Copa do Brasil 2023: The Millionaire Tournament

The Copa do Brasil and its growth at the national level

The Copa do Brasil started on Tuesday (21/02), and the expectation of clubs and fans is huge. In the current edition, the champion can receive R$ 91.8 million, if he participates in all phases.

Competition history

The biggest knockout tournament in Brazil began in 1989 with Grêmio becoming champion. The first edition had only 32 teams, a number that kept increasing and currently has 92 teams.

The winner always won a place in the following year’s Libertadores, however between 2001 and 2012, the teams that participated in the continental tournament did not play in the Copa do Brasil, therefore, during that period, the champion of the Copa do Brasil did not compete in the tournament consecutively.

As of 2013, the competition had a major turnaround, as the clubs that played in the Libertadores started to enter the third phase of the tournament, giving the tournament even greater competitiveness.

Greatest Champions and Scorers

Grêmio is the biggest champion, with 6 titles, followed by Cruzeiro with 5 and Palmeiras and Flamengo (current champion) with 4.

The player who scored the most goals in an edition is Fred, with 14 goals for Cruzeiro in 2005, aged just 22. The top scorer in the history of the Copa do Brasil is also Fred with 37 goals, followed by Romário with 36.

Premiação Astronômica

Check out the awards for each phase of the Copa do Brasil:

1st phase: BRL 1.4 million (group 1), BRL 1.25 million (group 2) and BRL 750 thousand (group 3)

2nd phase: BRL 1.7 million (group 1), BRL 1.4 million (group 2) and BRL 900 thousand (group 3)

3rd phase: BRL 2.1 million

Round of 16: BRL 3.3 million

Quarterfinals: BRL 4.3 million

Semifinal: BRL 9 million

Runner-up: BRL 30 million

Champion: BRL 70 million

Zebras

Being considered the most democratic tournament in Brazil, the big clubs are constantly surprised by those of lesser expression.

Fluminense

Tricolor das Laranjeiras, in 2014, after winning 3-0 away from home, was thrashed in the middle of Maracanã by 5-2, and ended up eliminated by the modest América-RN in the third phase. The most painful defeat occurred in the 2005 final, when Paulista de Jundiaí, led by Vagner Mancini, celebrated the title in São Januário.

Botafogo

The final disputed between Botafogo and Juventude, in 1999, had the biggest audience in the history of the competition with more than 110 thousand paying in Maracanã. However, to Glorioso’s sadness, Juventude lifted the cup and in the same year was relegated to the second division of the Brazilian Championship, but did not play in Série B in 2000 due to the creation of the João Havelange Cup, being invited to the Blue Module , the First Division of that year.

Flamengo

In 2004 Santo André surprised Brazil, beating Flamengo in the final of the Copa do Brasil. Rubro-Negro had a star-studded squad, with Júlio César, Ibson, Felipe Maestro, Athirson, but after drawing 2-2 at Palestra Itália, it was defeated in the middle of Maracanã by 2-0, frustrating its fans.

Grêmio

Commanded by Luiz Felipe Scolari, Criciúma surprised Grêmio, in 1991, by beating the team from Rio Grande do Sul in the final and taking the title.

Expectations for the current edition

The tournament will bring together 92 teams from 26 Brazilian states and the Federal District. The great champion guarantees a place in the Copa Libertadores of America, the following season, in 2024.

What do you expect from your team? Will surprise or disappoint?

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Written by Henry Miller.