa Conmebol
    Copa CONMEBOL
    The Copa CONMEBOL was an annual football cup competition organized by CONMEBOL between 1992 and 1999 for eligible South American football clubs. During its time of existence, it was the third most prestigious South American club football contest after the Copa Libertadores and Supercopa...

     (1):
    1994
    1994 Copa CONMEBOL
    The 1994 Copa CONMEBOL was the third edition of CONMEBOL's annual club tournament. Teams that failed to qualify for the Copa Libertadores played in this tournament. Sixteen teams from the nine South American football confederations qualified for this tournament...

  • Recopa Sudamericana
    Recopa Sudamericana
    The Recopa Sudamericana is an annual football match-up between the reigning champions of the previous year's Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana, South America's premier club competitions....

     (2):
    1993
    1993 Recopa Sudamericana
    -Second leg:-External links:*...

    , 1994
  • Supercopa Sudamericana
    Supercopa Sudamericana
    The Supercopa Sudamericana , also known as the Supercopa Libertadores João Havelange, Supercopa Libertadores, Supercopa João Havelange or simply Supercopa, was a football club competition contested annually by the past winners of the Copa Libertadores...

     (1):
    1993
    1993 Supercopa Sudamericana
    The 1993 Supercopa Sudamericana was the sixth season of the Supercopa Sudamericana, a club football tournament for past Copa Libertadores winners...

  • Copa Masters Conmebol
    Copa Masters Conmebol
    -Final:-Scorers:5 goals Almir3 goals Túlio Valdir1 goal Edmílson Ailton-External links:* at RSSSF...

     (1):
    1996
    Copa Masters Conmebol
    -Final:-Scorers:5 goals Almir3 goals Túlio Valdir1 goal Edmílson Ailton-External links:* at RSSSF...



National
  • Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
    Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
    The Campeonato Brasileiro de Clubes da Série A , popularly known as the Brasileirão , is a professional football league at the top of the Brazilian football league system held annually since 1959. Contested by twenty clubs, it operates a system of promotion and relegation with the Série B...

     (6):
    1977
    Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 1977
    -Overview:It was performed in 62 teams, and São Paulo won the championship. This championship is notable for producing what is perhaps the only unbeaten runner-up in world football. Atlético had won all but three of its matches, which were drawn, but was to play a single final match against São...

    , 1986
    Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 1986
    -Overview:It was performed by 48 teams, including the four champions of the Série B and São Paulo won the championship.-Final standings:-Série A and Série B overall standings:-References:*...

    , 1991
    Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 1991
    The 1991 season of the Campeonato Brasileiro began on February 2, 1991, and reached its end on June 9, 1991. The competition was won by São Paulo. Santos Futebol Clube's Paulinho McLaren, with 15 goals, was the competition's top goal scorer.-Overview:...

    , 2006
    Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 2006
    The 36th season of the Campeonato Brasileiro began on April 15, 2006, and reached its end on December 3, 2006.-Format:The format was similar to the 2005 edition, though fielding two fewer teams. 20 teams competed, each team playing the other in a home-and-away format...

    , 2007
    Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 2007
    The 37th season of the Campeonato Brasileiro began on May 12, 2007, and ended on December 2, 2007.-Format:The format was identical to the 2006 edition. 20 teams competed, each team playing the other 19 twice in a double round-robin format...

    , 2008
    Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 2008
    The 38th season of the Campeonato Brasileiro began on May 8 and ended on December 7. For the first time, one club has won the championship three times in a row...

  • Torneio Rio-São Paulo
    Torneio Rio-São Paulo
    Torneio Rio – São Paulo was a traditional Brazilian football competition contested between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro teams until from 1935 until 2002....

     (1):
    2001
  • Campeonato Paulista
    Campeonato Paulista
    The Campeonato Paulista de Futebol Profissional da Primeira Divisão - Série A1, simply known as the Campeonato Paulista, is the top-flight professional football league in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. The league is contested between 20 clubs and typically lasts from January to April...

     (21):
    1931, 1943, 1945, 1946, 1948, 1949, 1953, 1957, 1970, 1971, 1975, 1980, 1981, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1998, 2000, 2005
  • Supercampeonato Paulista (1): 2002

External links

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