the year is the only salvation. This
current division [between state and
national championships] is purely
political and exists to defend small-
minded interests. And the worst thing
is that those who run football are aware
of this. But they are also aware that
there would be no place for them
in serious football.”
Saldanha’s dream is closer than
ever to turning into reality. Serious
discussions are taking place about
setting up a league. The path to
progress, though, will not be smooth.
The state of Sao Paulo offers an obvious
problem. It is the wealthiest state, where
clubs outside the capital are rich
enough to assemble teams of quality.
The Sao Paulo championship, then, is
the only state competition with sufficient
depth to be worthwhile. This gives Sao
Paulo a competitive advantage over
BRAZILother states that it would seek to
preserve. It would be very reluctant
to give up its local competition.
So on this issue, the state that in
theory should be in Brazil’s vanguardis in practice more likely to be the most
conservative. It is a bizarre paradox.
But as Bossa Nova musician Tom
Jobim was so fond of saying:
Brazil is not for beginners.Cruzeiro
owner...
RonaldoDominant...Atletico
Mineiro added the
Minas Gerais title to
their 2021 national
league crown