# 1981 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A

The 1981 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A (officially the 1981 Taça de Ouro) was the 25th edition of the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A.

## Overview

It was performed by 44 teams, and Grêmio won the championship. Teams were selected by record on previous state championship

## Teams and locations

| State | Team | Qualification method |
| São Paulo 7 berths | São Paulo | 1980 Campeonato Paulista Champion |
| São Paulo 7 berths | Santos | 1980 Campeonato Paulista runners |
| São Paulo 7 berths | Ponte Preta | 1980 Campeonato Paulista 3rd |
| São Paulo 7 berths | Corinthians | 1980 Campeonato Paulista 4th |
| São Paulo 7 berths | Portuguesa | 1980 Campeonato Paulista 5th |
| São Paulo 7 berths | Internacional | 1980 Campeonato Paulista 6th |
| São Paulo 7 berths | Palmeiras$^1$ | Promoted from 1981 Taça de Prata |
| Rio de Janeiro 5 berths | Fluminense | 1980 Campeonato Carioca Champion |
| Rio de Janeiro 5 berths | Vasco da Gama | 1980 Campeonato Carioca runners |
| Rio de Janeiro 5 berths | Flamengo | 1980 Campeonato Carioca 3rd |
| Rio de Janeiro 5 berths | Bangu | 1980 Campeonato Carioca 4th |
| Rio de Janeiro 5 berths | Botafogo | 1980 Campeonato Carioca 5th |
| Rio Grande do Sul 2 berths | Grêmio | 1980 Campeonato Gaucho Champion |
| Rio Grande do Sul 2 berths | Internacional | 1980 Campeonato Gaucho runners |
| Bahia 3 berths | Vitória | 1980 Campeonato Baiano Champion |
| Bahia 3 berths | Galícia | 1980 Campeonato Baiano runners-up |
| Bahia 3 berths | Bahia$^1$ | Promoted from 1981 Taça de Prata |
| Ceará 2 berths | Fortaleza | 1980 Campeonato Cearense champions |
| Ceará 2 berths | Ferroviário Atlético Clube | 1980 Campeonato Cearense runners-up |
| Goiás 2 berths | Vila Nova | 1980 Campeonato Goiano Champion |
| Goiás 2 berths | Goiás | 1980 Campeonato Goiano runners-up |
| Minas Gerais 3 berths | Atlético Mineiro | 1980 Campeonato Mineiro Champion |
| Minas Gerais 3 berths | Cruzeiro | 1980 Campeonato Mineiro runners-up |
| Minas Gerais 3 berths | Uberaba$^1$ | Promoted from 1981 Taça de Prata |
| Paraná 2+1 berths | Londrina | 1980 Taça de Prata |
| Paraná 2+1 berths | Colorado | 1980 Campeonato Paranaense Champion |
| Paraná 2+1 berths | Pinheiros | |
| Pernambuco 3 berths | Santa Cruz | 1980 Campeonato Pernambucano champions |
| Pernambuco 3 berths | Sport Recife | 1980 Campeonato Pernambucano runners-up |
| Pernambuco 3 berths | Náutico$^1$ | Promoted from 1981 Taça de Prata |
| Alagoas 2 berths | CSA | 1980 Taça de Prata |
| Alagoas 2 berths | CRB | State championship runners-up |
| Amazonas | Nacional | 1980 state champions |
| Distrito Federal | Brasília | 1980 state champions |
| Espírito Santo | Desportiva | 1980 state champions |
| Maranhão | Sampaio Corrêa | 1980 state champions |
| Mato Grosso | Mixto | 1980 state champions |
| Mato Grosso do Sul 1berth | Operário | 1980 state champions |
| Pará | Paysandu | 1980 state champions |
| Paraíba | Campinense | 1980 state champions |
| Piauí | Ríver | 1980 state champion |
| Rio Grande do Norte | América de Natal | 1980 state champion |
| Santa Catarina | Joinville | 1980 state champion |
| Sergipe | Itabaiana | 1980 state champion |
$^1$ Entered directly on second phase.

