Top Facts about Sao Paulo FC, Tricolor Paulista

Sao Paulo Futebol Clube, or simply Sao Paulo, is a Brazilian professional football team based in the Morumbi district of Sao Paulo. It was founded in 1930.

It competes in the Campeonato Paulista (Sao Paulo's top state league) and the Campeonato Brasileiro (the top tier of the Brazilian football league system). Along with Flamengo and Santos, it is one of only three clubs to have never been demoted from Serie A.

With 22 state titles, 6 Brasileirao titles, 3 Copa Libertadores titles, 1 Copa Sudamericana, 1 Supercopa Libertadores, 1 Copa CONMEBOL, 1 Copa Masters CONMEBOL, 2 Recopa Sudamericanas, 2 Intercontinental Cups, and 1 FIFA Club World Cup, Sao Paulo is one of the most successful teams in Brazil.

Sao Paulo was the first club to join the Clube dos 13, a group of Brazil's top football clubs. Under coach Tele Santana, the club won two state crowns, one national championship, two Copa Libertadores, two Recopa Sudamericanas, two Intercontinental Cups, one Supercopa Sudamericana, one Copa CONMEBOL, and one Copa Masters CONMEBOL in the 1990s.

With nearly 12 million fans, Sao Paulo is the third most popular squad in Brazil. A white shirt with two horizontal stripes (one red and one black), white shorts, and white socks are the team's traditional home kit. It has played its home games at the 72,039-seater Morumbi football stadium in Sao Paulo since 1960. In 1992, 1993, 1994, 2000, 2003, 2005, and 2006, the stadium hosted the Copa Libertadores finals.

Listing The Top Facts about Sao Paulo FC

We have prepared a short list of the most important information about the club you better know if you are not already familiar with the squad.

Quick Facts

• Full Name:

   Sao Paulo Futebol Clube

• Nicknames:

   Tricolor Paulista (Paulista Tricolour), O Clube da Fe (The Faith Team), Soberano (Sovereign)

• Date of Formation:

   25 January 1930

• Location:

   Sao Paulo, Brazil

• Age:

   92 years

• Nationality:

   Brazilian

• Home Stadium:

   Morumbi Stadium

• Home Colors:

  Black, Red, White

• President:

   Julio Casares

• Head Coach:

   Rogerio Ceni

• Market Value: 

  €77.70m

• League:

   Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A, Campeonato Paulista

• Current Table Position:

   17

Sao Paulo FC Colors & Home Stadium

When Club Athletico Paulistano and Associacao Atletica das Palmeiras merged, Sao Paulo took on the colors of both clubs (red and white for Paulistano and black and white for Palmeiras).

The colors mirror those of Sao Paulo's state flag and also reflect the three primary races that existed 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 club's home shirt is white with two horizontal stripes across the chest, the upper one red and the bottom one black, with a badge in the center.

The socks and shorts are also white. A red shirt with red, black, and white vertical stripes, black shorts, and black socks make up the away kit.

A shield with a black rectangle in the upper section carrying the initials SPFC in white makes up the badge. A red, white, and black triangle appears beneath the rectangle.

There are five stars on the badge, two gold, and three red. One of the Top Facts about Sao Paulo FC is that the gold ones are for Adhemar Ferreira da Silva's world and Olympic records, while the red ones are for each of Sao Paulo's Intercontinental and Club World Cup titles.

The stadium in Sao Paulo is officially called Estadio Cicero Pompeu de Toledo (Cicero Pompeu de Toledo Stadium), although it is more frequently known as Estadio do Morumbi (Morumbi Stadium).

It was first opened in 1960 with a seating capacity of 120,000 people, but it now has a seating capacity of 72,039 people.

The 146,082 attendance record for a football game was set in 1977, another one of the Top Facts about Sao Paulo FC.

The club also owns two training facilities, one of which is known as Centro de Treinamento.

The Frederico Antonio Germano Menzen Training Center, also known as the Centro de Treinamento (CT) da Barra Funda (Barra Funda's Training Center), is mostly utilized by the professional team.

