São Paulo FC Quiz
São Paulo FC quiz with answers: the 1930 merger, Telê Santana's Libertadores double, Raí in Tokyo, Rogério Ceni's 131 goals and the 2005 world title.
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easy
Kaká came through São Paulo's academy and was sold to which Italian club in 2003?
WhyMilan paid a reported €8.5m — Silvio Berlusconi later called it peanuts — and Kaká won the 2007 Ballon d'Or there. -
easy
Which member of Telê Santana's Libertadores-winning São Paulo sides went on to lift the World Cup as Brazil's captain in 2002?
WhyCafu came through at São Paulo in the early 1990s and was the man who raised the trophy in Yokohama in 2002. -
medium
Telê Santana, who took charge at São Paulo in 1990, had previously managed Brazil at which two World Cups?
WhyTelê's celebrated Brazil sides played at Spain 1982 and Mexico 1986; he rebuilt his reputation at club level with São Paulo afterwards. -
medium
Which Argentine coach led São Paulo to the 2021 Campeonato Paulista, the club's first trophy in nine years?
WhyHernán Crespo's side drew 0-0 at Allianz Parque and won the Morumbi leg 2-0 against Palmeiras in May 2021. -
hard
São Paulo signed the teenage Rogério Ceni in 1990 from which club?
WhyHe was scouted at Sinop in Mato Grosso, where he had just won the state championship, and then spent 25 years at São Paulo. -
medium
Before the Morumbi staged its first match in 1960, São Paulo played their big home games mainly at which municipal stadium?
WhyThe Pacaembu, the city-owned stadium opened in 1940, was São Paulo's main stage until the club moved into its own ground in Morumbi. -
medium
When Rogério Ceni retired in December 2015, roughly how many official goals had he scored as a goalkeeper for São Paulo?
WhyCeni finished on 131 official goals from free kicks and penalties, by far the most by any goalkeeper in the game's history. -
hard
São Paulo FC was founded in 1930 by a merger between Associação Atlética das Palmeiras and which club, whose members had abandoned football after the sport turned professional?
WhyClub Athletico Paulistano, the old amateur aristocrats of São Paulo football, walked away from the professional game; their footballing side joined AA das Palmeiras to create São Paulo FC in January 1930. -
medium
São Paulo sold Hernanes, the midfield engine of the 2007 and 2008 title sides, to which Italian club in 2010?
WhyLazio agreed the deal in August 2010; Inter and Juventus came later in his Italian career. -
medium
Which club signed winger Antony from São Paulo in 2020, before selling him to Manchester United two years later?
WhyAjax paid São Paulo an initial €15.75m in 2020; United's 2022 fee was many times that. -
hard
Which club did São Paulo beat 3-2 in the semi-finals of the 2005 FIFA Club World Championship?
WhyAmoroso scored twice and Rogério Ceni added a penalty against the Asian champions on 14 December 2005. -
medium
São Paulo were awarded the 2012 Copa Sudamericana when which Argentine club refused to come out for the second half of the final at the Morumbi?
WhyTigre stayed in the dressing room after a half-time brawl with São Paulo 2-0 up through Lucas and Osvaldo. -
medium
Raí, the captain of Telê Santana's great side, is the younger brother of which midfielder from Brazil's 1982 World Cup team?
WhySócrates, the Corinthians and Brazil captain, was Raí's older brother; Raí followed him into the Brazil side a decade later. -
hard
São Paulo retained the Copa Libertadores in 1993 by beating which Chilean club in the final?
WhyUniversidad Católica were thrashed 5-1 at the Morumbi in the first leg and their 2-0 win in Santiago was not enough. -
medium
Five years after hanging up his gloves, Rogério Ceni won the 2020 Campeonato Brasileiro as head coach of which club?
WhyHe replaced Domènec Torrent at Flamengo in November 2020 with the season two-thirds run, and took the title on the final day. -
medium
Which manager led São Paulo to three consecutive Campeonato Brasileiro titles in 2006, 2007 and 2008?
WhyMuricy Ramalho's pragmatic sides won the league three years running — the club's tricampeonato of the late 2000s. -
hard
Éder Militão left São Paulo in 2018 for which Portuguese club, from where a €50m release clause took him to Spain a year later?
