1970 Paulista champions

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São Paulo

·9 September 2026

1970 Paulista champions

On September 9, 1970, São Paulo were crowned state champions for the ninth time.

For a long time, for São Paulo supporters, the longing to have a home of their own was more important than any title. First the possible was done, then the impossible. That brought pain, but those who endured it became stronger. With Morumbi Stadium completed, the club’s board set out to put an end to the uncomfortable drought that had lasted since the 1957 Paulista title.

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Still in 1969, Gérson, the Golden Left Foot, was signed from Botafogo. In the same year, the top scorer of the previous two Paulista Championships, Toninho Guerreiro, also arrived at Tricolor from Santos after disagreements with the coastal club over financial arrangements. But it was still not enough, and neither was what São Paulo aimed for.

The goal scored by São Paulo’s Gérson in the 1970 World Cup final against Italy

They needed to become champions. So, over the course of 1970, two internationally renowned names would arrive, both from a World Cup semifinalist national team, two top-tier idols: Pablo Forlán and Pedro Rocha, signed from Peñarol of Uruguay. The first for 120 thousand dollars, and the second for 150 thousand.

Pedro Rocha, the biggest signing, however, would not play a single match in the Paulista Championship that marked the end of São Paulo’s suffering. The negotiations for the player with the Uruguayan club and businessman Juan Figger were long and complex, and the star was only signed by Tricolor for the Roberto Gomes Pedrosa Tournament after the state championship.

A START WITH VICTORY AND BOOS

The 1970 Paulista Championship was short, at least for the big clubs. In the first stage, called the Paulistinha, eleven teams faced each other home and away, and after a three-team playoff to break ties in the standings, five teams qualified for the final stage, called the Paulistão. Thus, Guarani, Ferroviária, Botafogo, São Bento and Ponte Preta joined São Paulo, Santos, Palmeiras, Corinthians and Portuguesa.

These ten clubs faced each other home and away in a league format. Simple, practical rules, with no first-half champions, knockout rounds or anything of the sort. The tournament began right after the World Cup in Mexico. Amid the euphoria of Brazil’s third world title, Tricolor began the journey to end its ordeal precisely in its newly completed home. But São Paulo supporters were not at all confident in the team.

São Paulo were “beginning another Paulista championship in the same way they have done over the last ten years: discredited by their own fans, with little chance of reaching the title,” as the newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo wrote on June 28, 1970.

It was on that day that São Paulo inaugurated their brand-new, fully completed home in Paulistão matches by beating São Bento 1-0, once again with a goal by Miruca in the 13th minute of the first half. Gérson did not play; he was still on vacation after his achievement with the national team. Zezé Moreira lined the team up with Picasso in goal; Pablo Forlán, Jurandir, Roberto Dias and Tenente in defense; Édson Cegonha and Nenê in midfield; and Miruca (later Paulo Nani), Terto, Toninho Guerreiro (recovered from an injury suffered against Red Star in a friendly played in France) and Paraná in attack. Despite the win, the São Paulo side were heavily booed by the fans in the final fifteen minutes, when Picasso was the standout player, preventing the opponents from equalizing.

Even with a promised 500-cruzeiro bonus for the victory, São Paulo lost their first match of the championship in the second round, against Portuguesa at Parque Antártica on July 1. Roberto Dias’s penalty goal, equalizing the match early in the second half, was not enough: Lusa scored again and won 2-1, despite São Paulo’s pressure late in the match.

It is worth noting Forlán’s strong performance, making full use of his speed down the right side. The blame for the result, of course, fell on coach Zezé, who adopted a 4-3-3 in the match, keeping Nenê and Lourival (selected in place of Miruca) in midfield instead of the expected 4-2-4, with one of those two players pushed further forward.

In the third match, which marked the debuts of great goalkeeper Sérgio Valentim and tireless Gilberto Sorriso, if it cannot be called a stumble given the strength of the opponent, it also cannot be called a good result: 2-2 against Ponte Preta, on July 5, at Moisés Lucarelli.

