Campeonato Paulista

Campeonato Paulista - Série A1
Countries Brazil
Confederation FPF
Founded 1902
Number of teams 20
Levels on pyramid 1
Relegation to Série A2
Domestic cup(s) Copa Paulista
Current champions Santos
(2011)
Most championships Corinthians (26 titles)
TV partners Rede Globo
SporTV
Website www.futebolpaulista.com.br
2011 Série A1

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. Rivalries amongst four of the most well-known Brazilian teams (Corinthians, Palmeiras, Santos and São Paulo) has marked the history of the competition. The "Paulistão", as the tournament is popularly known, is also the oldest established league in Brazil. It was first held in 1902.

Contents

Format

Campeonato Paulista is held annually by the Federação Paulista de Futebol (São Paulo State Football Federation), or FPF, amongst teams residing within the state of São Paulo. 20 clubs compete in the highest level of the championship (Série A1). In a new format for 2007, each team plays the other once in a round-robin format followed by four team playoff with home-and-away series. In addition, teams that finish the regular season in places 5 through 8 (that do not reside within the city of São Paulo or Santos FC) will compete in a playoff for the title of "Campeão do Interior" (Upstate Champion). The four lowest placed teams are relegated to the lower competition (Série A2) for the following year.

Série A2 is competed by 20 teams in three separate phases. In Phase One, the teams are split into two groups, playing each other twice in a home-and-home series. The bottom two from each group are relegated to Série A3; the top four advance to Phase Two. Phase two consists of the eight advancing teams organized into groups, repeating the home-and-home series within the group. The top two placed teams from each group are promoted to Série A1; each top team advances to Phase Three, a single championship game to determine the tournament winner.

Série A3 consists of 20 teams competing in a three phase format similar to Série A2. Promotion and relegation rules are the same as in this higher level.

The Second Division (Série B) matches are held by minor teams during the Brazilian league. The number of teams involved varies, with 45 participants in 2011. Top four teams are promoted to Série A3.

History

Founding

Charles Miller was responsible for the creation of the first São Paulo state tournament. Miller introduced the football association rules to Brazil upon his return from England, where he attended college and discovered the sport. On December 14, 1901, the Liga Paulista de Foot-Ball (Paulista Football League), or LPF was founded, comprising five initial teams: São Paulo Athletic Club, Internacional, Mackenzie, Germânia, and Paulistano. Between April and October 1902, those teams competed in the first edition of the tournament, with São Paulo AC winning the title and Miller himself as the leading goalscorer. Unlike in Argentina and Uruguay, football was restricted to elitist clubs in its early days in Brazil.

Football popularity grew in following years. Paulistano, a club composed of the children of the richest families of São Paulo, became the strongest team. However, the popularity base of the sport started to change after a brilliant exhibition tour by the Corinthians, a London amateur team, in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. They easily defeated the best Brazilian teams of the time and made a very favorable impression amongst the younger fans. Shortly thereafter, a group of workers were inspired to found the city's first popular team, Sport Club Corinthians Paulista.

1910s-1930s

Growth of football popularity amongst lower classes generated a rift in the LPF. Their directors had defended that football should remain an elitist sport. This difference in opinion led to creation of another competing league, the Associação Paulista de Esportes Atléticos (Paulista Association of Athletic Sports), [APEA], which promoted the sport among all social classes. Corinthians and Palestra Itália (a new club compound by Italian immigrants), and Paulistano helped to comprise the new league.

The LPF ceased operation in 1917. Until 1926, the APEA remained the only league in São Paulo. Stronger teams, larger crowds and players such Neco (Corinthians) and Friedenreich (Paulistano) contributed to the footballmania that converted football from "foreigner's fun" to Brazil's most popular sport. Debates surrounded the issue of whether football should professionalize or remain a purely amateur endeavor. Paulistano, the most trophied team at the time, refused to become professional and departed in 1925 to create the Liga de Amadores de Futebol (League of Football Amateurs) [LAF]. Competition between the two leagues fueled expansion of the teams, as clubs from upstate began to join.

