The Triple Crown of Brazilian Football (Portuguese: Tríplice coroa do futebol brasileiro) is an unofficial title given to the club that won the three most important competitions of the Brazilian football in the same year:[1] The Brazilian triple crown would involve the two major CBF competitions (Brazilian Championship and Copa do Brasil) and the state championship. In general, in Brazil the term "triple crown" is used to win any three official titles in the same season. [1][2][3]
In 2003, Cruzeiro the three most important Brazilian competitions in 2003).[1] In that year the Campeonato Mineiro (the state championship of the state of Minas Gerais) was contested in a single round robin format, and Cruzeiro, coached by Vanderlei Luxemburgo, won the competition without losing a single game.[4] Also, Cruzeiro won the Copa do Brasil undefeated, beating Flamengo in the final of the tournament.[5] The Série A was won with 31 wins, seven draws and eight defeats, totaling 100 points earned. The club scored 102 goals during the championship, and conceded 47.[6]
It was the first time that a Brazilian football club won the three most important championships in the same year: a state championship, the Brazilian Championship and the Copa do Brasil.[1]
In 2021, Atlético Mineiro became the second Brazilian team to win the most important Triple Crown in Brazilian football by winning the three main national championships of the season, the Campeonato Mineiro, the Copa do Brasil (with the presence of clubs participating in the Copa Libertadores of the same year, and from 2001 to 2012 it was not possible to play both in the same season) and the Campeonato Brasileiro. However, he was unable to win the continental-level triple crown after being eliminated by Palmeiras in the Copa Libertadores.
In general, the Triple Crown does not require specific titles, so other Brazilian teams have also done the feat in history and won different championships.[2][3] The Intercontinental Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup are of particular importance for Brazilian football, culturally considered as a single competition, so a Triple Crown, consisting of an international cup, the national championship and the most prestigious continental competition, the Copa Libertadores, is the highest honor that a Brazilian club can achieve at the international level.[12]
In 1992, São Paulo won Paulista, Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup. The following year, despite winning nothing statewide or nationally, he won four international titles: in addition to the last two, the Supercopa Libertadores and the Recopa Sul-Americana. In 2005, the São Paulo team would repeat the feat of 1992, but now winning the FIFA Club World Cup.