Terto had opened the scoring for Tricolor in the first half, but Ponte equalized soon after the start of the second. Toninho Guerreiro then put São Paulo ahead again in the 27th minute, but to his surprise the striker was replaced by Everaldo with just over ten minutes left. Upset by the substitution, Toninho watched from the sideline as Ponte Preta equalized in the 40th minute through Manfrini.

After the match, Toninho did not hold back, saying he would not accept humiliation, because he, a striker with more than 800 career goals (by his own count), was no bum and that, with him on the field for the full 90 minutes, São Paulo would not have lost control and would have returned from Campinas with the victory. The atmosphere was heated, though not so much for Zezé Moreira, who preferred not to fuel the issue.

THE GOLDEN LEFT FOOT

The team only truly got going after Gérson returned to the pitch. With his well-earned rest over (and despite unnecessary remarks made back in Rio de Janeiro that he would like to end his career at Fluminense, though he would honor his contract with São Paulo), São Paulo’s number 10 began to make the difference. And nothing better than starting that run with a fierce clash. Santos versus São Paulo, Pelé x Gérson — the first after winning the 1970 World Cup.

It was not Pelé’s day. “With perfect passes, solid support for the defense and commanding the team,” the Golden Left Foot led São Paulo to a 3-2 win over Santos on July 12 at Parque Antártica (Santos chose to stage the match in the state capital, but on neutral ground). Carlos Alberto Torres, with an own goal, Miruca and Édson Cegonha with a header scored the goals.

Zezé Moreira’s tactical setup, especially in midfield, previously much criticized, fit perfectly when carried out by Gérson. The idol had so much prestige with the São Paulo hierarchy that a few days later the board offered him and his wife a banquet, an official tribute for the triumph with the Brazilian national team.

But back to the turf… At that point, the team sat third in the table alongside Guarani and Corinthians with five points, behind Ponte Preta with six and Portuguesa with seven, though Portuguesa had also played one more match.

On Thursday, July 16, São Paulo returned once again to Parque Antártica, now as the home side, against Ferroviária. Pacaembu was under renovation and, since the match was at night — Morumbi’s lighting system would only be completed in 1971 — the solution was to use Palmeiras’ stadium.

Although Zezé Moreira openly admitted he knew nothing about the team from Araraquara before kickoff, São Paulo beat Ferroviária 2-1, with two Toninho Guerreiro goals in the second half. With the win, first place in the table was reached in a three-way tie with Lusa and Guarani (the latter having played one more game). Everything seemed very good, but Gérson felt an old injury — a muscle strain in his right thigh — and became doubtful for the next match, a derby.

The first Majestoso of the new Morumbi era was played on July 19 in front of 45,063 paying fans in the stadium, who hoped to see a great duel between Gérson and Rivellino, but neither was in top physical condition. The Golden Left Foot even had to be replaced by Nenê in the 33rd minute of the second half.

After taking the lead through Toninho Guerreiro in the ninth minute of the first half, Corinthians, coached by the illustrious Dino Sani, equalized through Lima from a free kick in the eighth minute of the second half. And that was how it ended: 1-1.

The controversial point of the match was precisely the Corinthians equalizer. Very few people at Morumbi would have seen the ball, powerfully struck by Lima, cross the São Paulo goal line. Even so, linesman Renato Oliveira Braga and referee Aldo Aníbal Oviedo awarded the goal.

With Ponte Preta beating Portuguesa 2-1 and Santos beating Guarani 5-2 in that round, Tricolor remained top of the tournament, but tied exactly with Ponte, who had a game in hand, and Santos, all on eight points.

Without Gérson, under treatment from doctor Dalzell Freire Gaspar, Tricolor traveled to Ribeirão Preto on July 26, where they faced bottom-placed Botafogo at the always difficult Santa Cruz Stadium. The team, however, did well and won 2-1, both goals scored in the first half. The first came from Édson Cegonha after a corner and defensive clearance, and the second from Terto on the rebound after Dias struck the post from a free kick.