By 1930, the LAF and Paulistano had folded, and a new era for São Paulo football began. Players became professionals in 1933 when Bandeirante Football League was created. Corinthians and Palestra Itália assumed their positions as the most powerful and popular teams. A new club emerges to compete for the hearts of supporters. Some dissidents from Paulistano, favorable to professionalization, along with the directors of AA Palmeiras united to form São Paulo Futebol Clube, the third force of the city.

Modern era

The APEA had ceased operations in 1938, and after the several name changes, the original Bandeirante Football League officially became the Federação Paulista de Futebol (Paulista Football Federation), [FPF] on April 22, 1941. São Paulo signed Leonidas da Silva in the following year and won five of the next eight championships. Palestra Itália change its name to Palmeiras in 1943 due to a World War II period law that banned Axis Powers's references in sport. Football grows within the state and a second division is created in 1948, allowing upstate teams to take part in major league competition. XV de Novembro from Piracicaba was the first team promoted to the top flight.

São Paulo, Palmeiras and Corinthians dominated titles in early fifties. Santos, although having competed consistently, would need waiting few more years to gain top status. 1957 was the year when football saw the birth of its greatest player ever: Pelé. His fantastic goals lead Santos to win nine of the next twelve championships. Pelé was the league top scorer in every year between 1957 and 1965 including a record 58 goals in a single season. Santos won numerous competitions at the state, national, regional and international level. Palmeiras's "Academia" teams were the only ones able to break such dominance in the sixties.

Since 1960s, Brazil began to develop more mature national competitions which competed with the state and regional tournaments for supporter's attention. In 1977, Corinthians' were able to win a title after a 24 year drought, and the early eighties saw the battle between Corinthians (led by Sócrates) and São Paulo's (Serginho Chulapa). The "Corinthians Democracy" won in 1982 and 1983 while introducing a new philosophy in club management, where players participate in all decisions with management. São Paulo became the most successful team of the decade, winning the championship in 1980, 1981, 1985, 1987 and 1989. The last years saw the emergence of players such as Müller and Silas (known as the "Menudos do Morumbi") on that team. Internacional from Limeira accomplished a great upset in 1986 by defeating Palmeiras to win the final.

Bragantino vs. Novorizontino was the final in the 1990 championship in the Paulistão's biggest ever upset. Palmeiras' fans saw their club win the 1993, 1994 and 1996 championships with the greatest Brazilian squad of the decade. Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos, Edmundo, César Sampaio are among the members of the "Green Machine" which scored 100 goals in the 1996 tournament. Corinthians conquered the trophy five times in the 1995-2003 period, thus becoming the most successful team in the first 100 years of the Campeonato Paulista, with 25 titles.

Since 2000, Campeonato Paulista has lost popularity with each year. The main São Paulo state teams treat the tournament as tune-ups for the more lucrative Copa Libertadores and Brazilian National Championship. However, the Paulistão, as well as the other state tournaments in Brazil, still hold significance by providing developing talent and sustaining grass-roots soccer within the state.

Clubs

The following 20 clubs competed in the Campeonato Paulista during the 2011 season.

Team City Stadium
Americana Americana Décio Vitta
Botafogo (SP) Ribeirão Preto Santa Cruz
Bragantino Bragança Paulista Nabi Abi Chedid
Corinthians São Paulo Pacaembu
Grêmio Prudente Presidente Prudente Prudentão
Ituano Itu Novelli Júnior
Linense Lins Gilberto Siqueira Lopes
Mirassol Mirassol José Maria de Campos Maia
Mogi Mirim Moji-Mirim Papa João Paulo II
Noroeste Bauru Alfredo de Castilho
Oeste Itápolis Idenor Picardi Semeghini
Palmeiras São Paulo Pacaembu
Paulista Jundiaí Jayme Cintra
Ponte Preta Campinas Moisés Lucarelli
Portuguesa São Paulo Canindé
Santo André Santo André Bruno José Daniel
Santos Santos Vila Belmiro
São Bernardo São Bernardo do Campo Primeiro de Maio
São Caetano São Caetano do Sul Anacleto Campanella
São Paulo São Paulo Morumbi