WhyOne season at Porto was enough: the €50m release clause in his contract was triggered in March 2019. -
medium
In March 2011 Rogério Ceni became the first goalkeeper to reach 100 career goals. Against which club did he score No. 100?
WhyA free kick in a 2-1 Campeonato Paulista win over Corinthians at Arena Barueri on 27 March 2011. -
medium
Which club agreed a deal worth around €40m with São Paulo for academy graduate Lucas Moura in 2012?
WhyPSG announced the transfer in August 2012 but Lucas stayed until January 2013; Tottenham signed him five years later. -
hard
São Paulo reached a third consecutive Copa Libertadores final in 1994, losing on penalties to which Argentine club?
WhyVélez Sarsfield won the 1994 shootout and went on to beat Milan in that year's Intercontinental Cup. -
medium
Casemiro left São Paulo in 2013 for which club, joining initially on loan?
WhyReal Madrid took him on loan in January 2013 and made it permanent that summer; his season on loan in Portugal came in 2014-15. -
medium
Who was São Paulo's first-choice goalkeeper through the Libertadores wins of 1992 and 1993?
WhyZetti kept goal in both continental triumphs, with the young Rogério Ceni still behind him in the pecking order. -
hard
Toninho Cerezo joined São Paulo in 1992 after nine seasons in Italy, in which he won the 1990-91 Serie A title with which club?
WhyCerezo was part of the Sampdoria side that won the club's only Scudetto in 1991 before returning to Brazil, where he added the 1993 Libertadores and two Intercontinental Cups. -
medium
In 2012 São Paulo signed playmaker Paulo Henrique Ganso from which club?
WhyThe September 2012 move from Santos split opinion; Ganso stayed four seasons and the fee is argued about to this day. -
medium
São Paulo won their first Copa Libertadores in 1992, beating which Argentine club on penalties in the final?
WhyNewell's Old Boys won the first leg in Rosario 1-0, São Paulo won the return at the Morumbi by the same score, and the shootout went to the Brazilians. -
hard
São Paulo won the 1991 Campeonato Brasileiro under Telê Santana by beating which surprise finalist, a small club from the interior of São Paulo state?
WhyBragantino, from Bragança Paulista, reached the 1991 final and lost to São Paulo — the club's most famous run. -
medium
Who scored both São Paulo goals in the 2-1 win over Barcelona in the 1992 Intercontinental Cup final in Tokyo?
WhyRaí, the captain and playmaker, scored twice against Barcelona in Tokyo before leaving for Europe the following year. -
medium
Which São Paulo striker joined Napoli in 1987 and became part of the attacking trio with Diego Maradona and Bruno Giordano?
WhyCareca left the Morumbi for Naples in 1987, where he, Maradona and Giordano were nicknamed the Ma-Gi-Ca trio. -
hard
Who scored the only goal as São Paulo beat Liverpool 1-0 in the 2005 FIFA Club World Championship final?
WhyMineiro, the defensive midfielder, struck in the first half in Yokohama and São Paulo held on for the title. -
medium
Who was São Paulo's head coach for the 2005 Copa Libertadores and FIFA Club World Championship double?
WhyPaulo Autuori left after Japan; Muricy Ramalho took charge during 2006 and began the three-in-a-row Brasileirão run. -
medium
São Paulo won the Copa Libertadores again in 2005, beating which club in an all-Brazilian final?
WhyAtlético Paranaense drew the first leg 1-1 but were beaten 4-0 at the Morumbi in the return. -
hard
Milan played São Paulo in the 1993 Intercontinental Cup as European Cup runners-up, because that year's winners were barred from the competition. Which club was barred?
WhyMarseille beat Milan in the 1993 European Cup final but were shut out of the Intercontinental Cup amid the French match-fixing scandal, so Milan travelled to Tokyo and lost 3-2. -
easy
Which club did São Paulo take Alexandre Pato from in the 2014 swap deal that sent Jadson the other way?
WhyCorinthians sent Pato to their city rivals in February 2014 in exchange for Jádson, and he spent two seasons at the Morumbi.