At that point, the championship was still very tight. Ponte played their game in hand, beat Ferroviária and, after drawing 0-0 with Palmeiras, took sole possession of first place in the Paulistão with 11 points. São Paulo, Santos and Corinthians were right behind the Campinas side with ten points.

CHOQUE-REI WITH ABSENCES

Back from the interior, São Paulo had another derby ahead on July 29: a Choque-Rei at their rival’s home. Tricolor were now in fine form and had their full first-choice side back, with the Golden Left Foot cleared by the medical department: Sérgio; Forlán, Jurandir, Roberto Dias and Gilberto Sorriso; Édson Cegonha and Gérson; Paulo Nani, Terto, Toninho Guerreiro and Paraná.

Despite São Paulo’s dominance, wasting several scoring opportunities, the match remained scrappy for most of the time, and the victory only took shape in the final third of the second half through a Terto goal in the 33rd minute, breaking through the defensive setup devised by coach Rubens Minelli. Palmeiras complained bitterly about the goal, validated by referee Armando Marques, claiming that the São Paulo forward handled the ball in the move when, with his chest, he lobbed goalkeeper Leão.

Ignoring the rival’s complaints, the specialist press was categorical in saying the result was fair given São Paulo’s superior display, which also drew attention because of the tactical mobility advocated by Zezé. Over the 90 minutes, the team constantly shifted from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2 or even 4-2-4, thanks to the tireless Paulo and Toninho, who alternated responsibilities as required by each system.

A few days later, Zezé told reporters that in his team only four players had fixed positions, one of them being the goalkeeper (as well as the right-back, one of the holding midfielders and winger Terto). Everyone else had freedom, at least in theory, to change positions and help teammates in other roles. It was almost a carousel, four years before the famous Dutch one. Even so, in practice the team depended almost exclusively on Gérson’s talent to create the best scoring chances.

In any case, the derby win gave Tricolor first place in the championship with 12 points, even if sharing the spot with Ponte Preta, who drew goalless with Botafogo of Ribeirão in Campinas.

Back at Morumbi on August 1, São Paulo stumbled against Guarani, coached by former and respected idol Armando Renganeschi. It was not enough for them to lose, but the 0-0 draw hurt the team in the race for the lead with Ponte Preta, who the following day beat São Bento 1-0 at Moisés Lucarelli and regained first place in the standings with 14 points, against Tricolor’s 13.

The key point regarding that match was São Paulo’s performance, far below expectations. Not in attacking production — the team created good chances — but in their pitiful finishing. The game was considered so poor that, even while fighting for the top of the table, boos rang out around the stands of Estádio Cícero Pompeu de Toledo at the final whistle.

THE RACE FOR THE LEAD

At the end of the first half of the Paulista Championship, the title fight was neck and neck between Ponte and Tricolor, but with Santos and Corinthians also close behind the top two, on 11 points. The table also had Ferroviária on 10 points; Palmeiras on nine; Portuguesa and Guarani on eight; São Bento on five; and Botafogo of Ribeirão at the bottom with just one point.

For Tricolor, the second half began with a full house on August 9. At Morumbi, with 53,288 paying fans, São Paulo supporters saw Santos take the lead through Douglas in the 30th minute of the first half. It was a below-par start for the home team, who also saw the referee deny a penalty committed by goalkeeper Joel on Terto. Near the end of the first half, in the 41st minute, however, Toninho Guerreiro challenged Pelé and, with a beautiful bicycle kick, equalized: 1-1.

The standout player in that match, Toninho turned it around in the second half in the 25th minute after a collision between midfielder Edson and goalkeeper Joel. Twelve minutes later, Terto made it 3-1 for São Paulo on the counterattack from a superb pass by Gérson. Santos still pulled one back at the very end, again through Douglas, but that was all.

