title: 2008 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
text: # 2008 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
  
  The 2008 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A was the 52nd edition of the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A. It began on May 8 and ended on December 7. For the first time, one club has won the championship three times in a row. Also, São Paulo has been crowned the biggest winner in the history of the competition, winning it six times since its establishment in 1971.
  
  ## Format
  
  For the sixth season, the championship was contested in a double round-robin system. The team with most points has been declared champions. Also, the tournament was a qualifier to other South American competitions:
  
  * Copa Libertadores 2009: Top three clubs qualified for the First Stage. Team finishing in 4th will play Preliminary Round.
  * Copa Sudamericana 2009: Teams finishing from 5th to 12th qualified for the first stage.
  
  By winning the Copa do Brasil, Sport already qualified for Copa Libertadores 2009 First Stage and cannot qualify for the Copa Sudamericana 2009. Also, Internacional qualified for the Copa Sudamericana 2009 by winning the 2008 edition.
  
  ## 2008 teams
  
  | Club | City | State | 2007 Season | Stadium | Titles |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Atlético Mineiro | Belo Horizonte | Minas Gerais | 8th | Mineirão | 1971 |
  | Atlético Paranaense | Curitiba | Paraná | 12th | Kyocera Arena | 2001 |
  | Botafogo | Rio de Janeiro | Rio de Janeiro | 9th | Engenhão | 1995 |
  | Coritiba | Curitiba | Paraná | Série B Champions | Couto Pereira | 1985 |
  | Cruzeiro | Belo Horizonte | Minas Gerais | 5th | Mineirão | 2003 |
  | Figueirense | Florianópolis | Santa Catarina | 13th | Orlando Scarpelli | none |
  | Flamengo | Rio de Janeiro | Rio de Janeiro | 3rd | Maracanã | 1980, 1982, 1983, 1992 |
  | Fluminense | Rio de Janeiro | Rio de Janeiro | 4th | Maracanã | 1984 |
  | Goiás | Goiânia | Goiás | 16th | Serra Dourada | none |
  | Grêmio | Porto Alegre | Rio Grande do Sul | 6th | Olímpico | 1981, 1996 |
  | Internacional | Porto Alegre | Rio Grande do Sul | 11th | Beira-Rio | 1975, 1976, 1979 |
  | Ipatinga | Ipatinga | Minas Gerais | Série B Runners-up | Ipatingão | none |
  | Náutico | Recife | Pernambuco | 15th | Aflitos | none |
  | Palmeiras | São Paulo | São Paulo | 7th | Palestra Itália | 1972, 1973, 1993, 1994 |
  | Portuguesa | São Paulo | São Paulo | Série B 3rd place | Canindé | none |
  | Santos | Santos | São Paulo | Runners-up | Vila Belmiro | 2002, 2004 |
  | São Paulo | São Paulo | São Paulo | Champions | Morumbi | 1977, 1986, 1991, 2006, 2007 |
  | Sport | Recife | Pernambuco | 14th | Ilha do Retiro | 1987 |
  | Vasco | Rio de Janeiro | Rio de Janeiro | 10th | São Januário | 1974, 1989, 1997, 2000 |
  | Vitória | Salvador | Bahia | Série B 4th place | Barradão | none |
  
  ## League table
  
  | Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
  | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | São Paulo | 38 | 21 | 12 | 5 | 66 | 36 | +30 | 75 | Copa Libertadores 2009 |
  | 2 | Grêmio | 38 | 21 | 9 | 8 | 59 | 35 | +24 | 72 | Copa Libertadores 2009 |
  | 3 | Cruzeiro | 38 | 21 | 4 | 13 | 59 | 44 | +15 | 67 | Copa Libertadores 2009 |
  | 4 | Palmeiras | 38 | 19 | 8 | 11 | 55 | 45 | +10 | 65 | Copa Libertadores 2009 |
  | 5 | Flamengo | 38 | 18 | 10 | 10 | 67 | 48 | +19 | 64 | Copa Sudamericana 2009 |
  | 6 | Internacional | 38 | 15 | 9 | 14 | 48 | 47 | +1 | 54 | Copa Sudamericana 2009 |
  | 7 | Botafogo | 38 | 15 | 8 | 15 | 51 | 44 | +7 | 53 | Copa Sudamericana 2009 |
  | 8 | Goiás | 38 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 57 | 47 | +10 | 53 | Copa Sudamericana 2009 |
  | 9 | Coritiba | 38 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 55 | 48 | +7 | 53 | Copa Sudamericana 2009 |
  | 10 | Vitória | 38 | 15 | 7 | 16 | 48 | 44 | +4 | 52 | Copa Sudamericana 2009 |
  | 11 | Sport | 38 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 48 | 45 | +3 | 52 | Copa Libertadores 2009 |
  | 12 | Atlético Mineiro | 38 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 50 | 61 | −11 | 48 | Copa Sudamericana 2009 |
  | 13 | Atlético Paranaense | 38 | 12 | 9 | 17 | 45 | 54 | −9 | 45 | Copa Sudamericana 2009 |
  | 14 | Fluminense | 38 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 49 | 48 | +1 | 45 | Copa Sudamericana 2009 |
  | 15 | Santos | 38 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 44 | 53 | −9 | 45 | |
  | 16 | Náutico | 38 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 44 | 54 | −10 | 44 | |
  | 17 | Figueirense | 38 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 49 | 72 | −23 | 44 | Relegation to Série B |
  | 18 | Vasco da Gama | 38 | 11 | 7 | 20 | 56 | 72 | −16 | 40 | Relegation to Série B |
  | 19 | Portuguesa | 38 | 9 | 11 | 18 | 48 | 70 | −22 | 38 | Relegation to Série B |
  | 20 | Ipatinga | 38 | 9 | 8 | 21 | 37 | 66 | −29 | 35 | Relegation to Série B |
  
  * ↑ Internacional qualified for the Copa Sudamericana 2009 as holders.
  
  ## Top scorers
  
  | # | Player | Team | Goals |
  | - | - | - | - |
  | 1 | Kléber Pereira | Santos | 21 |
  | 2 | Keirrison | Coritiba | 20 |
  | 2 | Washington | Fluminense | 20 |
  | 4 | Alex Mineiro | Palmeiras | 19 |
  | 5 | Guilherme | Cruzeiro | 18 |
  | 6 | Borges | São Paulo | 15 |
  | 7 | Paulo Baier | Goiás | 14 |
  | 7 | Nilmar | Internacional | 14 |
  | 7 | Hugo | São Paulo | 14 |
  | 10 | Edmundo | Vasco | 13 |
  | 10 | Felipe | Náutico | 13 |
  
  Source:
  
  