The other is the Centro de Formacao de Atletas Presidente Laudo Natel (President Laudo Natel Athlete Formation Center), also known as the Centro de Treinamento (CT) de Cotia (Cotia's Training Center).

Sao Paulo FC, How it all Began

On January 25, 1930, 60 former officials, players, members, and supporters of the football clubs Club Athletico Paulistano and Associacao Atletica das Palmeiras of Sao Paulo formed Sao Paulo FC.

Due to the professionalization of the sport, Club Athletico Paulistano, which was created in 1900 and is one of the oldest clubs in town as well as an 11-time champion of Sao Paulo, decided to stop playing football.

The Associacao Atletica das Palmeiras, founded in 1902 and three-time winners of Sao Paulo, attempted but failed to establish a professional squad after the season concluded in 1929.

The new club's jerseys were based on those worn by Associacao Atletica das Palmeiras, which were white with a black ring across the chest.

The red-and-white of Club Athletico Paulistano was added to the black-and-white of Associacao Atletica das Palmeiras, making the ring red, white, and black.

Arthur Friedenreich and Araken Patusca were brought to the union by Club Athletico Paulistano. The stadium Estadio da Floresta, also known as Chacara da Floresta, was built by Associacao Atletica das Palmeiras.

Internal conflict and turmoil resulted in financial difficulties. On 14 May 1935, the club merged with Clube de Regatas Tiete, a local sports club, and the football department was dismantled, one of the

Top Facts about Sao Paulo FC.

The founders and re-founders of the Gremio Tricolor formed Clube Atletico So Paulo on 4 June 1935, and then Sao Paulo Futebol Clube on 16 December of the same year, shortly after the merger with Tiete.

On January 25, 1936, the new club played its debut game against Portuguesa Santista. Because of the city's anniversary, the game was almost called off, but Porphyrio da Paz, the football director, and writer of the club's anthem received permission from the Board of Education Office to keep the game going, another one of the Top Facts about Sao Paulo FC.

In 1938, the team merged again, this time with Clube Atletico Estudantes Paulista from the Mooca neighborhood, and placed second in the Campeonato Paulista.

With the opening of the Estadio do Pacaembu in 1940, a new era in Sao Paulo state football began. In 1941, Sao Paulo Futebol Clube finished second in the Campeonato Paulista again, and a year later, the club paid 200 contos de reis (about R$162,000 today) to Flamengo for Leonidas.

Argentine Antonio Sastre and Brazilians Noronha, Jose Carlos Bauer, Zeze Procopio, Luizinho, Rui, and Teixeirinha were also acquired at this time. Tricolor became renowned as the Steam Roller as a result of these new modifications, winning the Paulista title five times in 1943, 1945, 1946, 1948, and 1949.

The team sold its Caninde training facility to Portuguesa to help fund the construction of their new stadium, the Estadio do Morumbi, which began in 1952.

Sao Paulo FC, Busy with the Stadium

In the early 1950s, the club's run of success came to an end, and the team only won two state championships in the new decade, in 1953 and 1957.

The championship was won with the help of Zizinho, a 35-year-old Brazilian international, and Bela Guttmann, a Hungarian manager, both of who became idols, one of the Top Facts about Sao Paulo FC.

Guttmann took over as coach in 1957 and led the squad to the state championship in Sao Paulo. He helped popularize the 4–2–4 system in Brazil, which was later utilized by

to win the 1958 FIFA World Cup.

The club struggled to compete in the years after Pele and his club, Santos, rose to prominence. With the Morumbi stadium still under construction, Sao Paulo entered its longest period without a championship in its history, which would span 13 years.

Few expensive players were signed during the 1960s since Sao Paulo's budget planning was centered on the construction of the Estadio do Morumbi rather than the purchase of new players, though the club did recruit Brazilian internationals Roberto Dias and Jurandir.

