Serie A. Format: First Stage
The 22 clubs were divided in 2 groups of 11 teams each, playing against the other teams of their respective groups once. The 8 best placed teams of each group qualified to the Second Stage, while the 3 last placed teams of each group competed in the Relegation Tournament.
Second Stage
The 16 qualified clubs were divided in two groups of 8 teams each, playing once against the other group teams. The points of this stage and of the first stage were summed. The champion of each group qualified to the final.
Relegation Tournament
The 6 clubs eliminated in the First Stage played against each other twice. The 4 last placed teams were relegated to the following year’s Série B.
Final
It was played between the champions of the two Second Stage groups. The two clubs played a maximum of 2 matches, but the club with the best performance in the competition had the option to choose where the first match would be played, and also need only two points (one victory or two draws) to be declared as the competition champions.
First stage:
Group A
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
Corinthians
10
6
2
2
11
6
+5
14
Second Stage
Botafogo
10
4
3
3
10
8
+2
11
Atlético Mineiro
10
3
5
2
13
8
+5
11
Náutico
10
4
2
4
16
16
0
10
Internacional-SP
10
3
4
3
8
8
0
10
Flamengo
10
3
4
3
6
7
−1
10
São Paulo
10
2
6
2
11
11
0
10
Internacional-RS
10
3
3
4
6
6
0
9
Guarani
10
3
3
4
7
8
−1
9
Relegation Tournament
Atlético-PR
10
2
5
3
9
10
−1
9
Vitória
10
2
3
5
4
13
−9
7
Group B
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
Palmeiras
10
6
2
2
13
5
+8
14
Second Stage
Vasco
10
5
4
1
14
7
+7
14
Portuguesa
10
3
5
2
12
7
+5
11
Grêmio
10
4
2
4
11
11
0
10
Goiás
10
4
2
4
10
12
−2
10
Fluminense
10
4
2
4
9
10
−1
10
Cruzeiro
10
3
4
3
8
8
0
10
Santos
10
2
5
3
6
7
−1
9
Sport
10
3
2
5
9
12
−3
8
Relegation Tournament
Bahia
10
1
3
6
9
17
−8
5
Coritiba
10
3
3
4
10
15
−5
4[a]
Coritiba forfeited the match against Santos, thus was punished with a 1-0 defeat, plus the loss of 5 points and the elimination of the competition.
Relegation tournament
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Relegation
Vitória
8
4
2
2
10
7
+3
10
Bahia
8
3
4
1
6
5
+1
10
Atlético-PR
8
2
6
0
9
3
+6
10
Relegated to Série B 1990
Guarani
8
2
3
3
8
10
−2
7
Sport
8
0
3
5
3
11
−8
3
Coritiba
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Vitoria – remained in Serie A
Bahia – remained in Serie A
Atletico Paranaense – relegated
Guarani – relegated
Sport – relegated
Coritiba – relegated. Did not play in the relegation tournament.
Serie A – complition.
Second stage
Group A
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
São Paulo
18
7
9
2
25
15
+10
23
Qualified to the final
Botafogo
18
9
4
5
20
16
+4
22
Corinthians
18
8
5
5
15
13
+2
21
Atlético Mineiro
18
6
7
5
21
13
+8
19
Flamengo
18
6
7
5
16
13
+3
19
Náutico
18
5
5
8
27
34
−7
15
Internacional-SP
18
4
7
7
13
19
−6
15
Internacional-RS
18
4
5
9
14
19
−5
13
Group B
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
Vasco
18
8
8
2
26
16
+10
24
Qualified for the final
Cruzeiro
18
9
5
4
23
14
+9
23
Palmeiras
18
8
6
4
21
13
+8
22
Portuguesa
18
7
6
5
21
13
+8
20
Goiás
18
6
6
6
17
21
−4
18
Grêmio
18
6
5
7
19
19
0
17
Santos
18
5
6
7
13
16
−3
16
Fluminense
18
5
4
9
15
25
−10
14
Final:
Sao Paulo 0-1 Vasco da Gama
Morumbi, São Paulo
Attendance: 71,552
Referee: Wilson Carlos dos Santos
Goal: Sorato, 50 minute.
São Paulo: Gilmar; Netinho, Adílson, Ricardo Rocha and Nelsinho; Flávio, Bobô and Raí; Mário Tilico, Ney and Edivaldo (Paulo César). Head coach: Carlos Alberto Silva.
Vasco: Acácio; Luiz Carlos Winck, Quiñónez, Marco Aurélio and Mazinho; Zé do Carmo, Marco Antônio Boiadeiro and Bismarck; Sorato, Bebeto and William. Head coach: Nelsinho Rosa.
The second leg of the final was not played as Vasco had a better season record and won the first leg.
Participants by final standings – the last 6 already mentioned.
16 – Internacional (Limeira)
15 – Fluminense. Standing from left: Carlos André, Donizete, Rangel, Ricardo Pinto, Torres, Edgar;
Crouching: Fernando Cruz, Marcio Luiz, Hélio Fominha, Vander Luiz, Marquinho
14 – Internacional (Porto Alegre)
13- Nautico. Standing from left: Mauri, Lúcio, Ronilson, Levi, Muller, Junior.
Front: Newton, Marcão, Bizu, Aroldo, Augusto.
12 – Santos
11 – Gremio
10 – Goias
9 – Flamengo
8 – Atletico Mineiro
7 – Portuguesa.
6 – Corinthians
5 – Palmeiras
4 – Botafogo
3 – Cruzeiro. Possible photo of a 1989 eleven.
2 – Sao Paulo. Standing from left: Adilson, Gilmar, Vizolli, Ricardo Rocha, Nelsinho, Zé Teodoro. First row: Hélio Santos (masseur), Mário Tilico, Bobô, Ney Bala, Raí, Edivaldo.
Came close to the title, but was unable to win it.
And the champions: Vasco da Gama. Well deserved triumph of nice squad.
Great season of a squad bursting with talent. The most detectable feature of these players was their age – they were young! Most likely that was the ‘great secret’: Flamengo, coached by Tele Santana, was impressive on paper, may be even more impressive than Vasco, but it was aging team with aging coach – tired and may be tactically outdated. Vasco was current team and they won. After 15 years Vasco da Gama won its 2nd Brazilian title.