## First phase
### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Vasco da Gama (A) | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 24 | 9 | +15 | 13 |
| 2 | Ponte Preta (A) | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 12 | +4 | 12 |
| 3 | Colorado (A) | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 12 |
| 4 | Bangu (A) | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 18 | 9 | +9 | 11 |
| 5 | Internacional (A) | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 10 |
| 6 | Internacional de Limeira (A) | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 11 | −4 | 9 |
| 7 | Vitória (A) | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 12 | −2 | 8 |
| 8 | Joinville | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 11 | −6 | 6 |
| 9 | Vila Nova | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 16 | −8 | 5 |
| 10 | Londrina | 9 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 17 | −12 | 4 |

### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Portuguesa (A) | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 7 | +6 | 14 |
| 2 | Operário-MS (A) | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 8 | +3 | 11 |
| 3 | Goiás (A) | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 6 | +4 | 11 |
| 4 | Grêmio (A) | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 9 | +2 | 10 |
| 5 | Corinthians (A) | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 8 | +2 | 10 |
| 6 | Galícia (A) | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 9 |
| 7 | Botafogo (A) | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 15 | 12 | +3 | 9 |
| 8 | Pinheiros | 9 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 11 | −2 | 8 |
| 9 | Brasília | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 15 | −5 | 6 |
| 10 | Desportiva | 9 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 17 | −13 | 2 |

### Group C

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | São Paulo (A) | 9 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 5 | +8 | 13 |
| 2 | Sport (A) | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 8 | +2 | 12 |
| 3 | Ferroviário-CE (A) | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 11 | +3 | 11 |
| 4 | Fluminense (A) | 9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 16 | 15 | +1 | 9 |
| 5 | Atlético Mineiro (A) | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 8 | +5 | 9 |
| 6 | Mixto (A) | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 15 | −4 | 8 |
| 7 | CSA (A) | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 15 | −6 | 8 |
| 8 | América-RN | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 17 | −1 | 8 |
| 9 | Campinense | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 11 | −1 | 6 |
| 10 | River | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 14 | −7 | 6 |

### Group D

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Santos (A) | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 4 | +15 | 15 |
| 2 | Flamengo (A) | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 18 | 7 | +11 | 13 |
| 3 | Santa Cruz (A) | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 16 | 9 | +7 | 12 |
| 4 | Nacional-AM (A) | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 6 | +1 | 11 |
| 5 | Cruzeiro (A) | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 7 | +4 | 11 |
| 6 | Paysandu (A) | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 8 |
| 7 | Fortaleza (A) | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 16 | −7 | 7 |
| 8 | CRB | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 16 | −5 | 6 |
| 9 | Sampaio Corrêa | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 15 | −11 | 5 |
| 10 | Itabaiana | 9 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 19 | −15 | 2 |

## Second phase
### Group E

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Vasco da Gama (A) | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 5 | +8 | 10 |
| 2 | CSA (A) | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 5 | +8 | 8 |
| 3 | Nacional-AM | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 11 | −4 | 4 |
| 4 | Galícia | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 17 | −12 | 2 |

### Group F

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Ponte Preta (A) | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 6 | +4 | 9 |
| 2 | Bahia (A) | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 6 | +4 | 7 |
| 3 | Santa Cruz | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 10 | +2 | 7 |
| 4 | Corinthians | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 14 | −10 | 1 |

### Group G

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Vitória (A) | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 8 |
| 2 | Fluminense (A) | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 6 | +6 | 7 |
| 3 | Portuguesa | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 4 | Paysandu | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 11 | −8 | 3 |

### Group H

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Operário-MS (A) | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 5 | +11 | 10 |
| 2 | Náutico (A) | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 5 | +6 | 8 |
| 3 | Cruzeiro | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 13 | −4 | 6 |
| 4 | Ferroviário-CE | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 16 | −13 | 0 |

### Group I

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | São Paulo (A) | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 3 | +5 | 9 |
| 2 | Grêmio (A) | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 6 | +3 | 8 |
| 3 | Internacional de Limeira | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 7 | +5 | 6 |
| 4 | Fortaleza | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 15 | −13 | 1 |

### Group J

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Internacional (A) | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 2 | +8 | 9 |
| 2 | Sport (A) | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 4 | +5 | 7 |
| 3 | Palmeiras | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 11 | −4 | 6 |
| 4 | Goiás | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 10 | −9 | 2 |

### Group K

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Botafogo (A) | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 4 | +6 | 9 |
| 2 | Santos (A) | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 4 | +3 | 7 |
| 3 | Bangu | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 | −4 | 5 |
| 4 | Mixto | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 9 | −5 | 3 |

### Group L

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Flamengo (A) | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 8 |
| 2 | Atlético Mineiro (A) | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 5 | +3 | 7 |
| 3 | Colorado | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 7 | +1 | 5 |
| 4 | Uberaba | 6 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 9 | −4 | 4 |

