The Paulistão 2024 was decided this Sunday between Palmeiras and Santos. The team from the coast had secured a great victory by the minimum score in the first leg, but Palmeiras once again, with a cool head and warm heart, chased the result. After an intense match worthy of the most traditional State Championship in Brazil, Palmeiras became São Paulo State Champion for the third time in 90 years, further solidifying the legacy of the 3rd Football Academy.
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Index
The Paulistão of the Finalists
Santos
After relegation to the second division of Brasileirão at the end of the season, Peixão lost important pieces such as Soteldo and Marcos Leonardo. However, they maneuvered well in the transfer window, primarily focusing on more experienced players, forming a quality and highly competitive team, notably under the command of Fábio Carille.
This year’s Paulistão for the Vila Belmiro club was different from what Santos had shown in previous editions. This was evident by their 25 points and 2nd place overall, only behind their rival Palmeiras. This was Santos’s highest score since the current format was implemented.
Peixão started the championship well and matured and evolved during the competition, finding a solid style of play and key pieces for its functioning, such as João Paulo, Joaquim, Gil, João Schmidt, Diego Pituca, Guilherme, and Otero.
Finishing first in the group, Santos faced the modest Portuguesa in the quarter-finals, a tough match that ended in a penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw.
In the semi-finals, they faced the young and touted Bragantino, who dominated the game but couldn’t be as effective as the coastal team. Santos won 3-1 with goals from Joaquim, Guilherme, and Giuliano.
Although not seen as a title contender, Santos proved their worth with a splendid campaign, reaching the final in a strong position, showing that a team of their stature should always stand tall.
Palmeiras
For the third consecutive year, Verdão made the best campaign in Paulistão, this time with 28 points, 8 wins, and 4 draws.
Under the legendary Abel Ferreira, the team had strategic reinforcements for the start of the season. Notable additions included Caio Paulista, who hadn’t yet shown his best from his São Paulo days, Bruno Rodrigues, who suffered a serious injury in his second game with the team, and the Argentine midfielder Aníbal Moreno, who seamlessly fit into the team’s system, providing much-needed strength in the midfield, especially since Danilo’s departure to Nottingham Forest.
Palmeiras started the championship well and maintained consistency, adjusting the team here and there for improvement. This improvement came collectively and individually for some players, such as the versatile Mayke, who dominated the right side, whether as a winger or as a full-back, and the Argentine striker Flaco López, who, after a disappointing 2023 season with few opportunities, emerged as the top scorer of the competition with ten goals.
In the quarter-finals, Palmeiras faced the determined Ponte Preta, who had been without their main player, Felipinho, since mid-season due to his transfer to Athletico Paranaense. In this match, Ponte Preta tried to compete evenly but realized it wasn’t possible, as Verdão was dominant. With a hat-trick from Flaco López, Palmeiras won 5-1 and progressed to the semis.
The semi-finals were a tough match against Novorizontino, which could be considered the sensation of this Paulistão. The interior team, led by Eduardo Baptista, had a very solid campaign, not losing to any of the big teams and even eliminating São Paulo in the quarters after a tightly contested draw and securing a spot in the semis via penalties.
In this match, the interior team managed to match the strength and versatility of Verdão, with both teams having chances to score goals. However, it was the prodigy Endrick, who had just returned from the Brazilian National Team where he scored against Spain and England, maintaining his form and sealing the victory and Verde classification, with one of the most epic celebrations of this Paulistão. In this celebration, Endrick picked up the Palmeiras symbol rug from the background of the field and placed it over himself like a cape.
1st Leg: Santos 1-0 Palmeiras
The first leg of the final took place on Easter Sunday at 6:00 pm at Vila Belmiro, packed with Santos fans supporting Peixão towards the São Paulo State title. With the strength of the fans coupled with the determination of the players, Santos played an almost perfect game.
If we look at the statistics, both teams had equivalent matches, with Palmeiras having much more possession of the ball. However, it was Santos who posed a greater danger and effectiveness, especially on the wings, with Guilherme causing trouble on the left and Otero on the right, cutting inside.
Just 5 minutes into the first half, Endrick found a beautiful through ball to the Paulistão top scorer Flaco López, who found himself one-on-one with João Paulo but failed to open the scoring. From then on, Santos completely dominated the game, especially in the first half and early in the second, when the Alvinegro Praiano scored.
Three minutes into the second half, Guilherme made a beautiful play on the left, dribbled past the Palmeiras defense, and crossed perfectly for Otero, who was unmarked at the far post. The diminutive player aimed the ball and headed home unchallenged, giving Santos a 1-0 lead.
After the goal, naturally, Palmeiras tried to take more initiative, had more ball possession but lacked effectiveness in the final touches and finishing, while also leaving spaces for several Santos counterattacks, which failed to increase the score due to Weverton’s inspired performance.
It was a beautiful first-leg final, showing that Santos had the power to hold Palmeiras and not only that, play better than the current Paulistão and Brasileirão champions.
