In a list of best club sides in World Football in the early 90's, the chances are the '92 Dream Team of Barcelona and Fabio Capello's AC Milan side would feature high on the list, but in Brazil there is a side who can rightfully lay claim to be above them all, Sao Paulo, having beaten both of the European giants in the World Club Championships of 1992 and 1993.
In 1992 it would be Sao Paulo and Barcelona contesting the title of World Club Champions. The Brazilian side had flourished under the reign of former Brazil Coach Tele Santana, winning the Brazilian Championship in ’91, then going one better by winning their first Copa Libertadores the following year.
Their opponents Barcelona may be one of the World’s biggest clubs, but prior to 1992 in terms of European Cup success, the Catalan side were trailing their rivals miserably having never won the trophy, but Barca ‘s name was at last etched among the list of winners after beating Sampdoria 1v0 in the 92 Final.
It was far from a procession to the Final, the Catalan’s were on the verge of elimination in the early rounds after German Champions Kaiserslautern in a had overturned a 2v0 1st leg defeat in Barcelona with a 3v0 lead in Germany, only for a late goal from the Catalan side. Barca also had to overcome a nervous final group game against Benfica to qualify for the final against Sampdoria, where a Ronald Koeman strike from a free kick in extra time would prove decisive.
The European Champions had paid a sizeable fee for Bulgarian bad boy genius striker Hristo Stoichkov and could also boast the attacking flair of Michael Laudrup, with the defence built on free kick specialist Ronald Koeman.
Barca and Sao Paulo had already met that season, in a Pre-Season Tournament in La Coruna, Spain, where Sao Paulo thrashed Barca 4v1, despite falling behind in the match. Coming into the game both sides were in good form, Barca had recorded six straight victories in their domestic League, while Sao Paulo were coming to the end of a long successful season.
The game promised to be a classic given the attacking nature of both sides, and it didn’t disappoint with both sides committed to attack in the early stages. Barca struck first thanks to a brilliant strike from Stoichkov after just 12 minutes.
Future Barca Manager Guardiola broke up a Sao Paulo attack and fed the ball to Stoichkov who was afforded too much room by the Sao Paulo defence. The Bulgarian unleashed a brilliant curling 20 yard effort, leaving the Sao Paulo Keeper rooted to the spot.But just like their Pre Season encounter, Sao Paulo would respond in decisive fashion and were level just shy of the half hour mark. Barca were momentarily down to 10 men after Stoichkov was off the pitch receiving treatment and Sao Paulo immediately took advantage.
Muller outfoxed Barca fullback Albert Ferrer and sent and drove the ball across the Barca six yard box. Rai was perfectly positioned to bundle the ball in, given the strength on the cross he just had to let the ball hit him, a scrappy effort, but just as important as the wonder goal from Stoichkov minutes earlier.
Muller continued to cause Barca problems and came close to giving Sao Paulo the lead after looping the ball over the Barca Keeper, this time Ferrer was on hand to clear the danger, hooking the ball off the line.
The two sides were trading blow for blow in the first half and Beguiristain thought he had regained the lead for the Catalan side after beating two defenders and slipping the ball past Zetti, only for Ronaldo Luiz to clear off the line for the Brazilians.
The second half continued to see both sides trade blows, but s the game wore on Sao Paulo looked the stronger side, and Rai delivered the decisive blow from an inch perfect free kick in the 78th minute.
Even before the match Barcelona knew there would be no return to Tokyo, having already been eliminated from the Champions League after a shock defeat by CSKA Moscow, and they would have to wait more than a decade to become European Champions again.
But Sao Paulo would enjoy more success, retaining their Copa Libertadores the following year before seeing off AC Milan in the Toyota Cup and only defeat in a penalty shoot-out to Velez Sarsfield in the final of the Copa Libertadores in 1994 ended hopes of an unprecedented 3 successive World Titles.
Tele Santana would leave Sao Paulo in 1996 due to ill health, which signalled the end of a golden era for the Brazilian side, but they still proudly hold the record as the last side to have retained the title of World Club Champions.