It was a great result for São Paulo, who saw Ponte Preta pile up points (and one more game played) by beating São Bento in Sorocaba and drawing with Palmeiras in Campinas. The fight for the top was then 17-15 in favor of Ponte. Even so, Pelé told the press that Tricolor would likely be the champions that season. Or maybe he was just trying to justify the defeat.

Still, the title race could have become much more complicated for Tricolor in the round of August 15 and 16. Without full-back Jurandir, who was injured (with Eduardo in his place), São Paulo went to Araraquara to face Ferroviária and came back shocked by a 2-0 defeat. The first goal, in fact, involved tremendous bad luck for goalkeeper Sérgio, who had been absolutely reliable through most of the campaign but, fooled by the bounce of the pitch, let the ball pass through his legs. Detail: Ferrinha had been thrashed 5-0 by Santos just days earlier… Luckily, the same Santos also took two points off Ponte Preta, winning 1-0 in Campinas.

Well, lucky indeed? With those results, Santos (13 games) now shared the top of the table with Ponte Preta (12 games), both on 17 points. To make things even more complicated, Palmeiras (13 games) caught up with Tricolor on 15 points, and even Ferroviária (13 games) and Corinthians (12 games) threatened São Paulo’s place with 14 points each. São Paulo’s hope lay in having one or two games in hand compared to their rivals. But games in hand were just that: they still had to be won to mean anything positive.

There was little time to breathe and recover. Especially with the FPF scheduling the next match for midweek, while the club had hoped it would be set for Saturday or Sunday. On Wednesday afternoon, August 19, São Paulo hosted Portuguesa at Morumbi and, despite both sides’ defensive caution, won 1-0 with an accidental goal by Pablo Forlán right at the start. From the corner of the box, the full-back tried to cross, but instead the ball floated over goalkeeper Orlando — a great goal.

Tricolor thus did their part, and Santos and Ponte Preta could only draw away against Botafogo and Guarani. Even so, they remained in front by a single point over São Paulo and Palmeiras, who had beaten Ferroviária.

SETBACK IN THE DERBY: WAS IT OVER?

São Paulo could have all but sealed their fate in the Choque-Rei on August 23. And the same could be said of their rival in that same match. Both could go to heaven or hell depending on the result, or on how one read the table: by points won (level), or by points dropped (Tricolor ahead).

Against their direct rival, Tricolor fielded an almost full-strength team, missing only left-back Gilberto Sorriso, who was suffering from back pain. Tenente played in his place. Even so, despite controlling most of the game and dominating the opponent, São Paulo could not break through Palmeiras’ defense, with the opponent completely withdrawn after Dudu’s goal in the 5th minute of the first half.

To make matters worse, the refereeing harmed Tricolor by denying them a penalty when Baldocchi fouled Paraná midway through the second half. Final score: Rubens Minelli’s team won 1-0. Two defeats in three matches… Had the title dream ended? The dream of becoming champions again after nearly 13 years of bitter failure? Would São Paulo supporters have to endure yet another year in line?

True, Palmeiras had played two more games and were only two points ahead of Tricolor, but Ponte Preta were also in the race (having drawn 0-0 with Corinthians), also top with the same 19 points. Santos also remained ahead with 18 points after losing 1-0 to Portuguesa at Pacaembu. There were too many teams ahead; every point could prove vital…

Palmeiras would only play three more times: away to Guarani, away to Santos, and at home to Portuguesa at Parque Antártica. Tough. Ponte still had four matches: Portuguesa at home, São Paulo away, Ferroviária away and Botafogo in Ribeirão Preto. A difficult schedule! Santos also only had three games left: away to São Bento and the derbies against Corinthians and Palmeiras at Vila Belmiro. No easy life there either.

And Tricolor still had five matches left until the end of the tournament! That was the thread of hope! If they faltered, everything really would be lost, but the players, directors and São Paulo fans did not abandon the dream and remained determined. This was the moment. It would be in 1970! For that, it would be wise to win every remaining match. Difficult, but not impossible. And to begin a good run, nothing better than facing the bottom team in the standings.