The Estadio do Morumbi, named after the late Cicero Pompeu de Toledo, the club's chairman during the majority of the stadium's construction, was inaugurated in 1960.

The 1963 Paulista Championship 4–1 triumph over Pele's Santos was one of the few joyous moments for the fans during this period, another one of the

Top Facts about Sao Paulo FC.

The Estadio do Morumbi was ultimately finished in 1970, and the team bought Gerson from Botafogo, Uruguayan midfielder Pedro Rocha from Penarol, and striker Toninho Guerreiro from Santos.

Zeze Moreira, who managed Brazil at the 1954 World Cup, led the team to victory in the Paulista Championship after defeating

2–1 in Campinas a week before the end of the season.

In 1971, the club won another state title by defeating Palmeiras 1–0 in the final, thanks to a goal by Toninho Guerreiro. The club finished second behind Atletico Mineiro, managed by Tele Santana, in the inaugural Campeonato Brasileiro that year.

Sao Paulo and Palmeiras gradually surpassed Pele's Santos and Corinthians as the leading club teams in Sao Paulo state in the following years.

Palmeiras won the state championship in 1972, finishing one point ahead of Sao Paulo, and the clubs finished in the same positions in the Brazilian Championship the following year. In 1974, Sao Paulo competed in the Copa Libertadores but lost in a rematch against

.

After defeating Portuguesa in a penalty shoot-out in 1975, former goalkeeper Jose Poy took over as manager, and Sao Paulo won the Paulista Championship.

When Sao Paulo won the Brazilian Championship for the first time in 1977 after a penalty shoot-out victory over Atletico Mineiro at the Mineirao, Valdir Peres, Chicao, Serginho Chulapa, and Ze Sergio were among the club's most prominent players. They did not win another trophy until 1980 when they reclaimed the Paulista Championship.

Sao Paulo FC, The Golden Era

Oscar and Dario Pereyra, the excellent central defense pair, helped Sao Paulo win four Paulista and one Brazilian title in the 1980s. For the first time since the 1940s, the club won the Paulista Championship in consecutive seasons in 1980 and 1981.

In 1985, head coach Cilinho unveiled the Menudos of Morumbi to the world, a team that included Paulo Silas, Muller, and Sidney, and the club won the Paulista Championship for the second time.

Careca, a center-forward who also represented Brazil in the 1986 FIFA World Cup, was the main striker.

Falcao, who was recruited from Italian club

and played a key role in winning the Campeonato Paulista in 1985, was a core member of the midfield.

Pepe, the club's manager, guided the team to its second Brazilian Championship victory in 1986, defeating Guarani in a penalty shootout.

Dario Pereyra left the club in 1987, but the Menudos won their final title, another Paulista triumph, in that year.

The so-called Tricolor Decade came to an end in 1989, when Sao Paulo won the Paulista Championship and finished second in the Brazilian Championship, losing to

in the final match.

Tele Santana was hired as the club's coach in 1990 following a dismal start to the season in the Paulista Championship, and Sao Paulo went on to finish second in the Brazilian Championship.

After winning the Paulista championship in 1991, Santana earned his first crown. After defeating Carlos Alberto Parreira's

to win the Brazilian title in 1991, Sao Paulo began a run of constant national and international success, one of the Top Facts about Sao Paulo FC.

The next year, they advanced to the Copa Libertadores final, when they faced Argentina's Newell's Old Boys. Sao Paulo was defeated 1–0 in the first leg, but came back to win the second leg in Brazil, and then won the competition in a penalty shoot-out for the first time.

In the same year, the club won its first Intercontinental Cup in Tokyo, defeating Barcelona's Johan Cruyff 2–1. The club won their 18th state championship victory after returning to Brazil, defeating Palmeiras 2–1.

In 1993, Sao Paulo won the Copa Libertadores for the second time, defeating Universidad Catolica of Chile 5–3 on aggregate, including a 5–1 first-leg victory. Rai, a key midfielder for the team, left after the competition.

