1998 Paulista champions | OneFootball

Tricolor’s 1998 season began in a special way. On January 25 — the anniversary of the club and of the city of São Paulo — São Paulo faced a Santos/Flamengo combined side in an event that marked the reopening of Morumbi Stadium (after renovations) and the return of idol Raí to the Most Beloved.

Raí playing for Tricolor in January 1998: definitively, only in the state championship final.

This return of the No. 10, however, was only a preview. Raí would still spend a little over four months at Paris Saint-Germain, in France, before returning to Brazil for good.

In the meantime, São Paulo, with a team of young prospects such as Rogério Ceni, França, Denílson — who said goodbye to Tricolor at the end of the competition, with tears in his eyes — and others, reached the Paulista final after posting the best campaign among all participants — with eight wins, one draw, and only one loss in the initial stage (beating Santos twice, 3-2 and 2-1) — and eliminating Palmeiras in the semifinal (again with two wins, 2-1 and 3-1).

However, in the first leg of the final, played at Morumbi on May 3, Tricolor lost 2-1 to Corinthians. Thus, to be crowned state champions, the São Paulo side needed to win the “return leg” by any score.

One day earlier, May 2. Raí had won his last title with PSG: the French Cup. Eager to wear the São Paulo shirt again, the midfielder finally terminated his contract with the French club on the 5th, and by the following afternoon he was already in São Paulo. He was presented as a Tricolor signing on Thursday the 7th.

“We’re going to drop a bomb on Parque São Jorge,” a São Paulo director told Diário Popular on that occasion. Yes. Raí would be that bomb. Up to that point, the player had scored seven goals in 15 majestic appearances, in addition to netting the hat trick that gave São Paulo the 1991 Paulista title over the rival. “He has the look of a champion and can help the team in this final stretch of the Paulista Championship,” he added.

Raí himself did not expect the opportunity to play immediately — let alone in a single match, precisely in a derby in a championship final. Since nothing in the tournament regulations prevented it (Appendix I, Article 14, “the associations shall have no deadline for registering athletes in the Registration Section of the Federação Paulista de Futebol, based on article 230 of the Organic Football Rules – CBDF), it would be up to Nelsinho Baptista, Tricolor’s coach, whether or not to use the renowned player.

Having trained only once, and always making it clear that he did not want to take credit away from the other squad players, who had fought to reach that final and were now seeing the spotlight shift, Raí took the No. 23 shirt, which he had never even considered wearing for Tricolor before, and went into the match!

The doubt was whether he would start or take a place on the bench.

As he climbed the steps separating the dressing room from the Morumbi pitch and was seen by the crowd of Tricolor fans in the stadium among the starting lineup, one certainty took over the supporters: São Paulo would be the champion!

by Alexandre Battibugli

by Alexandre Battibugli

by Alexandre Battibugli

And that certainty became reality as early as the 30th minute of the first half: Zé Carlos, on the right, crossed into the box. França flicked it on with his head and Raí powered the ball into the back of the net! São Paulo 1-0! A goal by him, by the returning idol!

Historical Archive

by Nelson Almeida

Historical Archive

In the second half, the opponent did threaten, equalizing the match in the 5th minute, however, França, twice, in the 11th and 37th minutes, sealed the fate of the 1998 Paulista Championship trophy once and for all: the São Paulo Futebol Clube Memorial!

Raí’s role was not to lift the trophy — captain Márcio Santos did that — nor to be named the best player (Müller, of Santos), or the tournament’s top scorer (França), but to be immortalized by the supporters’ chant: “Raí, Raí, the Terror of Morumbi”…

by Daniel Augusto Jr.

by Celso Jr.

by Wander Roberto

by Alexandre Battibugli

by Alexandre Battibugli

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The title match

10.05.1998São Paulo (SP)Cícero Pompeu de Toledo Stadium (Morumbi)

SÃO PAULO Futebol Clube 3 X 1 Sport Club CORINTHIANS Paulista

SPFC: Rogério Ceni; Zé Carlos, Capitão, Márcio Santos (Bordon) and Serginho; Alexandre, Fabiano, Carlos Miguel (Gallo) and Raí (Víctor Hugo Aristizábal); França and Denílson. Coach: Nelsinho Baptista.Goals: Raí, 30’/1; França, 11’/2; França, 37’/2.

SCCP: Nei; Rodrigo (Didi), Cris, Gamarra and Silvinho; Romeu (Edílson), Vampeta, Rincón and Souza (Marcelinho Souza); Marcelinho Carioca and Mirandinha. Coach: Wanderley Luxemburgo.Goal: Didi, 5’/2

Referee: Sidrack Marinho dos SantosRevenue: R$ 814,680.00Attendance: 79,710 paid

Dodô, two unidentified people, Sérgio Rocha (fitness coach), Zé Carlos, Aristizábal, Gallo, Rogério Ceni, Márcio Santos, Raí, Roger, Rojas (goalkeeping coach), Antônio Masseo (doctor) and Bordon; Marcelinho Paraíba, Alexandre, Denílson, França, Fabiano, Carlos Miguel, Serginho, Cláudio and Capitão

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The top scorer

França – 12 goals

by Alexandre Battibugli

by Daniel Augusto Jr.

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Campaign

Second Stage07.03.1998 – 3 X 2 – SANTOS Futebol Clube (SP)10.03.1998 – 5 X 0 – RIO BRANCO Esporte Clube (SP)15.03.1998 – 0 X 2 – Sociedade Esportiva MATONENSE (SP)17.03.1998 – 0 X 0 – Associação PORTUGUESA de Desportos (SP)21.03.1998 – 5 X 1 – SÃO JOSÉ Esporte Clube (SP)28.03.1998 – 2 X 1 – SANTOS Futebol Clube (SP)02.04.1998 – 4 X 1 – RIO BRANCO Esporte Clube (SP)04.04.1998 – 3 X 1 – Sociedade Esportiva MATONENSE (SP)07.04.1998 – 3 X 1 – Associação PORTUGUESA de Desportos (SP)12.04.1998 – 6 X 1 – SÃO JOSÉ Esporte Clube (SP)

Semifinals19.04.1998 – 2 X 1 – Sociedade Esportiva PALMEIRAS (SP)25.04.1998 – 3 X 1 – Sociedade Esportiva PALMEIRAS (SP)

Finals03.05.1998 – 1 X 2 – Sport Club CORINTHIANS Paulista (SP)10.05.1998 – 3 X 1 – Sport Club CORINTHIANS Paulista (SP)

*The club entered the championship already in the second stage.

by Eduardo Knapp

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.