First held in 1902, Brazil’s Paulista is the equivalent of the Premier League in the land of joga bonito, even though all the teams are in the same state of São Paulo. It is the league where Pele scored hundreds of goals, where the likes of Ronaldinho started out and where some of the best players in the world are plucked to play in UEFA competitions.
How Brazil’s Paulista Championship Works
The tournament runs from spring to late autumn. 16 teams based in São Paulo are divided into four groups, with eight progressing to the knockout phase. Corinthians beat São Paulo 2-1 in the two-legged final, with Santos and Palmeiras narrowly missing out. These are the big four teams in Brazil’s Paulista.
Between them, they have won 95 titles between them; if you count previous forms of the clubs it’s 102. Betting on one of these four would be prudent, though one of the other 12 teams could upset the odds.
Brazilian Paulista Top Teams
Corinthians are ahead with 30 and have won three in a row in the 2010s, in 2017, 2018 and 2019, living up to the glorious era of the fabled doctor Socrates. Odds will be short on them winning another title. They have recently been managed by Tite, now the coach of the Selecao. Their current squad is captained by goalkeeper Cassio and includes striker Vagner Love.
These players may persuade you to place your online bets on Corinthians, a team named after the famous English team of amateurs. Online betting on São Paulo is encouraged too. Their recent 21st title came in 2005, with penalty-taking goalkeeper Rodrigo Ceni helping them to victory. He played for the club for over 20 seasons and briefly managed them in 2017.
Today Sao Paolo’s star players include former Brazilian internationals Alexandre Pato and Hernanes, who captains the team, while Dani Alves has returned from Europe to see out his career in his home country.
Paulista Championship History
Palmeiras were the team to beat in the 1940s but have only won one title (2008) in the last 20 years. They have a player on loan from AC Milan, Gustavo Gomez, and are captained by former Serie A star Felipe Melo. Alan Kardec was a key component of their team in 2013 and 2014, while in the 2018 season Miguel Borja top-scored in the division; he has since moved on loan to a Colombian club.
Santos won the Paulista in 2010, 2011 and 2012, helped by the stunning feet of Neymar Jr. Having sold their star striker to Barcelona, Santos triumphed again in 2015 and 2016 with a team featuring record signing Leandro Damiao. The best of the rest, who are not as historically successful as the Big Four but whose odds should be scanned, are Novorizontino, Bragantino, São Caetano (who won their first and only Paulista title in 2004) and two-time winners Ituano.
Pele is Paulista’s greatest ever footballer. We are betting you have heard of him. The winner of three World Cup winners’ medals, he won the Golden Boot in the competition every year between 1957 and 1965. It was for Santos that Pele scored his 1000th goal in professional football.
Top Betting Tips For The Brazilian Paulista Championship
BetGold enables you to read professional betting tips for the Paulistão championship and enjoy betting bonuses, though the 2020 season ended after 10 games with Palmeiras and Santo André at the top and Botafogo relegated.
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