The 2008 Brazil National League runs from May to December, with 20 teams in each of two categories - Série A and Série B. What Brazilians call the National Championship - Campeonato Brasileiro, or Brasileirão ("Big Brazilian") - enters the 2008 season with Ipatinga, from Minas Gerais, as a first-timer in the first division.
In the meantime, Corinthians, one of Brazil's major teams, starts the season in the B series and with a new campaign: Eu nunca vou te abandonar ("I'll never desert you"). The slogan is printed on purple T-shirts as in the Brazil slang for a passionate soccer fan - a "purple fan", or torcedor roxo.
One of the things worth watching for in the 2008 Brazil League will be São Paulo's attempt to be the first team to win three consecutive Brasileirão titles in a row. Other four teams have tried and failed:
- Palmeiras in 1974 and 1995
- Flamengo in 1984
- Internacional in 1977
- Corinthians in 2000
Serie A Standings and Game Schedule:
Go to:
Brasileirão on UOL
In Brazil, one of the best coverages of the National Championship is on UOL Esporte - Futebol. To see how we keep up, go to:
- Brasileirão Série A
- Brasileirão Série B
- Copa do Brasil - which, for some teams, overlaps with Brasileirão, as does Libertadores
UOL Navigation Tips:
Brasileirão Série A - List of Teams:
Atlético – MG
(Clube Atlético Mineiro)
Belo Horizonte, MG
Nickname: Galo (Rooster)
Coach: Geninho
Official Site
Atlético – PR
(Clube Atlético Paranaense)
Curitiba, PR
Nickname: Furacão (Hurricane)
Coach: Ney Franco
Official Site
Botafogo
(Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas)
Rio de Janeiro, RJ
Nickname: Fogão (Big Fire)
Coach: Cuca
Official Site
Coritiba
(Coritiba Foot Ball Club)
Curitiba, PR
Nickname: Coxa, pronounced COH-sha ("Thigh", from the insult "white thighs" aimed at a German Coritiba player by rival Atlético during two games at the time of World War II. Coritiba won both games and adopted the nickname.)
Coach: Dorival Júnior
Official Site
Cruzeiro
(Cruzeiro Esporte Club)
Belo Horizonte, MG
Nickname: Raposa ("Fox", from a former club president said to be cunning)
Coach: Adilson Batista
Official Site
Figueirense
(Figueirense Futebol Clube)
Florianópolis, Santa Catarina
Nickname: Figueira (for the tree symbol and mascot)
Coach: Alexandre Gallo
Official Site
Flamengo
(Clube de Regatas do Flamengo)
Rio de Janeiro, RJ
Nickname: Mengo, Urubu ("Black vulture" - a racist insult targeting poor, black fans turned into a proud nickname)
Coach: Joel Natalino Santana
Official Site
Fluminense
(Fluminense F.C.)
Rio de Janeiro, RJ
Nickname: Tricolor, Nense
Coach: Renato Portaluppi
Official Site
Goiás
(Goiás Esporte Clube)
Goiânia, GO
Nickname: Esmeraldino
Coach: Oswaldo Alvarez (Vadão)
Official Site
Grêmio
(Grêmio Foot-Ball Portoalegrense)
Porto Alegre, RS
Nickname: Imortal Tricolor, Tricolor Gaúcho
Coach: Celso Roth
Official Site
Internacional
(Sport Club Internacional)
Porto Alegre, RS
Nickname: Colorado, Inter
Coach: Abel Braga
Official Site
Ipatinga
(Ipatinga F.C.)
Ipatinga , MG
Nickname: Tigre (Tiger)
Coach: Antonio Giba (Giba)
Official Site
Náutico
(Clube Náutico Capibaribe)
Recife, PE
Nickname: Timbu (a kind of skunk), Alvirubro (White-Red)
Coach: Roberto Fernandes
Official Site
Palmeiras
Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras
São Paulo, SP
Nickname: Verdão (Big Green), Porco (Pig; embraced insult)
Coach: Vanderlei Luxemburgo
Official Site
Portuguesa
(Associação Portuguesa de Desportos)
São Paulo, SP
Nickname: Lusa
Coach: Vagner Benazzi
Official Site
Santos
(Santos Futebol Clube)
Santos, São Paulo
Nickname: Peixe (Fish)
Coach: Emerson Leão
Official Site
São Paulo
(São Paulo F.C.)
São Paulo, SP
Nickname: Tricolor
Coach: Muricy Ramalho
Official Site
Sport
(Sport Club do Recife)
Recife, PE
Nickname: Leão da Ilha
Coach: Nelsinho Batista
Official Site
Vasco
(Club de Regatas Vasco da Gama)
Rio de Janeiro, RJ
Nickname: Time da Virada
Coach: Antônio Lopes
Official Site
Vitória
(Esporte Clube Vitória)
Salvador, BA
Nickname: Leão da Barra
Coach: Vagner Mancini
Official Site
