Copa dos Campeões Estaduais (1920–1937)

This entry presents the two main national and official competitions between state champions that preceded the Taça Brasil de Futebol, namely, the 1920-CBD Champions Tournament and the 1937-FBF Champions Tournament, which are two different competitions, only with the same intention, challenge between state champions.

Winners of the competitions were:


 * 1920: CA Paulistano from São Paulo
 * 1937: Atlético Mineiro from Belo Horizonte

1920 Torneio dos Campeões
The tournament of 1920 was held in March in Rio de Janeiro in the format of a league ("round robin"). All matches took place in the Estádio das Laranjeiras of Fluminense FC. It was the first competition organised by the Confederação Brasileira de Deportes, the precursor of today's CBF. Participants were the following winners of their state championships of 1919:
 * the State Champions of Rio de Janeiro: Fluminense FC, from the city of Rio de Janeiro
 * the State Champions of São Paulo: CA Paulistano from the city of São Paulo
 * the State Champions of Rio Grande do Sul: Grêmio Esportivo Brasil from the city of Pelotas

Paulistano had to play without their star Rubens Salles who had to stay back in São Paulo due to undeferrable commitments. Grêmio Brasil featured Ismael Alvariza, who became in December 1920 the first player from a club outside Rio and São Paulo to play in the national team.

According to a report by Placar (1976), the competition was called "Brazilian Championship of Champions Clubs".

The matches
25 March 1920
 * Paulistano 7 × 3 Brasil de Pelotas
 * Paulistano: Arnaldo - Orlando (c), Carlito - Clodoaldo, Mariano, Sergio - Zonzo, Mário Andrade, Friedenreich, Carlos Araújo, Cassiano. Coach: Angelo Bernardelli.
 * Brasil: Frank - Nunes, Zabaleta - Flóriano, Rossell, Victório “Babá” (o Waldomiro) - Faria, Alberto Côrrea, Proença, Ignácio, Alvariza.
 * Referee: Henrique Vignal (CR Flamengo, RJ).
 * Goals: 4' Friedenreich, 11' M. Andrade, 17' Friedenreich, 25' M. Andrade, 29' Friedenreich, 42' Ignácio, 54' C. Araujo, 64' C. Araujo, 78' Proença, 82' Alberto.

28 March 1920
 * Fluminense 1 × 4 Paulistano
 * Fluminense: Marcos Mendonça - Othelo, Chico Netto (c) - Laís, Osvaldo Gomes, Fortes - Mano, Zezé, Harry Welfare, Machado, Bacchi. Coach: Pode Pedersen.
 * Paulistano: Arnaldo - Orlando (c), Carlito - Sergio, Carlos Araújo, Mariano - Zonzo, Mário Andrade, Friedenreich, Botelho, Cassiano. Coach: Angelo Bernardelli.
 * Referee: Eduardo Gibson (São Cristóvão AC, RJ).
 * Goals: 2' Zezé, 40' Friedenreich, 50' M. Andrade, 69' Botelho, 89' M. Andrade.

3 April 1920
 * Fluminense 6 × 2 Brasil de Pelotas
 * Fluminense: Marcos Mendonça - Othelo, Chico Netto - Laís, Honório, Fortes - Mário, Zezé, Harry Welfare, Machado, Bacchi. Coach: Pode Pedersen.
 * Brasil: Frank - Nunes, Zabaleta - Flóriano, Rossell, Victorino - Faria, Alberto Côrrea, Proença, Ignácio, Alvariza.
 * Referee: Carlos Santos (SC Mangueira, RJ).
 * Goals: Welfare e Zezé, no 1º tempo, e Zezé, Pelágio Proença, Zezé, Zezé e Machado.

Final table:

1937 Copa dos Campeões Estaduais
The 1937 tournament was organised by the Federação Brasileira de Futebol in January and held in a league format ("round robin") with home and away legs. Participants were the five state champions of 1936 and a delegation of the sports club of the navy, which qualified through an internal process. Participating teams were:


 * the State Champions of Rio de Janeiro (Federal District): Fluminense FC from Rio de Janeiro
 * the State Champions of São Paulo: Associação Portuguesa de Desportos from São Paulo
 * the State Champions of Minas Gerais: Atlético Mineiro from Belo Horizonte
 * the State Champions of Espirito Santo: Rio Branco AC from Vitória
 * the State Champions the State of Rio de Janeiro: SC Alliança from Campos dos Goytacazes
 * and Liga de Sports da Marinha, the sports club of the navy, coached by the renowned Nicolas Ladany, based in Rio de Janeiro

Atlético Mineiro, Fluminense and Portuguesa were automatically qualified. The other participants played for one more place:

Qualification

The Matches

Final table

Winner was Atlético Mineiro with the following team: Kafunga, Clóvis - Florindo, Quim - Zezé Procópio, Lola, Bala, Alcindo - Paulista, Abraz, Alfredo Bernardino, Bazzoni, Guará, Nicola, Resende, Elair - Coach: Floriano Peixoto. Atlético usually played in a 2-3-5 formation.