2nd Leg: Palmeiras 2-0 Santos
The week leading up to the game in São Paulo was all about the final. The media was filled with all sorts of predictions and comments, and for fans of both teams, it felt like Sunday would never arrive. Santos had the whole week to prepare and focus on the 2nd leg to maintain their advantage, while Palmeiras had a commitment in the Libertadores against San Lorenzo in Argentina. However, with an eye on the Paulistão final, they fielded an entirely reserve team and managed a 1-1 draw.
The eagerly awaited day arrived, and Allianz Parque was magnificent, a true spectacle created by the Palmeiras fans, especially with the mosaic made to honor the legendary coach Abel Ferreira, who was just one title away from becoming the coach with the most titles won by Palmeiras alongside Oswaldo Brandão (10). The mosaic for Abel mainly honored his home country, where the coach was portrayed as the captain of a caravel, and as the caravel moved, the trophies won by the coach with the Palmeiras jersey appeared. Abel felt so honored that he cried after the Brazilian national anthem.
Raphael Claus then blew the whistle to start the 2024 Paulistão final.
The defending champions took to the field with Weverton; Mayke, Gustavo Gómez (Luan), Murilo, and Piquerez; Aníbal Moreno, Zé Rafael (Richard Ríos), and Raphael Veiga; Endrick (Marcos Rocha), Lázaro (Luis Guilherme), and Flaco López (Rony).
Carille’s Santos, in the traditional 4-2-
3-1 formation, lined up with João Paulo; Aderlan (JP Chermont), Joaquim, Gil, and Felipe Jonatan (Hayner); João Schmidt and Pituca (Weslley Patati); Otero (Pedrinho), Giuliano, and Guilherme, with Morelos (Furch) leading the attack.
The game started with Palmeiras taking the initiative, but it was Santos who had the first big chance of the game. After a Verdão clearance, Giuliano found Morelos, who laid it off for Guilherme, who crossed for Otero. The Venezuelan unleashed a powerful shot blocked by the Palestrina defense, and the ball fell to Pituca, who struck a fantastic volley toward the top corner, only to be denied by an outstanding save from Weverton.
After this scare, Palmeiras managed to control the ball more and executed their marking well, especially in the midfield with Aníbal Moreno’s intensity. The Argentine seemed to be everywhere on the field. Additionally, Verdão began to rely heavily on plays down the flanks, with overlapping runs between Piquerez and Lázaro on the left and Mayke and Endrick on the right.
It was in one of these moments that Verdão almost opened the scoring. After a good play from Lázaro, Piquerez reached the byline and crossed for Flaco López, who nodded down for Veiga in the middle, but the midfielder, realizing he couldn’t shoot, laid it off for Mayke arriving from behind. Mayke took a shot, but Gil cleared off the line with a header.
Palmeiras continued to try, and Endrick seemed eager to play, constantly trying to find spaces in the Santos defense. Then, at the 25th minute, Weverton quickly took a goal kick towards Endrick’s path. Initially, it seemed like Felipe Jonatan and João Paulo would control the ball, but the determined Endrick took advantage of the indecision of the Santos players, darted between them, and was fouled by João Paulo. Claus initially let the play continue, but VAR recommended a review. After reviewing the footage, the referee awarded a penalty to Palmeiras.
Endrick promptly grabbed the ball and stood at the penalty spot. Everything indicated that the prodigy would take the penalty and attempt to score in his last final for Palmeiras before heading to Real Madrid. However, the official penalty taker Raphael Veiga received the ball from Endrick, adjusted with care, took a few steps back, and as usual, struck the ball firmly into the middle of the goal, beyond João Paulo’s reach, making it 1-0 for Palmeiras on their way to the third consecutive Paulistão title.
The crowd was electrified by the goal and continued to sing, and the team felt the energy, attacking with all their might to increase the score and overturn Santos’ advantage from the 1st leg. This marked the beginning of Endrick’s show, who played somewhat differently from what we’re used to, showcasing his vision and passing quality this time. Every ball that reached him was promptly served to a well-positioned teammate.
An example of this was the beautiful play that almost resulted in a goal from Lázaro at 35 minutes. Flaco López received a pass at the edge of the area and nodded it down to Endrick on the right. The youngster cut inside, and while it seemed he would try his characteristic left-footed shot, he noticed Mayke’s overlapping run behind him and made a masterful touch to the full-back, who then delivered a low cross into the area, where Lázaro was running in, but his attempted backheel went slightly wide, catching Flaco off-guard as he tried to tap it in with a sliding effort.
The first half belonged entirely to Verdão, especially as they managed to neutralize Santos’s strongest weapons. Mayke and Gustavo Gómez on the right managed to thwart the skills of the talented and speedy Guilherme, while Piquerez, unlike the first game, managed to contain Otero’s movements and the stellar performance of Aníbal Moreno, who not only kept marking and pressing relentlessly but also tried to find spaces in the Santos area during attacks.
