Operario was less convincing, qualifying from seemingly easier group – only Palmeiras from the big boys there – on goal difference. It was nice to see smaller clubs disturbing the mightiest, but was it possible to see them going all the way? In theory, yes.

Operario, traditional force in Mato Grosso do Sul, now making their mark at national stage. Not huge stars her, but a squad just ripe. Tadeu was the most famous name among them, but... which Tadeu? Tadeu Santos or Tadeu Macrini? The black or the white Tadeu? May be both? Well, both dreamed of winning.

Londrina EC, the sensation at this championship. Modest players disposing the great stars of the great clubs and going ahead.

The other two 1/2-finalists had it 'easy' – Atletico Mineiro facing Londrina RC and Sao Paulo – Operario. Games played in February 1978, the big boys having further 'good luck' by design or by chance – they were visitors in the first leg. Londrina tied Atletico Mineiro 2-2. Operario won 1-0. Heroics ended here... in the second legs nothing helped the brave small clubs. Atletico Mineiro won 4-2 and Sao Paulo – 3-0. Back to normal... big clubs at the final.

High stakes for the finalists: Atletico Mineiro won the first official Brazlian championship in 1971 and surely wanted a second title. Sao Paulo so far won nothing. By now, Brazilian finals were far from display of artistry and magic, but rather dull affairs. Tense, careful, physical fights. Winning was everything, no matter how. No exception this final – it ended 0-0. Nothing changed in the overtime. Penalty shoot-out was to decide the new champion. Atletico Mineiro missed three penalties. Sao Paulo – two, and won. One has to think.... yes, highly and tightly contested final, but Brazilian football is famous for its goals. Goals were entirely absent. And a little novelty – a player of Atletico Mineiro, young upstart, not known to the world yet, missed a penalty. One Toninho Serezo.

Standing from left: Juan Leite, Toninho Cerezo, Vantuir, Márcio Alves, Valdemir;
Kneeling: Marinho, Ángelo, Reinaldo, Paulo Isidoro,Ziza.

May be this Atletico Mineiro vintage sounded more familiar than the champions of 1971. To foreigners, I mean. Juan Leite, Vantuir, Reinaldo, Paulo Isidoro – vaguely familiar names. Toninho Cerezo was rising, although there were still few years before the world became aware of him. Nice squad, but lost the final by a hair.

Sao Paulo won their first title and what happiness it was for them! Champions at last! May be more lucky than convincing, but... champions and this is all that matter. Hardly the better team at the final, though – Mirandinha the big name here, and may be Valdir Peres. At least these two Europeans knew – knew as names, for Valdir Peres was not playing reserve at 1974 World Cup and Mirandinha failed to impress. Chicao was vaguely familiar and Ze Sergio seemed to be a rising star, but that's what European knew. In Brazil surely more players were well known stars, but still Sao Paulo did not appear brimming with talent. So, they won a final of equals – hence, the lack of goals and desperate and tough penalty shoot-out. Sao Paulo won their third attempt and it was a good revenge too, for they lost to Atletico Mineiro the final back in 1971. Once again there was no club from Rio at the final... actually, not a single one among the best four. Rio de Janeiro's final was clearly in decline – so far, only Vasco da Gama won the national title and Botafogo played – and lost – the final in 1972. The other noticeable thing was the absence of the superstar players – few megastars reached to the final so far. No matter how good Mirandinha was, he was not Pele or Tostao. And Zico was only hoping to play at a final so far.


Instead of great football and thrilling stars, Brazilian football produced this rather chilling self-comentary:

Final Table

1-São Paulo 21 9/ 4 4 4 40-15 39

2-Atlético-MG 21 11/ 6 4 0 55-16 49

3-Operário/CG 20 6/ 4 6 4 28-16 32

4-Londrina 20 4/ 6 4 6 33-28 28

5-Botafogo-RJ 18 8/ 3 7 0 30- 8 37

6-Palmeiras 18 7/ 5 3 3 33-18 34

7-Ponte Preta 19 7/ 4 3 5 29-12 32

8-Corinthians 19 5/ 5 6 3 24- 7 31

9-Flamengo-RJ 19 7/ 2 6 4 31-11 31

10-Santa Cruz 18 5/ 5 5 3 33-15 30

11-Bahia 19 6/ 3 6 4 26-12 30

12-Vasco da Gama 18 5/ 3 8 2 26-10 29

13-Grêmio 18 6/ 3 4 5 31-18 28

14-Remo 18 4/ 4 4 6 26-18 25

15-Botafogo-SP 18 2/ 6 6 4 28-21 24

16-Cruzeiro 18 5/ 1 7 5 30-27 24

17-América-RN 20 4/ 2 8 6 23-27 24

18-América-RJ 19 1/ 5 10 3 19-19 23

19-Desportiva 20 3/ 4 5 8 21-33 22

20-Sport 18 3/ 4 4 7 26-24 21

21-Santos 18 4/ 1 6 7 21-22 20

22-XV/Novembro(P) 18 2/ 2 8 6 12-13 18

23-Caxias 18 1/ 2 9 6 21-26 16

24-Fast 18 2/ 2 2 12 22-41 12

25-Internacional 13 5/ 2 3 3 22-10 22

26-Fluminense-RJ 14 2/ 6 2 4 23-10 20

27-Confiança 14 2/ 5 2 5 17-19 18

28-Guarani 14 4/ 2 2 6 18-10 18

29-Portuguesa 14 3/ 3 2 6 14-12 17

30-Ceará 15 2/ 4 3 6 16-15 17

31-Grêmio Maringá 13 3/ 3 2 5 14-13 17

32-Uberaba 13 3/ 2 4 4 15-11 17

33-Goytacaz 13 2/ 3 5 3 16-13 17

34-ABC 14 2/ 3 4 5 14-14 16

35-Goiás 13 2/ 2 6 3 19-17 16

36-Volta Redonda 15 2/ 2 6 5 17-16 16

37-Joinville 13 2/ 3 3 5 15-18 15

38-Vitória-BA 15 3/ 1 4 7 14-20 15

39-Juventude 13 1/ 4 3 5 12-11 14

40-Vitória-ES 16 1/ 4 3 8 13-30 14

41-Ríver 15 1/ 3 5 6 18-29 14

42-Sampaio Corrêa 15 2/ 1 6 6 15-20 14

43-Avaí 13 2/ 3 1 7 14-17 13

45-CRB 13 3/ 1 2 7 16-22 13

44-Atlético-PR 13 2/ 1 5 5 19-21 13

46-América-MG 13 2/ 2 2 7 13-18 12

47-CSA 13 2/ 1 4 6 12-16 12

48-Brasília 13 0/ 5 1 7 10-27 11

49-Coritiba 13 1/ 3 2 7 16-23 11

50-Americano 13 1/ 2 4 6 8-24 11

51-Paysandu 13 1/ 2 4 6 17-27 11

52-Náutico 13 1/ 3 2 7 15-16 11

53-Fortaleza 15 1/ 2 3 9 12-21 10

54-Nacional 13 1/ 2 2 8 9-22 9

55-Treze 13 0/ 2 5 6 9-28 9

56-Flamengo-PI 15 0/ 1 6 8 8-22 8

57-Botafogo-PB 13 1/ 1 2 9 9-22 7

58-Goiânia 13 0/ 2 3 8 14-29 7

59-Vila Nova 13 1/ 0 4 8 11-20 7

60-Fluminense-BA 15 0/ 1 5 9 6-21 7

61-Sergipe 15 0/ 2 2 11 12-27 6

62-Dom Bosco 13 0/ 1 3 9 13-32 5

Thus the championship of 1977 ended in March 1978.