Brazil. May be not the best championship in South America, but still the biggest and most complicated. Sitting on top of various other championships – individual state championships, inter-city tournaments and who knows what else. There was a conscious effort made to reduce the national championship to some coherent and smaller size, so 44 teams played in the first level – Taca de Ouro – and 24 in the second level – Taca de Prata. There was no more movement from one championship to the other during the ongoing season, the formula was shaped somewhat better and much simpler than before, especially the formula of the second level. Top level was still going through many stages in fuzzy and difficult to follow way, but second level was now straight cup-type championship – direct elimination until the final phase. As for participants… big clubs still pull their weight and no one was out, no matter what: 20 teams in top level were ‘chosen by record on CBF’s historical ranking’. Two teams qualified as finalists in the previous year second level championship. The rest – 22 in total – were ‘selected by record on previous state championship’. As ever, final ‘table’ meant nothing and there was no relegation, but at least the criteria was clear. Relatively clear. The criteria for selecting second level participants was not clear – may be all states were represented, but even this needs some painful search. Second level attracted little interest – the making of statistical record of the season in later time was seemingly a collective efforts of few statisticians, suggesting little, may be conflicting and likely partial actual records scattered in many local newspapers. There was cup to be won at the end, but the sole purpose of this championship most likely was only to promote two teams to the top level – two teams in 1984: at the end of the 1985 championship seemingly only the winner got promotion. Promotion… that too is a bit suspect: only smallish club from one of the strong state championships (Sao Paulo, Rio, may be Pernambuco) could put real effort here, for they had practically no chance for qualifying otherwise. But teams from less competitive states could simply won the local championship and qualify for the top national level. It was easier way too, for second or third string teams from the strong states would be bigger obstacle than just winning weaker local championship. If the picture was quite clear about the famous strong local championship, it was not so,when one looks at the far-away states: there were clubs, not famous, but at least familiar, which did not play in the two national levels. Names could be confusing too – not many people know Brazilian political geography that well and similar names or abbreviations are easily confusing. Wist some grain of salt, let take a brief look at some clubs which did not appear in the 1985 national championships. Or may be they did, at least few of those below? Only careful and extensive search could tell…
Atletico Paranaense – perhaps the most famous absentee.
Similar name, similar kit, different state. To confuse clubs is that easy…
Londrina – played quite well in Taca de Ouro recently.
Vitoria – but which one? Vitoria Salvador or Vitoria Vitoria?
Cascavel – not poisonous enough or too poisonous?
Alecrim
Operario – the known one or one the others clubs with the same name?
Comercial – same problem as with Operario.
And the same with Ferroviario – or is it Ferroviario Atletico? Or Atletico?
No such problem here – there is only one Piaui, but they were out of the national championships too.
Rio Branco
Taubate
Maranhao
Itumbiara
Parnaiba
Bandeirante
America (Recife)
Platinense
Sertaozinho
Motorista
Endless list of vaguely known, just heard of and never heard of clubs did not play in the national championships. But some unknown clubs played.