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.
During the championship CBF determined that green module's two finalists whould play a final group stage with the yellow module's two finalists: Sport Recife and Guarani. Both Flamengo and Inter refused, and Sport eventually beat Guarani to claim the title. 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. Flamengo, Internacional and the Club of the 13, however, have never recognized the decision and consider Flamengo and Internacional as champion and runner-up of the 1987 National Championship as Brazilian Supreme Court of Sports recognize the title.
