1998 Paulista champions | OneFootball

The Tricolor’s 1998 season began in a special way. On January 25—both the club’s anniversary and the birthday of the city of São Paulo—São Paulo faced a Santos/Flamengo select 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 the Tricolor in January 1998: definitively, only in the state championship final.

This return of the No. 10, however, was only a preview. Raí would spend a little over four more 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 the 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 opening phase (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 match of the final, played at Morumbi on May 3, the Tricolor lost 2-1 to Corinthians. Thus, to be crowned state champions, São Paulo needed to win the “return leg” by any score.

A day earlier, May 2, Raí had won his last title with PSG: the French Cup. Eager to wear São Paulo’s shirt again, the midfielder definitively 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 at the time. 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 their 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 right away—let alone in a single match, precisely in a championship final derby. Since nothing in the tournament regulations prevented it (Appendix I, Article 14, “the associations shall have no deadline to register athletes in the Registration Section of the Federação Paulista de Futebol, based on article 230 of the Organic Rules of Football – CBDF), it would be up to Nelsinho Baptista, the Tricolor coach, whether to use the renowned player or not.

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

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

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

by Alexandre Battibugli

by Alexandre Battibugli

by Alexandre Battibugli

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

Historical Archive

by Nelson Almeida

Historical Archive

In the second half, the opponent even caused some concern by equalizing five minutes in; however, França, twice, in the 11th and 37th minutes, definitively sealed the fate of the 1998 Paulista Championship trophy: the São Paulo Futebol Clube Memorial!

It fell to Raí not to lift the trophy—captain Márcio Santos did that—nor to be named best player (Müller, of Santos) or even the tournament’s top scorer (França), but to be immortalized by the fans’ 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 SantosGate: R$ 814,680.00Attendance: 79,710 paid

Dodô, two unidentified, 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 Phase07.03.1998 – 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 in the second phase.

by Eduardo Knapp

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