Corinthians face Vasco aiming to end eight-year title drought

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Central do Timão

·20 de diciembre de 2025

Corinthians face Vasco aiming to end eight-year title drought

By Fabio Luigi / Central do Timão Editorial Team

At the end of this Sunday afternoon (21), Corinthians visits Vasco da Gama at Maracanã Stadium, at 6pm (Brasília time), for the second leg of the Copa do Brasil final. In the first match, at Neo Química Arena, held last Wednesday (17), both teams drew 0-0. If there is another draw, the decision will go to penalties.

The match could also become special for Corinthians, who are seeking to win a national title for the first time in eight years since their last triumph. In 2017, the team led by Fábio Carille won the Brazilian Championship that year, accumulating 72 points (21 wins, nine draws, and eight losses) over 38 rounds. In addition, they scored 50 goals and conceded 30 (best defense).

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Photo: Daniel Augusto Jr/Agência Corinthians

That year, Corinthians built their victory especially in the first half of the season, where they achieved 14 wins and five draws, without suffering a single defeat – something historic in the points system. Since then, the club from Parque São Jorge has only come close to winning a national title twice and has especially fallen short in the Copa do Brasil.

In the last eight years, Corinthians have been runners-up in a national competition twice, both times in the Copa do Brasil. In 2018, the Alvinegro faced Cruzeiro in the final and was defeated 3-1 on aggregate. At Mineirão, Cruzeiro won 1-0, and in the return leg, they won again, this time 2-1.

In 2022, the club from Parque São Jorge was once again runner-up in the competition, facing Flamengo. In the first leg, a goalless draw at Neo Química Arena. At Maracanã, the Rio team opened the scoring after a devastating first half. In the second half, Corinthians improved and managed to equalize with midfielder Giuliano, already at the end of the match. In the penalty shootout, however, Flamengo won 6-5.

In the Brazilian Championship, since their last triumph, Corinthians have not managed to string together good campaigns in succession. The best, since then, happened in 2022, when Vitor Pereira's team finished fourth with 65 points. A year earlier, the Corinthians team, led by Sylvinho, finished the Brasileirão in fifth place with 57 points.

In 2018, 2020, 2023, and 2024, the team fought against relegation. In the 2019 and 2025 seasons, the team was not at serious risk of dropping and finished in a mid-table position. In this edition of the Copa do Brasil, Corinthians have already eliminated Novorizontino (third round), Palmeiras (round of 16), Athletico-PR (quarterfinals), and Cruzeiro (semifinals). In total, there have been nine matches, with seven wins, one draw, and one loss – 10 goals scored and two conceded.

Corinthians, three-time champions of the tournament (1995, 2002, and 2009), are seeking to win the Copa do Brasil 16 years after their last triumph. Since then, they have been runners-up twice (2018 and 2022) and reached the semifinals twice (2023 and 2024). If they win the title, the Alvinegro will secure a direct spot in the group stage of the 2026 Conmebol Libertadores and will earn more than R$ 77 million, in addition to the more than R$ 20 million already accumulated. If they finish as runners-up, they will take home just over R$ 33 million.

Check out all of Corinthians' national titles below:

Supercopa do Brasil: 1991

Copa do Brasil: 1995, 2002, and 2009

Campeonato Brasileiro: 1990, 1998, 1999, 2005, 2011, 2015, and 2017

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