Choque-Rei

The Choque-Rei (English: Clash of Kings) is the name given to Palmeiras and São Paulo football rivalry matches. It is contested between two very big, classic football clubs. The derby dates back to 1930. The tension between both clubs and fanbases is extremely fierce, and it is considered the one of the biggest derbies in the city of São Paulo.

São Paulo and Palmeiras are tied in head-to-head statistics, both with 116 wins along with other 115 drawn matches, making for an balanced encounter. In Campeonato Brasileiro Série A matches, Palmeiras has an advantadge with 27 wins, while São Paulo won 17, and 33 matches ended in a draw.

The two teams have their training centers separated by only a wall, being nicknamed by many as the "Berlin Wall".

History
The first meeting between São Paulo and Palmeiras (at the time called Palestra Itália) began in the 1930 Campeonato Paulista, with a 2–2 draw. The rivalry blossomed in the 1940s, because between 1942 and 1950, São Paulo and Palmeiras were state protagonists. São Paulo won five Campeonato Paulista titles (1943, 1945, 1946, 1948 and 1949), while Palmeiras won four (1942, 1944, 1947 and 1950). At that time, the rivalry between the two teams was responsible for bringing crowds to the stadiums. The magnitude of the duel caused journalist Thomaz Mazzoni, from the newspaper A Gazeta Esportiva, to highlight the classic as "Choque-Rei" (Clash of Kings).

Statistics
Last updated on 29 April 2024

Source: Total goals in all competitions:


 * Palmeiras goals: 453
 * São Paulo goals: 443

Total goals in Campeonato Brasileiro:


 * Palmeiras goals: 99
 * São Paulo goals: 79

Largest wins
Palmeiras largest win:


 * Palmeiras 5–0 São Paulo (19 May 1965, Pacaembu; Torneio Rio–São Paulo)
 * Palmeiras 5–0 São Paulo (25 October 2023, Allianz Parque; Campeonato Brasileiro)

São Paulo largest win:


 * Palestra Itália 0–6 São Paulo (26 March 1939, Antarctica Paulista; Campeonato Paulista)

Largest attendances

 * Attendance: 115,000 (Palmeiras 0–1 São Paulo; 27 June 1971, Morumbi; Campeonato Paulista)
 * Attendance: 112,016 (Palmeiras 0–0 São Paulo; 17 June 1979, Morumbi; Campeonato Paulista)

Titles comparison
Note: Although the Intercontinental Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup are officially different tournaments, in Brazil they are treated many times as the same tournament.