Copa União
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The Campeonato Brasileiro 1987 (also known as Copa União) was the first one not to be organized by the CBF, but rather by the Clube dos 13, a partnership between Brazil's 13 most popular clubs at that time. The Clube dos 13 invited three other clubs and organised the tournament as a double round robin from which four teams qualified for the semifinals. Flamengo were eventual winners, defeating Internacional after home and away matches.
Simultaneously to the Copa União, the CBF organized three other tournaments with 16 teams each. Honouring the colours of the Brazilian flag, they were dubbed Yellow Module, Blue Module and White Module. To the CBF, the Copa União was the Green Module.
After Flamengo won the Copa União, the CBF demanded that the two finalists play another tournament with the two finalists of the Yellow Module, Sport Recife and Guarani. Both Flamengo and Inter refused, and Sport eventually beat Guarani to claim the title. The CBF officially recognises Sport as the national champions, but that view is not shared by many among the media and the general public. The subject is still highly controversial in Brazil.