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São Paulo in the record books
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What the São Paulo quiz covers
Every football question here is researched and fact-checked — soccer, if you're reading this in the US — across the topics that decide a real São Paulo expert:
Club history
Founding, golden eras and the moments that shaped São Paulo.
Players & legends
Cult heroes and record-breakers, past and present.
Managers
The bosses in the dugout and the trophies they won.
Trophies & honours
Every title, cup and big European night that counts.
Records & stats
Appearances, goals, transfers and all-time bests.
Iconic moments
Famous games, comebacks and unforgettable goals.
This is one set from a bank of thousands of questions spanning 106 clubs, every major league and eight decades of football.
How the São Paulo quiz is checked
Every question above was researched against sources and verified before it went live.
Every São Paulo question here was checked twice before publication — once against the claim the question makes, and once against the wrong answers offered beside it. A question whose wrong options can be dismissed without knowing any football is not really a question, so those get rewritten or dropped rather than padded out. Anything that could not be confirmed was removed rather than guessed, which is why some sets are smaller than others. Every one of them carries a written explanation. Spot something wrong and tell us — corrections from players are how the bank stays accurate.
São Paulo quiz — FAQ
How was São Paulo FC founded?
How many Copa Libertadores have São Paulo won, and who did they beat?
What did São Paulo win in world club finals?
Which players did São Paulo sell to Europe?
About the São Paulo quiz
São Paulo FC were created in January 1930 by a merger between Associação Atlética das Palmeiras and the footballing side of Club Athletico Paulistano. Paulistano were the old amateur aristocrats of São Paulo football, and their members had walked away from the game once it turned professional. For the club's first decades the big home matches were played at the Estádio do Pacaembu, the city-owned ground that opened in 1940. That changed in 1960, when the Morumbi staged its first match and São Paulo moved into a home of their own.
The club's greatest era began in 1990, when Telê Santana took charge after managing Brazil at the 1982 and 1986 World Cups. His side won the 1991 Campeonato Brasileiro by beating Bragantino, the small club from Bragança Paulista whose run to the final remains its most famous. In 1992 came the first Copa Libertadores: Newell's Old Boys won the first leg 1-0 in Rosario, São Paulo won the return at the Morumbi by the same score, and the Brazilians took the shootout. Six months later Raí, the captain and playmaker, scored both goals as São Paulo beat Barcelona 2-1 in the Intercontinental Cup final in Tokyo. Raí was the younger brother of Sócrates, the Corinthians and Brazil midfielder from the 1982 World Cup squad, and he left for Europe the following year.
The team did it again in 1993. Universidad Católica were thrashed 5-1 at the Morumbi in the Libertadores final and their 2-0 win in Santiago was not enough. In Tokyo that December São Paulo beat Milan 3-2 — the Italians travelled as European Cup runners-up because that year's winners, Marseille, had been shut out of the competition amid the French match-fixing scandal. Zetti kept goal through both continental triumphs, with a young Rogério Ceni still behind him in the pecking order. Toninho Cerezo had arrived in 1992 after nine seasons in Italy, where he won the 1990-91 Scudetto with Sampdoria, and Cafu came through in the same years before lifting the World Cup as Brazil's captain in 2002. A third straight Libertadores final followed in 1994, lost on penalties to Vélez Sarsfield.
A second golden run came in 2005 under Paulo Autuori: Atlético Paranaense were held 1-1 and then beaten 4-0 at the Morumbi in an all-Brazilian Libertadores final, and in Japan São Paulo saw off Al-Ittihad 3-2 in the semi-final before Mineiro's first-half goal beat Liverpool 1-0 in the FIFA Club World Championship final. Muricy Ramalho took over during 2006 and won the Brasileirão three years running, in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Rogério Ceni stayed 25 years after being signed from Sinop in 1990, became the first goalkeeper to reach 100 career goals with a free kick against Corinthians in March 2011, and retired in December 2015 on 131 official goals. The Morumbi has also been a selling club: Kaká to AC Milan, Hernanes to Lazio, Lucas Moura to Paris Saint-Germain, Casemiro to Real Madrid, Éder Militão to Porto and Antony to Ajax. Play the quiz and see how much of it you can place.
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