December 9 – Completing a league-and-Libertadores double on Sunday, Brazilian club Botafogo clinched their first national title since 1995 with a 2-1 victory against Sao Paulo.
Last week’s anti-hero in the final of the Copa Libertadores, Gregore scored the winning goal with a second-half strike to power his side to the league crown with 79 points in 38 matches to finish six points ahead of runner-up Palmeiras. The game against Sao Paulo was almost academic as the club from Rio de Janeiro needed just a point, but the win capped a remarkable eight days. Conquering the national and continental titles in the same year, they follow in the footsteps of Pelé’s Santos and the Flamengo of Jorge Jesus.
Portuguese manager Artur Jorge commented: “I can’t say that when I arrived I was convinced of winning the Brazilian Championship and the Libertadores, that we would come to fight for everything and for the (Brazilian) Cup. To fight. But what I’m experiencing is very good. It’s an extraordinary year. I’ve already told my players: there is no history without courage. We were a team of great courage.”
The Brazilian and South American champions will head to Doha for the International Cup with a preliminary match against Mexico’s Pachuca. The winner will go on to play Egypt’s Al Ahlyfor a place in the final against Real Madrid. Next year, Botafogo will be one of four Brazilian teams to feature in the expanded 32-team Club World Cup in the United States.
“I can’t really say I believed it,” said club owner John Textor in a pitchside interview. “When you have ambition, it doesn’t necessarily mean you know (you will win). It happened much before we expected. We are very excited about that.”
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1737406449labto1737406449ofdlr1737406449owedi1737406449sni@i1737406449tnuk.1737406449ardni1737406449mas1737406449