The team qualified for the Recopa Sudamericana by winning the Copa Libertadores, defeating 1992 Supercopa Libertadores winners and fellow Brazilian side Cruzeiro.

The club also won the Supercopa Libertadores in 1993, defeating

in the final on penalties.

Another one of the Top Facts about Sao Paulo FC is that the club accomplished an unprecedented CONMEBOL treble by winning the Supercopa Libertadores (Copa Libertadores, Recopa Sudamericana, Supercopa Libertadores).

Sao Paulo FC, The Contemporary Era and Avoiding Relegation

Tele Santana left Sao Paulo in January 1996 due to health issues, bringing the club's golden era to an end, one of the

Top Facts about Sao Paulo FC.

The club had fourteen managers between 1995 and 2004. During those 10 years, the club won the Paulista Championship in 2000 and the Rio-Sao Paulo Tournament for the first time in 2001.

The club's stars were Rogerio Ceni, Julio Baptista, Luis Fabiano, and

. Rai returned to the club for a brief period between 1998 and 2000, winning the Paulista Championship twice with him, in 1998 and 2000, after defeating Corinthians and Santos, respectively.

Sao Paulo returned to the Copa Libertadores in 2004, reaching the semi-finals before being eliminated by Colombian underdogs Once Caldas. Emerson Leao was hired as the club's coach at the end of that year.

Sao Paulo inked a contract with Spanish amateur club Santangelo Club Aficionado in 2003, which led to the Spanish club's name being changed to Sao Paulo Madrid.

In the 2010 Copa Libertadores, Sao Paulo lost to Internacional in the semifinals for the second time, ending Ricardo Gomes' tenure as manager. For the first time since 2003, the club finished ninth in the league, failing to qualify for the international competition.

Rivaldo was recruited in 2011 while Luis Fabiano was brought back from Sevilla for a club-record €7.6 million. In the Campeonato Paulista, goalkeeper Rogerio Ceni scored his 100th career goal against Corinthians.

Despite these events, the season ended with the team finishing sixth in the league and failing to qualify for the Libertadores for the second year in a row.

According to research conducted by Brazilian sports website GloboEsporte.com, Sao Paulo was only the second Brazilian club to earn more money in the transfer market than losses during the eight years between 2003 and 2011 – Tricolor Paulista received R$287 million, trailing only Internacional, which earned R$289 million.

After seven years of using Reebok kits, Sao Paulo switched to Brazilian brand Penalty for the 2013 season. The contract ran through 2015, with the team earning R$35 million per year.

This was the second-highest-paying kit agreement in Brazil, after only Flamengo and Adidas' R$38 million deal. Sao Paulo debuted its new Under Armour jerseys in May of 2015. Adidas became the team's sponsor in 2018.

Under Ney Franco, Sao Paulo won the Copa Sudamericana (their lone championship in the 2010 decade) and qualified for the Libertadores the following season, finishing fourth in the league. 

However, the team went through a second major dry spell after that season, and it failed to reclaim its dominance in the Brazilian and South American stages, one of the Top Facts about Sao Paulo FC.

The club was a contender for the national league title in 2014, 2018, and 2020, but did not win it; Sao Paulo finished second in 2014, fifth in 2018, and fourth in 2020, with the last two seasons highlighted by large declines in play in the second half.

In contrast, they struggled badly in 2013 and 2017, fighting (and ultimately avoiding) relegation to the second division.

On the continent, the team reached the Copa Libertadores semi-finals in 2016, losing to Atletico Nacional. For the first time since the 1960s, Sao Paulo did not win a single Campeonato Paulista title during the whole decade of 2010.

In 2021, Sao Paulo eventually overcame its second-longest terrible spell in club history (8 years) when it defeated Palmeiras in the Campeonato Paulista finals, winning the competition for the first time since 2005, under new manager Hernan Crespo.

After a string of dismal performances, Crespo was fired almost five months later, with the club stuck in yet another relegation struggle, and was replaced by club legend Rogerio Ceni.

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