The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) successfully encouraged São Paulo and its other leading clubs to form female teams after the national women's team's performance exceeded expectations at the 1996 Olympics. CoachZé Duarte (who was also the Brazil women's national team coach) immediately assembled a competitive São Paulo team who won state and national titles in their debut 1997 season.[1][2] The players had been co-opted from the existing successful women's team Saad Esporte Clube.[3]
In 1998 the team only lost two matches but both defeats resulted in elimination from the state and national competitions at the hands of local rivals Portuguesa (who played as Lusa Sant'Anna). São Paulo rebounded to recapture the Paulista title in 1999. Eight of the 20-player Brazil squad at the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup were contracted to São Paulo FC.[4] In March 2000 the disbandment of the team was announced, as most of the leading Brazilian players signalled their intent to leave for the upcoming American Women's United Soccer Association.[5]
Return
In 2015 São Paulo decided to return to women's football and reached the final of the Paulista, losing to São José. The team was disbanded again immediately afterwards when the parent club failed to attract adequate sponsorship.[6] The team's coach Marcello Frigério said the team had been a partnership between São Paulo FC and the Centro de Apoio Profissional, Educacional e Social (CAPES), which failed when the latter did not pay in line with the agreement.[7] Female football returned to São Paulo in 2017, when an under-17 youth team was launched in partnership with Centro Olímpico. Another adult team was put together in 2019, which included the high-profile signing of Cristiane Rozeira.[8]
Players
Current squad
As of 5 May 2024
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
^Leme de Arruda, Marcelo; Gonzalez, Miguel Alvim (15 June 2015). "Brazil - List of Women's Champions". RSSSF. Retrieved 1 May 2021. São Paulo (1997) and Mato Grosso do Sul (2007) won his titles as partners (and fielding the players) of Saad.