Past Tournaments

Winners and goalscorers

Season Winner Runner-up Top Goalscorer[1] Team Goals
1902 LPF São Paulo Athletic Club (1) Paulistano Charles Miller São Paulo Athletic Club 10
1903 LPF São Paulo Athletic Club (2) Paulistano Álvaro and Boyes Paulistano and São Paulo Athletic Club 4
1904 LPF São Paulo Athletic Club (3) Paulistano Charles Miller São Paulo Athletic Club 9
1905 LPF Paulistano (1) Germânia Hermann Friese Germânia 14
1906 LPF Germânia (1) Internacional (SP) Fuller Germânia 4
1907 LPF Internacional (SP) (1) Americano and Paulistano Léo Internacional (SP) 8
1908 LPF Paulistano (2) Germânia Peres Paulistano 6
1909 LPF A.A. das Palmeiras (1) Paulistano Bibi Paulistano 9
1910 LPF A.A. das Palmeiras (2) Americano Boyes, Eurico, Rubens Sales São Paulo Athletic Club, A.A. das Palmeiras, Paulistano 10
1911 LPF São Paulo Athletic Club (4) Americano Décio Americano 7
1912 LPF Americano (1) Paulistano Arthur Friedenreich Mackenzie
1913 APEA Paulistano (3) Mackenzie José Pedro, Luiz Alves, Renato, Whatley, Luiz, Mesquita first 4 from Mackenzie, A.A. das Palmeiras, Paulistano 3
1913 LPF Americano (2) Ypiranga Décio Americano 7
1914 APEA São Bento (1) Paulistano Arthur Friedenreich Paulistano 12
1914 LPF Corinthians (1) Campos Elísios Neco Corinthians 12
1915 APEA A.A. das Palmeiras (3) Mackenzie Nazaré A.A. das Palmeiras 13
1915 LPF Corinthians (2) São Paulo Athletic Club Facchini A.A. Campos Elíseos 17
1916 LPF Germânia (2) A.A. Campos Elíseos Aparicio Corinthians 7
1916 APEA Paulistano (4) São Bento Mariano Paulistano 8
1917 APEA Paulistano (5) Palestra Italia Arthur Friedenreich Ypiranga 15
1918 APEA Paulistano (6) Corinthians Arthur Friedenreich Paulistano 25
1919 APEA Paulistano (7) Palestra Italia Arthur Friedenreich Ypiranga 26
1920 APEA Palestra Italia (1) Paulistano Neco Corinthians 24
1921 APEA Paulistano (8) Corinthians and Palestra Italia Arthur Friedenreich Paulistano 33
1922 APEA Corinthians (3) Palestra Italia Gambarotta Corinthians 19
1923 APEA Corinthians (4) Palestra Italia Feitiço São Bento 18
1924 APEA Corinthians (5) Paulistano Feitiço São Bento 14
1925 APEA São Bento (2) Corinthians and Paulistano Feitiço São Bento 10
1926 LAF Paulistano (9) Germânia Filó Paulistano 16
1926 APEA Palestra Italia(2) Auto Heitor Palestra Italia 18
1927 LAF Paulistano (10) Espanha Arthur Friedenreich Paulistano 13
1927 APEA Palestra Italia (3) Santos Araken Santos 31
1928 LAF Internacional (SP) (2) Paulistano / /
1928 APEA Corinthians (6) Santos Heitor Palestra Italia 16
1929 LAF Paulistano (11) Internacional (SP) Arthur Friedenreich Paulistano 16
1929 APEA Corinthians (7) Santos Feitiço Santos 12
1930 APEA Corinthians (8) São Paulo da Floresta Feitiço Santos 37
1931 APEA São Paulo da Floresta (1) Palestra Italia and Santos Feitiço Santos 39
1932 APEA Palestra Italia (4) São Paulo da Floresta Romeu Palestra Italia 18
1933 APEA Palestra Italia (5) São Paulo da Floresta Valdemar de Brito São Paulo da Floresta 21
1934 APEA Palestra Italia (6) São Paulo da Floresta Romeu Palestra Italia 13
1935 APEA Portuguesa (1) Ypiranga Figueiredo Ypiranga 19
1935 LPF Santos (1) Palestra Italia Teleco Corinthians 9
1936 APEA Portuguesa (2) Ypiranga Carioca Portuguesa 18
1936 LPF Palestra Italia (7) Corinthians Teleco Corinthians 28
1937 LPF Corinthians (9) Palestra Italia Teleco Corinthians 15
1938 LFESP Corinthians (10) São Paulo Eliseu São Paulo 13
1939 LFESP Corinthians (11) Palestra Italia Teleco Corinthians 32
1940 LFESP Palestra Italia (8) Portuguesa Peixe Ypiranga 21
1941 Corinthians (12) São Paulo Teleco Corinthians 26
1942 Palmeiras (9) Corinthians Milani Corinthians 24
1943 São Paulo (1) Corinthians Hércules Corinthians 19
1944 Palmeiras (10) São Paulo Luizinho São Paulo 22