Towards the end of the first half, Verdão had another good chance to extend the lead. After a corner kick played short by Veiga, Piquerez controlled the ball and found Endrick centrally at the edge of the area. The young player passed the ball to Aníbal, who was positioned just outside the defense, but the Argentine tried to control and shoot, only for the defense to clear. The ball fell to Piquerez, who struck a left-footed rocket, but João Paulo made a miraculous save, leaping towards the top corner to deny the Alvinegro goal. What a first half from Palmeiras.
The second half began with Santos trying to find spaces to attack, and at the 4th minute, they had a good chance from a long-range free-kick. Otero, who specializes in such situations, set up the ball, ran, and unleashed his typical rocket. The ball rose and then descended with violence, bouncing just
before the goal line, but Weverton was vigilant and made a brilliant save.
Almost immediately after, Santos took advantage of a Palmeiras mistake in attack and executed a textbook counter-attack. Aderlan found Morelos in midfield, who quickly laid it off for Pituca, minding Guilherme’s movement. Pituca then made a precise through ball to the skillful winger, who stormed into the box from the left and took a shot. Weverton came out bravely and made another miracle to prevent Santos from equalizing.
Palmeiras managed to regroup and block Santos’ momentum. Richard Ríos, who had come on for Zé Rafael at halftime, became an essential piece in relieving the team, as well as another youth product, Luis Guilherme, who replaced Lázaro and provided more depth on the left side and better situations in one-on-one scenarios.
In his first involvement in the game, Luis Guilherme received the ball from Piquerez on the left, danced past the Santos defense, and crossed low into the middle for the late-arriving Endrick, who came unmarked into the box to finish emphatically. on the outside of the net.
Palmeiras, once again complete and dominating the game, begins to attack more effectively and put a lot of pressure on Santos. In one of these plays, Endrick, after much effort, steals the ball in midfield, which is switched to Piquerez on the left. The tireless Uruguayan full-back carries the ball towards the byline, and just when it seemed he would cross, he performs a beautiful cutback to Otero, who slides in with a tackle and gets out of the way. Piquerez then delivers an excellent right-footed cross to the far post, where Flaco rises above everyone and heads it perfectly for the arriving Aníbal, who comes unmarked in the heart of the defense to finish with power. What a goal, 2-0 for Palestra.
Facing the situation and seeing their advantage slipping away, Santos did not lower their heads and attempted to attack Palmeiras in every way. At the 12th minute, Aderlan found Morelos on the left with a lovely pass. The striker laid it off for Giuliano in the middle, who then set up Pituca perfectly for Otero to strike. The ball rebounded off the Palmeiras defense, presenting itself again to the Venezuelan, who shot toward goal. Mayke, with all his vigor and determination, rushed to the line and prevented Santos from scoring.
Verdão, once again solid and dominating, started attacking with more purpose and pressing Santos heavily. In one of these attacks, Endrick, after much effort, won the ball in midfield, which was switched to Piquerez on the left. The tireless Uruguayan full-back drove towards the byline and, just when it seemed he would cross, executed a beautiful cutback to Otero, who slid and missed the ball. Piquerez then delivered an excellent cross into the six-yard box, where Flaco rose highest and headed it perfectly into Aníbal’s path, who arrived unmarked at the near post to finish powerfully. What a goal, 2-0 Palestra.
In the dying moments, Santos had a chance to pull one back from a free-kick near the area on the left side. Gil, known for his aerial threat, rose highest for the header, but at the last moment, he turned his head, causing the ball to change direction and go wide. Hearts of both Santos and Palmeiras fans surely skipped a beat.
In another counter-attack, there was a chance to increase the lead, but Rony’s fantastic long-range effort sailed just over the crossbar, and in the next play, Mayke, ready to score, was blocked, and the referee blew the final whistle. Palmeiras are three-time Paulistão champions. What a team, an example of rectitude, dedication to training, and synergy, the 10th title under Portuguese coach Abel Ferreira.
A final worthy of the Paulistão and the Classic of the Saudade. Santos, despite all its difficulties, matched the powerful Palmeiras, which once again did not falter in moments of uncertainty and, with a cool head and warm heart, secured another Paulistão title.
Three-time Paulistão Champions.
The title won by Palestra had several highlights. How can we not mention the final appearance of the prodigy Endrick before leaving for Real Madrid, or Abel Ferreira’s 10th title with Palmeiras, matching Oswaldo Brandão as the coach with the most titles for the club, not to mention the historic third consecutive Paulistão title, a feat not achieved for exactly 90 years, since the 1934 Paulistão win as Palestra Itália.
The fact is that once again, Palmeiras showed the world that they are an indomitable team. For the third consecutive time, they overturned the deficit in the final at home, coincidentally losing their unbeaten record in the first leg in all three finals, and also making the best campaign in all three championships. Is it a coincidence? For me, certainly not, but rather the result of fruitful and enduring work, which for all Palmeirenses should last for eternity.
Written by João Felipe Miller
