Relive São Paulo’s best moments from the 2025 season | OneFootball

The 2025 season for São Paulo fell far short of what the fans expected, but even in a year marked by problems and inconsistency, the team had some moments worth remembering. Amid decisive matches, important qualifications, and brief periods of collective improvement, the Tricolor managed, in certain stretches of the season, to ease the pressure and remain competitive in the competitions it contested. Gazeta Esportiva looks back at São Paulo’s main positive moments in 2025. Check it out!

“Revenge” against Atlético Nacional

In the 2025 retrospective, few games capture São Paulo’s competitive spirit as well as the qualification against Atlético Nacional in the Libertadores. In a packed Morumbis, the Tricolor wrote a chapter that had the taste of revenge for 2016 and symbolized resilience in a year of ups and downs. Against a rival that had already inflicted continental wounds in the past, São Paulo advanced to the quarterfinals on penalties, with Rafael taking on the hero’s role and rekindling the connection between the team and the fans.

The script was loaded with tension. After a goalless draw in Colombia, São Paulo took the field under pressure but responded quickly. Early on, André Silva opened the scoring and set Morumbis alight, giving the sense that the spot could be secured in regular time.

Atlético Nacional, however, showed why they are traditionally a tough opponent and managed to equalize in the second half, taking the decision to penalties and bringing back ghosts that haunt the club on continental nights.

That’s when the night took on a tone of redemption. Rafael saved a penalty right at the start of the shootout and changed the atmosphere in the stadium. Every penalty converted by São Paulo seemed to be pushed in by the stands, while the decisive miss by the Colombians paved the way for the qualification sealed by Cédric Soares.

Credits: Rubens Chiri, Nilton Fukuda and Paulo Pinto/Saopaulofc

Momentum with Crespo’s arrival

One of the most striking moments of São Paulo’s 2025 season was the sequence of five consecutive victories that symbolized the team’s best phase of the year.

Under the command of Hernán Crespo, who had arrived at the club just a few weeks earlier, the Tricolor changed the internal atmosphere, gained competitiveness, and began to show more consistent football. The winning streak put an end to the risk of relegation, put the team in the spotlight in the Brazilian Championship, and reignited the fans’ confidence.

With a 100% success rate during this period, balance between attack and defense, good collective numbers, and important victories, São Paulo strung together a positive run that began with a 2-2 draw against Red Bull Bragantino away from home, and gained momentum with important wins in the Brasileirão, such as the 2-0 over Corinthians at Morumbis, the 1-0 triumph against Juventude as visitors, as well as the 3-1 against Fluminense and the 2-1 over Internacional.

Along the way, the Tricolor also beat Athletico-PR 2-1 at Morumbis in the first leg of the Copa do Brasil quarterfinals.

Credits: Paulo Pinto / São Paulo FC

São Paulo’s youth academy responds well under pressure

Even amid a scenario of intense pressure and irregular results, São Paulo found one of the most positive points of the 2025 season in its youth academy. Throughout the year, the club frequently turned to young players developed in Cotia, who were thrown into high-pressure situations and responded with personality.

Ten academy players made their professional debut, showing that despite the difficulties, the Tricolor continued to produce internal solutions. Among them, Maik stood out in particular by taking over the starting right-back spot, gaining a run of games, and establishing himself as an important part of the squad, combining defensive solidity with a constant presence supporting the attack.

Besides Maik, other youngsters from Cotia also earned opportunities and made their professional debuts throughout the season. Hugo (midfielder), Lucas Ferreira (forward), Lucca (forward), Matheus Alves (midfielder), Nicolas (left-back), Paulinho (forward), Ryan Francisco (forward), and Young (goalkeeper) were used at different times in 2025, expanding the squad’s range of options in a year marked by ups and downs and the need for renewal.

From this list, two players already left the club mid-year: Matheus Alves was transferred to CSKA, while Lucas Ferreira completed his move to Shakhtar.

Maik, for São Paulo. (Photo: Rubens Chiri / São Paulo FC)

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