1945 São Paulo (2) Corinthians Passarinho and Servilio SPR (Nacional) and Corinthians 17
1946 São Paulo (3) Corinthians Servilio Corinthians 19
1947 Palmeiras (11) Corinthians Servilio Corinthians 19
1948 São Paulo (4) Santos Cilas Ypiranga 19
1949 São Paulo (5) Palmeiras Friaça São Paulo 24
1950 Palmeiras (12) São Paulo and Santos Pinga Portuguesa 22
1951 Corinthians (13) Palmeiras Carbone Corinthians 30
1952 Corinthians (14) São Paulo Baltazar Corinthians 27
1953 São Paulo (6) Palmeiras Humberto Palmeiras 22
1954 Corinthians (15) Palmeiras Humberto Palmeiras 36
1955 Santos (2) Corinthians Del Vecchio Santos 23
1956 Santos (3) São Paulo Zezinho São Paulo 16
1957 São Paulo (7) Santos Pelé Santos 17
1958 Santos (4) São Paulo Pelé Santos 58
1959 Palmeiras (13) Santos Pelé Santos 44
1960 Santos (5) Portuguesa Pelé Santos 34
1961 Santos (6) Palmeiras Pelé Santos 47
1962 Santos (7) São Paulo and Corinthians Pelé Santos 37
1963 Palmeiras (14) São Paulo Pelé Santos 22
1964 Santos (8) Palmeiras Pelé Santos 34
1965 Santos (9) Palmeiras Pelé Santos 49
1966 Palmeiras (15) Corinthians Toninho Guerreiro Santos 27
1967 Santos (10) São Paulo Flávio Corinthians 21
1968 Santos (11) Corinthians Téia Ferroviária 20
1969 Santos (12) Palmeiras Pelé Santos 26
1970 São Paulo (8) Palmeiras and Ponte Preta Toninho Guerreiro São Paulo 13
1971 São Paulo (9) Palmeiras César Palmeiras 18
1972 Palmeiras (16) São Paulo Toninho Guerreiro São Paulo 17
1973 Santos (13) and Portuguesa (3) Palmeiras Pelé Santos 11
1974 Palmeiras (17) Corinthians Geraldão Botafogo (SP) 23
1975 São Paulo (10) Portugesa Serginho Chulapa São Paulo 22
1976 Palmeiras (18) XV de Piracicaba Sócrates Botafogo (SP) 15
1977 Corinthians (16) Ponte Preta Serginho Chulapa São Paulo 32
1978 Santos (14) São Paulo Juari Santos 29
1979 Corinthians (17) Ponte Preta Luis Fernando América (SP) 27
1980 São Paulo (11) Santos Edmar Taubaté 17
1981 São Paulo (12) Ponte Preta Jorge Mendonça Guarani 38
1982 Corinthians (18) São Paulo Walter Casagrande Corinthians 28
1983 Corinthians (19) São Paulo Serginho Chulapa Santos 22
1984 Santos (15) Corinthians Chiquinho and Serginho Chulapa Botafogo (SP) and Santos 16
1985 São Paulo (13) Portuguesa Careca São Paulo 23
1986 Internacional de Limeira (1) Palmeiras Kita Internacional de Limeira 23
1987 São Paulo (14) Corinthians Edmar Corinthians 19
1988 Corinthians (20) Guarani Evair Guarani 19
1989 São Paulo (15) São José Toni and Toquinho São José and Portuguesa 13
1990 Bragantino (1) Novorizontino Alberto, Rubem, Volnei Ituano, Guarani, Ferroviária 12
1991 São Paulo (16) Corinthians Raí São Paulo 20
1992 São Paulo (17) Palmeiras Válber Mogi Mirim 17
1993 Palmeiras (19) Corinthians Viola Corinthians 20
1994 Palmeiras (20) São Paulo and Corinthians Evair Palmeiras 23
1995 Corinthians (21) Palmeiras Bentinho and Paulinho São Paulo and Portuguesa 20
1996 Palmeiras (21) São Paulo Giovanni Santos 24
1997 Corinthians (22) São Paulo Dodô São Paulo 19
1998 São Paulo (18) Corinthians França São Paulo 12
1999 Corinthians (23) Palmeiras Alex Mogi Mirim 12
2000 São Paulo (19) Santos França São Paulo 18
2001 Corinthians (24) Botafogo (SP) Washington Ponte Preta 16
2002 Ituano (1) União São João Alex Alves Juventus 17
2003 Corinthians (25) São Paulo Luís Fabiano São Paulo 8
2004 São Caetano (1) Paulista Vágner Love Palmeiras 12
2005 São Paulo (20) Corinthians Finazzi América (SP) 17
2006 Santos (16) São Paulo Nilmar Corinthians 18
2007 Santos (17) São Caetano Somália São Caetano 13
2008 Palmeiras (22) Ponte Preta Alex Mineiro Palmeiras 15
2009 Corinthians (26) Santos Pedrão Grêmio Barueri 15
2010 Santos (18) Santo André Ricardo Bueno Oeste 16
2011 Santos (19) Corinthians Elano and Liédson Santos and Corinthians 11

