The day São Paulo played against the USA | OneFootball

Estimates indicate that São Paulo supporters number between 18 and 20 million people across Brazil. A crowd larger than the populations of many countries. It is not surprising to think, then, that Tricolor has a long history against national teams. Here, the Historical Archive recalls a match against the United States, one of the host teams of the 2026 World Cup.

Scene from São Paulo’s match against the United States at Chácara da Floresta. In the image, goalkeeper Nestor makes a save

THE BAN

This match almost did not take place. In fact, there were two games arranged by Tricolor: one between São Paulo and the United States National Team on August 10, 1930, and the other between the visitors and the São Paulo State Team on the 13th. The meetings were arranged and agreed upon even before the World Cup was held. But shortly after the tricolor team announced its intention, the Brazilian Sports Confederation – CBD informed the Paulista Association of Athletic Sports – APEA and São Paulo that these two matches were forbidden from taking place.

All because of the imbroglio that also prevented São Paulo state players from competing in that year’s World Cup. APEA, due to political disagreements and feuds with the Rio federation, barred the players affiliated with it from taking part in that competition. In response, FIFA, through the CBD, suspended the São Paulo federation from any scheduling or participation in matches involving entities outside APEA itself. The situation would also affect the guests: if they played, the United States National Team could be fined or expelled from FIFA.

The Americans, who arrived in the city of Santos aboard the ship “Cap Arcona Norte” directly from Uruguay, invited São Paulo directors Cunha Bueno and Luiz de Barros to that city so that this impasse could be resolved, getting around the FIFA/CBD ban.

The conclusion of that meeting was as follows: the American team would accept any punishment FIFA imposed on it, whether a fine or disaffiliation (newspapers even reported that the foreigners did not place much value on the international federation). It is also worth noting that the Rio clubs also had contracts with them and threatened to break them if they played here.

With everything settled (again), São Paulo put tickets on sale at prices of 15$000 for reserved seats, 6$000 for the stands, and 3$000 for general admission at Chácara da Floresta. In the preliminary match, Tricolor’s second team drew 1-1 with Portuguesa’s equivalent side.

THE OPPONENT

The United States National Team was the biggest surprise of the first World Cup. In the first stage of the tournament, it defeated Belgium (considered the strongest European team present there) 3-0 and Paraguay (the South American runner-up in 1929) by the same score. In the semifinals, however, they fell to Argentina 6-1.

The United States National Team in Brazil in 1930

The Yankee team was made up basically of naturalized British players (Alexander Wood, James Gallagher, Andrew Auld, James Brown, Bart McGhee, all Scots, and George Moorhouse, an Englishman). But the homegrown players held their own as well. Goalkeeper James Douglas was a veteran with two Olympics behind him, and Bert Patenaude was the third-highest scorer of the World Cup, with 4 goals.

One fact that must have weighed against the national team, besides the wear and tear of the sea voyage, was the decision to play Santos (affiliated with APEA, but also with ASEA, the Santos association) the day before, on the 9th. They drew 3-3.

THE UNUSUAL

Minutes before the game began, São Paulo was informed that the United States uniform was the same color as the home team’s. As a courtesy, São Paulo changed kits, which caused a slight delay in the start of the match.

That is how São Paulo took the field wearing the shirt of Associação Athlética das Palmeiras (one of the teams that had given rise to the club a few months earlier). AA das Palmeiras’ shirt was black, with the club’s emblem and initials on the left side of the chest, while the sleeves and collar were white.

Hugo-linesman; Luizinho; Siriri; Nestor; Romeu; Friedenreich; Abate; Bino; Ribeiro-masseur; Barthô; Clodô; Milton; Armandinho

Another version (not verified by documents) for why Tricolor played in a different shirt involves the fear that São Paulo would be punished by the CBD. To escape any sanction, Tricolor’s directors supposedly bet on a bold idea: São Paulo would play in the shirts of its defunct predecessor because, considered extinct, it was not affiliated with APEA and was therefore free to play against the Americans.

At least that would have been the supposed justification in case of problems (which in fact never happened).

THE MATCH

At 4:10 p.m., the match refereed by Attílio Grimaldi began. Just 30 seconds in, after a cross from Romeu and a header by Friedenreich, Armandinho controlled the ball and sent it into the back of the net. 1-0.

The Americans pushed forward, forcing saves from Nestor and exposing mistakes in São Paulo’s defense. In one of them, in the 6th minute, after a long ball from Patenaude from midfield, Barthô collided with the goalkeeper and the opposing forward. The ball rolled gently into Tricolor’s goal. 1-1.

It did not take long for Tricolor to take the lead again. Once more Romeu started the move: he won the ball back and, dribbling past Gallagher and Wood, crossed for Friedenreich to guide a header into goalkeeper Douglas’s net. São Paulo 2-1.

The contest made the game somewhat violent. The defenders on both teams suffered injuries but refused to leave the field. In the 17th minute, Luizinho surged down the right flank and passed to center-forward Friedenreich, who scored the home side’s third with a powerful shot. 3-1.

In the 21st minute, Bino passed to Luizinho, who then found Siriri, who spotted Friedenreich unmarked, though 20 meters from goal. Without wasting time, Fried struck at goal. Douglas still tried to save it, parrying the ball, but it ended up in the net. 4-1.

Wood, injured, finally accepted substitution and Vaughn came into the game. Then, from a corner on the goalkeeper’s left taken by Florie, Brown rose unmarked and headed home, reducing the deficit. Now it was 4-2 to Tricolor. The ball would only hit the net again in the second half. In the 15th minute of the final stage, Siriri and Luizinho exchanged passes on the right and the former crossed into the box, where Romeu controlled it, almost losing it for a moment, and shot high into the opponent’s goal. It was São Paulo’s fifth goal of the game.

Three minutes later, Brown sent Patenaude through down the left. The American cut inside and fired into the back of Nestor’s net. The goal was loudly applauded by the crowd at Chácara da Floresta.

Full time. The end of the first international match in São Paulo’s history, and, as could not have been otherwise, in grand style and with a great victory. The United States National Team later canceled the match against the São Paulo State Team without even informing the contracting party, pressured by FIFA and the CBD, and headed to Rio de Janeiro.

08.10.1930

International FriendlySão Paulo (SP) São Paulo Futebol Clube Stadium – Chácara da FlorestaSÃO PAULO Futebol Clube (SP) 5 X 3 UNITED STATES National Team

Referee: Attílio Grimaldi

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