THE SURGE TO THE TITLE

On the afternoon of August 26, São Paulo thrashed Botafogo 4-0 at Morumbi, with goals by Forlán (once again somewhat unintentionally: in trying to control the ball, he deflected it past the goalkeeper) and Toninho Guerreiro, three times! It was an anthological performance by the center-forward, who at that moment reached the top of the scoring charts, level with Santos’ Douglas on nine goals.

The flame stayed alive, even more so after Ponte Preta lost to Portuguesa at Moisés Lucarelli and Santos drew with São Bento in Sorocaba. Newspapers then showed a four-way tie at the top of the Paulistão with only a few rounds left, all on 19 points: São Paulo (14 games), Palmeiras (15 games), Ponte Preta (15 games) and Santos (16 games). Thrilling! The scenario was shifting in Tricolor’s favor.

On August 30, Santos and Corinthians drew 1-1 and the seaside club said goodbye to any real title chances. The black-and-whites from the capital, however, still had a slight chance with 18 points. This was because, on the same date, São Paulo overcame the mud and the reduced dimensions of the old trap in Sorocaba and beat São Bento 3-0, with goals from Toninho Guerreiro — always him, now sole top scorer — Forlán, showing himself to be a first-rate opportunist with an unstoppable strike from outside the box, and Édson Cegonha.

But it is worth stressing that the man of the match was once again Gérson. The first two goals originated from the midfielder’s plays. Led by the Golden Left Foot, Tricolor reached the longed-for sole lead of the 1970 Paulista Championship, with 21 points from 15 games.

Two days later, on September 1, Palmeiras could still catch Tricolor and share first place, but Guarani checked their ambitions with a 0-0 draw in Campinas. Now they had one more game played and one fewer point than São Paulo.

With no one ahead of them anymore, São Paulo depended only on themselves to end 13 years of pain and resignation in favor of future projects. The future, at last, had arrived. And some believed it wholeheartedly. Forlán even sent for his father from Uruguay so he could soon see him wearing the champion’s sash with Tricolor, a club he told everyone was one of the biggest in the world.

On September 5, Tricolor would face a direct rival for the coveted trophy, Cilinho’s Ponte Preta, in something that could almost be considered a final. If the Campinas side won, the tournament would remain wide open, with multiple contenders.

Gilberto Sorriso, Sérgio, Roberto Dias, Edson, Jurandir and Pablo Forlán; Paulo Nani, Terto, Toninho Guerreiro, Gérson and Paraná

More than fifty thousand fans watched São Paulo beat their rival 2-0, with two goals from Toninho Guerreiro (now well clear in the scoring race with 12 goals), who first found the net from the penalty spot (Henrique fouling Terto) in the 29th minute of the first half, and then in the seventh minute of the second, assisted by Édson Cegonha.

The scoreline may even be considered misleading, because despite the advantage on the scoreboard, the match was balanced, with both teams very compact until the final moments of each half. The sad note was Gérson’s injury, struck on the ankle in the 25th minute of the second half and replaced by Nenê.

At Santa Catarina Hospital, Dr. Dalzell Freire Gaspar informed the midfielder that he would not be fit to play for the next fifteen days, missing the final rounds and São Paulo’s possible title. Gérson cried there.

In any case, Tricolor thus reached 23 points with two rounds still to play. The team stretched the lead over Santos and Palmeiras (20) and virtually eliminated Ponte Preta (19 points, but with two matches still to play).

The next day, the other eight teams in the final stage of the Paulistão took the field, but only two games really mattered: Santos versus Palmeiras and Corinthians against Ferroviária. The Parque São Jorge side won 2-0 and stayed alive in the competition. They had 20 points and still two games to play, both at home (Portuguesa and São Paulo). Santos and Palmeiras, meanwhile, died hand in hand. They drew 1-1 at Vila Belmiro, reaching 21 points. In truth, Palmeiras still had one game left and could reach São Paulo’s 23 points. For Santos, however, that had been their last match in the tournament.