Titles by club

Club Winners Runners-up Winning years
Corinthians
26
21
1914, 1916, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1951, 1952, 1954, 1977, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1988, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2009
Palmeiras
(known as Palestra Italia before 1942)
22
23
1920, 1926, 1927, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1936, 1940, 1942, 1944, 1947, 1950, 1959, 1963, 1966, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2008
São Paulo
20
16
1943, 1945, 1946, 1948, 1949, 1953, 1957, 1970, 1971, 1975, 1980, 1981, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1998, 2000, 2005
Santos
19
10
1935, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1978, 1984, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011
Paulistano
11
10
1905, 1908, 1913, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1921, 1926, 1927, 1929
São Paulo Athletic Club
4
1
1902, 1903, 1904, 1911
Portuguesa
3
4
1935, 1936, 1973
A.A. das Palmeiras
3
0
1909, 1910, 1915
Americano
2
3
1912, 1913
Germânia
2
3
1906, 1916
Internacional (SP)
2
2
1907, 1928
São Bento
2
0
1914, 1925
São Paulo da Floresta
1
4
1931
São Caetano
1
1
2004
Internacional de Limeira
1
0
1986
Bragantino
1
0
1990
Ituano
1
0
2002

Campeonato Paulista do Interior

Format

The competition, held since 2007, is played in two-legged semifinals and final by the four best placed countryside São Paulo state clubs that did not reach the semifinal stage of the Campeonato Paulista in the season. Which in turn, is the 5th to 8th place of the first stage of Campeonato Paulista, except the teams from the city of São Paulo and also including Santos.

Past tournaments

Winners and goalscorers

Season Winner Runner-up
2007 Guaratinguetá Noroeste
2008 Grêmio Barueri Noroeste
2009 Ponte Preta Grêmio Barueri
2010 Botafogo (SP) São Caetano
2011 Oeste Ponte Preta

Titles by club

Club Winners Runners-up Winning years
Grêmio Barueri
1
1
2008
Ponte Preta
1
1
2009
Guaratinguetá
1
0
2007
Botafogo (SP)
1
0
2010
Oeste
1
0
2011
Noroeste
0
2
São Caetano
0
1

See also

References

External links