## Round of 16

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Fluminense | 3–4 | Vasco da Gama | 0–2 | 3–2 |
| Náutico | 1-2 | Ponte Preta | 0–0 | 1-2 |
| Vitória | 2–3 | Grêmio | 2–1 | 0–2 |
| Sport | 1-3 | Operário-MS | 0-0 | 1-3 |
| Bahia | 0-2 | Flamengo | 0-0 | 0-2 |
| CSA | 0-2 | Botafogo | 0–0 | 0-2 |
| Atlético Mineiro | 1-2 | Internacional | 0-1 | 1-1 |
| Santos | 1-4 | São Paulo | 0–2 | 1-2 |

## Quarterfinals

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Vasco da Gama | 0–0 | Ponte Preta | 0–0 | 0–0 |
| Grêmio | 3–0 | Operário-MS | 2–0 | 1–0 |
| Flamengo | 1–3 | Botafogo | 0–0 | 1–3 |
| Internacional | 0–3 | São Paulo | 0–1 | 0–2 |
* ↑ Ponte Preta qualified due to scoring more points in the Round of 16.

## Semifinals

| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
| Ponte Preta | 3–3 | Grêmio | 2–3 | 1–0 |
| Botafogo | 3–3 | São Paulo | 1–0 | 2–3 |
* ↑ Grêmio qualified due to scoring more points in the quarterfinals
* ↑ São Paulo qualified due to scoring more points in the quarterfinals

## Final standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Grêmio | 23 | 14 | 2 | 7 | 32 | 21 | +11 | 30 |
| 2 | São Paulo | 23 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 32 | 15 | +17 | 32 |
| 3 | Ponte Preta | 21 | 10 | 8 | 3 | 31 | 22 | +9 | 28 |
| 4 | Botafogo | 21 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 33 | 20 | +13 | 26 |
| 5 | Vasco da Gama | 19 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 41 | 17 | +24 | 27 |
| 6 | Flamengo | 19 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 30 | 19 | +11 | 25 |
| 7 | Operário-MS | 19 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 30 | 17 | +13 | 24 |
| 8 | Internacional | 19 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 20 | 14 | +6 | 22 |
| 9 | Santos | 17 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 27 | 12 | +15 | 22 |
| 10 | Sport | 17 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 20 | 15 | +5 | 20 |
| 11 | Fluminense | 17 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 31 | 25 | +6 | 18 |
| 12 | Vitória | 17 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 18 | 19 | −1 | 18 |
| 13 | CSA | 17 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 17 |
| 14 | Atlético Mineiro | 17 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 22 | 15 | +7 | 17 |
| 15 | Náutico | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 7 | +5 | 9 |
| 16 | Bahia | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 8 | +2 | 8 |
| 17 | Portuguesa | 15 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 19 | 13 | +6 | 20 |
| 18 | Santa Cruz | 15 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 28 | 19 | +9 | 19 |
| 19 | Cruzeiro | 15 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 20 | 20 | 0 | 17 |
| 20 | Colorado | 15 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 16 | 11 | +5 | 17 |
| 21 | Bangu | 15 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 24 | 19 | +5 | 16 |
| 22 | Nacional | 15 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 17 | −3 | 15 |
| 23 | Internacional-SP | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 19 | 18 | +1 | 15 |
| 24 | Goiás | 15 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 16 | −5 | 13 |
| 25 | Galícia | 15 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 15 | 27 | −12 | 11 |
| 26 | Corinthians | 15 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 14 | 22 | −8 | 11 |
| 27 | Ferroviário | 15 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 17 | 27 | −10 | 11 |
| 28 | Paysandu | 15 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 15 | 23 | −8 | 11 |
| 29 | Mixto | 15 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 15 | 24 | −9 | 11 |
| 30 | Fortaleza | 15 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 11 | 31 | −20 | 8 |
| 31 | Palmeiras | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 11 | −4 | 6 |
| 32 | Uberaba | 6 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 9 | −4 | 4 |
| 33 | América-RN | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 17 | −1 | 8 |
| 34 | Pinheiros | 9 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 11 | −2 | 8 |
| 35 | Campinense | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 11 | −1 | 6 |
| 36 | CRB | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 16 | −5 | 6 |
| 37 | Brasília | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 15 | −5 | 6 |
| 38 | Joinville | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 11 | −6 | 6 |
| 39 | River | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 14 | −7 | 6 |
| 40 | Vila Nova-GO | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 16 | −8 | 5 |
| 41 | Sampaio Corrêa | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 15 | −11 | 5 |
| 42 | Londrina | 9 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 17 | −12 | 4 |
| 43 | Itabaiana | 9 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 19 | −15 | 2 |
| 44 | Desportiva Capixaba | 9 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 17 | −13 | 2 |