That is to say, when São Paulo faced Guarani on the night of September 9, 1970, at Brinco de Ouro da Princesa Stadium in Campinas, the only teams still interested in the match were Corinthians, Ponte Preta and Palmeiras, but only the first had a real chance that would not depend on a tiebreaker. Corinthians needed to beat Portuguesa that same day, and São Paulo could not beat or draw with Guarani. That way, the title would be decided in the final round, precisely against Tricolor.

And all Tricolor wanted was to avoid repeating what happened in 1967, when, facing the same opponents in the final two rounds, Guarani and Corinthians, São Paulo bitterly let the immediate Paulista title slip away after conceding an equalizer from Corinthians’ Benê in the final minute, which forced an extra deciding match against Santos and ended in a runners-up finish.

But the year was 1970, and a São Paulo draw would end Ponte Preta’s and Palmeiras’ hopes for good, though it would still leave Corinthians alive for the last match, provided, of course, that they beat Lusa.

THE TITLE MATCH

Everything really came down to Tricolor’s ninety minutes in Campinas. And from the opening moments São Paulo dominated the game, bombarding Guarani’s goal incessantly and wasting chances through Edson, Forlán, Paraná, Nenê and Toninho Guerreiro, twice: all in less than five minutes.

The Campinas side’s first attack came only in the 14th minute and caused no fear. Just over ten minutes later, the home defense finally cracked. Paraná received the ball from Édson on the left, beat Wilson and entered the penalty area, also getting past Guassi. The winger then found Toninho free, and he struck hard into goalkeeper Perez’s right corner. Tricolor 1-0!

Almost immediately after, in the 33rd minute, Jurandir passed to Paulo, who advanced down the right and combined with Terto. The midfielder could have returned the ball to Jurandir, who was alone at the edge of the box, but chose to take the shot himself and, with a fine effort, surprised Guarani’s goalkeeper: 2-0 to São Paulo!

From that moment on, Tricolor relaxed a bit and the home team even found some space to play, but did little to truly threaten São Paulo’s superiority. It was only in the second half that the match opened up for good, with both sides seeking a goal and not overly concerned with defensive shape.

In the 23rd minute, the floodlights at Brinco de Ouro partially went out for a few moments, and Wagner pulled one back for Guarani. Despite the strange coincidence, the refereeing allowed Bugre’s goal. In the dim light, Caravetti clashed with Forlán and ended up being sent off.

Despite being a man down, the Campinas side pressed Tricolor in the closing moments, raising the tension and expectations among the São Paulo supporters present. The memory of 1967 was constant.

It was only after the stadium loudspeaker announced, near the 40th minute, that Valdomiro had scored for Portuguesa to open the scoring against Corinthians, that Tricolor fans felt comfortable believing that the wait was truly about to end. Only a few minutes remained.

At 11 p.m. on September 9, 1970, Tricolor’s drought came to an end, and the celebratory supper was a true banquet. Some of the 15,000 most excited São Paulo supporters invaded the pitch, waving flags and embracing the champions.

Many collapsed on the grass itself and cried, while others let their emotions out in the dressing room, like Paulo and Gilberto. Gerson, with his leg in plaster and a crutch in hand, had followed the match from the bench, trying to contain himself at every São Paulo chance, and now was signing autographs, happy but still upset he had not played.

“São Paulo’s victory was the victory of faith. The faith of a group of men who believed in a different, dynamic and very realistic work plan… What mattered there was an understanding of modern football and its new directions. São Paulo took one of those paths.”

For Zezé Moreira, São Paulo’s triumph rewarded the most consistent team, the one that best managed its squad, making use of players from the youth system and with fewer established stars than its title rivals.

Not only Zezé, but São Paulo’s entire coaching staff helped in the development of these young players who were crucial to the victorious campaign. Zezé used Paulo Nani and Gilberto Sorriso in such a way that they never ran the risk of being “burned” by the fans.

And the work of psychologist João Carvalhaes was also important in that regard. “He taught me not to tremble on the field, to see my teammates as equals. For me, for Gilberto, for Toninho II — in short, for the younger players — Professor Carvalhaes really was the most important person,” Paulo Nani told Revista Placar.

Another name worth highlighting was Professor Hélio José Maffia, the fitness coach. During São Paulo’s campaign, only 22 players were used, and half of them played more than two-thirds of the championship. Six players — Roberto Dias, Paraná, Terto, Edson Cegonha, Forlán and Toninho Guerreiro — were on the field in all 18 matches. And as Toninho Guerreiro rightly recalled: “In every run a player made on the field, in every sprint, there was a bit of the professor’s work. Terto, whom everyone was amazed to see running, drifting wide, opening space for me to score, Terto is an example of Professor Maffia’s work.”

Toninho Guerreiro, in turn, showed how meaningful the title was for the veterans too. Left out of the 1970 World Cup squad in a way that was even cruel, he bounced back by becoming a four-time consecutive state champion and also by finishing as top scorer of the Paulistão for the third straight year, silencing critics and former fans from the coast who said he only knew how to score if Pelé was providing the assist.

Laudo Natel, meanwhile, could not contain his happiness and tears. The conquest was the gift he had always wanted to give São Paulo’s fans for believing in his dream, the dream of Morumbi, through the hard years of that undertaking. “Now I can hang up my boots and give my place to new directors.” Laudo would leave the Tricolor presidency on March 15, 1971, making way for Henri Aidar after seven terms and nearly 13 years in charge. The departure of São Paulo’s patron, as he himself said, would mean a new era for Tricolor, a new golden era bathed in achievements, fruit of the vanguard vision that imagined and built Estádio Cícero Pompeu de Toledo.

O Cruzeiro

Revista do Esporte

The championship, however, had not actually ended yet. One round remained. But that did not mean the party was over. It simply lasted a little longer and with a new guest: Corinthians. It fell to the rival to present the champion’s sash to each of the Tricolor players in the final match of the 1970 Paulistão.

THE CHAMPION’S SASH PRESENTED BY THE RIVAL

On September 13, nearly 80,000 people (63,373 paying and 79,483 in attendance, including minors and guests — a championship record) went to Estádio Cícero Pompeu de Toledo, São Paulo’s long-dreamed-of home, to welcome and salute each of Tricolor’s champions. And, as a bonus, if they could beat their rival too, no one would complain.

The São Paulo team entered the Morumbi pitch already wearing a sash across the chest reading “Champion 1970” with the club crest. After being welcomed by club officials and political and sporting authorities, the Tricolor players received branches of roses which, spread in every direction of the stadium, were thrown to fans in the terraces as a tribute.

The Tricolor players were then lined up for the national anthem, performed by the Mairiporã City Hall marching band, and also for the traditional pose for photographers. The champions’ photo included the club’s entire squad from the victorious campaign: the 22 players who had played at least one match in the competition.

During and after the brief warm-up on the field, the São Paulo side were also honored with two more champion’s sashes, one offered by Rádio Nacional and another by Rádio Tupi in partnership with Malhas Athleta.

As can be seen, the sash ceremony was not as expected, as usually happened in such situations: with the opposing team personally presenting the winners with the sashes. The reason is unknown, but Corinthians entered the field almost unnoticed.

Gilberto Sorriso, Sérgio, Jurandir, Edson, Pablo Forlán and Roberto Dias; Paulo Nani, Terto, Toninho Guerreiro, Nenê, Paraná and Gérson

But that was fine: now wearing even more champion’s sashes on their chests, the eleven starters lined up for another photo session and also invited one of the main heroes of the title to join the historic scene: midfielder Gérson, still injured and out of the game, but properly dressed. The Golden Left Foot was also honored with the right to kick off the match, with the first touch of the ball, and then, as he left the pitch, was thunderously applauded by São Paulo’s fans.

Once the ball was rolling, the match was lively, with chances for both teams. In under fifteen minutes, Tricolor wasted a good chance through Toninho Guerreiro after a superb pass from Nenê. São Paulo goalkeeper Sérgio, meanwhile, made two fine saves in less than a minute shortly afterward.

Near the end of the first half, Forlán almost put São Paulo ahead with a thunderous shot from outside the box, but the ball flew just a few centimeters over the crossbar.

In the second half, in the 20th minute, Paraná found Terto free and delivered the ball masterfully. The forward hit it hard and accurately. The opposing goalkeeper, Ado, could not hold it cleanly, and Paraná himself, who had started the move and had not scored in the tournament until then, pounced on the rebound and sent the ball into the back of the net!

And in the 44th minute, to finally exorcise the trauma of 1967, Tricolor goalkeeper Sérgio made an excellent save from Benê’s powerful and precise shot. This time, unlike 1967, there would not even be an equalizer. Full time, end of the championship, end of the drought! It was the beginning of a new era…

“This is a superb and unforgettable celebration. São Paulo and its sportsmen truly deserved a demonstration of such magnitude, a real glorification of a club that has done everything, among its peers, to honor the sport of the state and the country.” – Laudo Natel.

THE DECIDER

09.09.1970Campinas (SP)Brinco de Ouro da Princesa StadiumGUARANI Futebol Clube 1 X 2 SÃO PAULO Futebol Clube

GFC: Peres; Wilson, Cidinho, Tininho (Guassi) and Ferrari (Cido); Helio and Milton; Vagner, Capelosa, Vanderlei and Caravetti. Goal: Vagner, 22’/2.

SPFC: Sergio; Pablo Forlán, Jurandir, Roberto Dias and Gilberto Sorriso (Tenente); Édson Cegonha and Nenê; Paulo Nani, Terto (Benê), Toninho Guerreiro and Paraná. Coach: Zezé Moreira. Goals: Toninho Guerreiro, 27’/1; Paulo Nani, 34’/1.

Referee: Armando Nunes Castanheira da Rosa MarquesGate: CR$ 92,988.00Attendance: 63,373 paying

Gilberto Sorriso, Sérgio, Roberto Dias, Edson, Jurandir and Pablo Forlán; Paraná, Nenê, Toninho Guerreiro, Terto and Paulo Nani

THE CAMPAIGN

Single stage – First half28.06.1970 – 1 X 0 – Esporte Club SÃO BENTO (SP)01.07.1970 – 1 X 2 – Associação PORTUGUESA de Desportos (SP)05.07.1970 – 2 X 2 – Associação Atlética PONTE PRETA (SP)12.07.1970 – 3 X 2 – SANTOS Futebol Clube (SP)16.07.1970 – 2 X 1 – Associação FERROVIÁRIA de Esportes (SP)19.07.1970 – 1 X 1 – Sport Club CORINTHIANS Paulista (SP)26.07.1970 – 2 X 1 – BOTAFOGO Futebol Clube (Ribeirão Preto – SP)29.07.1970 – 1 X 0 – Sociedade Esportiva PALMEIRAS (SP)01.08.1970 – 0 X 0 – GUARANI Futebol Clube (SP)

Single stage – Second half09.08.1970 – 3 X 2 – SANTOS Futebol Clube (SP)16.08.1970 – 0 X 2 – Associação FERROVIÁRIA de Esportes (SP)19.08.1970 – 1 X 0 – Associação PORTUGUESA de Desportos (SP)23.08.1970 – 0 X 1 – Sociedade Esportiva PALMEIRAS (SP)26.08.1970 – 4 X 0 – BOTAFOGO Futebol Clube (Ribeirão Preto – SP)30.08.1970 – 3 X 0 – Esporte Club SÃO BENTO (SP)05.09.1970 – 2 X 0 – Associação Atlética PONTE PRETA (SP)09.09.1970 – 2 X 1 – GUARANI Futebol Clube (SP)13.09.1970 – 1 X 0 – Sport Club CORINTHIANS Paulista (SP)