Flamengo was Brazil’s most successful club last season, winning four titles. It became the first team in the country to reach its fourth Copa Libertadores title.
The impressive results boosted the Rio team’s rise to the top of the new edition of the Folha Ranking of national football. The red-and-black team added a total of 100 points over the last year, reaching 1,375 and extending the difference to Palmeiras, second in the historical series, to 176.
In the previous publication, the difference between the two clubs was 118 points. The São Paulo team had gotten closer to its rival with more points scored in 2024 (65 against 42). Now, the distance between the two grows again.
Protagonists of a rivalry that was consolidated in the second half of the last decade, the two teams polarized some of the big disputes of 2025.
In the main clash between them, Flamengo got the better of the Libertadores decision, with a 1-0 victory, in the single game clash played in Lima, Peru.
It was up to the experienced Danilo, 34, to score the decisive goal of the clash, celebrated by fans as revenge after the defeat to their rival from São Paulo in the 2021 final.
The triumph made Flamengo leave behind Santos, São Paulo, Grêmio and Palmeiras itself on the list of Brazilians with the most titles in the South American tournament. It also yielded the highest score for the Rio team of the season in the Folha Ranking, with 35 points for the trophy.
Four days after winning the Libertadores, the squad led by Filipe Luís confirmed the Brazilian Championship title one round in advance, once again leaving Palmeiras with runner-up. There were 25 more points.
Also winners of the Carioca Championship and the Brazilian Super Cup, the red and black team ended the year with a bitter taste, losing the Intercontinental Cup dispute, beaten in the decision by Paris Saint-Germain on penalties. Even so, the runner-up in the world championship earned the club another 25 points in the ranking.
Flamengo and Palmeiras maintained their squads, sought reinforcements and intend to dominate the main title disputes again this year. Although it also distributes points for state and regional tournaments, the 2025 edition of the national Folha Ranking did not have any changes in its final classification, reflecting a portrait of how the hierarchy of Brazilian football has become more stable.
There is, however, the possibility that this scenario will change in the coming years. From third place onwards, São Paulo, the scenario starts to get tighter.
Without any title in 2025, the tricolor team saw Corinthians get closer in the classification. The Parque São Jorge club scored 25 points last year, winning the Paulista and the Copa do Brasil. In fourth, they are now 26 points behind the Morumbi team (1,000 against 974). Until last year, the difference between them was 39 points.
The fight to enter the top 10 is also tighter, now with Atlético Mineiro, 11th, just two points behind Fluminense. The team from Minas Gerais scored 17 points in 2025 and reached 760. The Rio team obtained 7 and appears with 762.
Vasco is just ahead, which has 767 points and only ended the year at risk of losing ninth place due to the ten points it gained as runner-up in the Copa do Brasil.
Questions and answers about the Folha Ranking
Since when was the Folha de Futebol Ranking created?
The first edition of the national ranking was in 1996. Since then, the list has undergone modifications, corrections and revisions. The last major revision took place in 2010. The world ranking began to be published in 2002 and follows the same guidelines as the national list.
Who enters the Folha Ranking?
In the national ranking, only teams that scored points (were champions or runners-up) in national or international competitions appear. In the world rankings, only those who scored in international tournaments.
What tournaments are considered?
To enter the rankings, a tournament must have great representation, official status and sequence. Therefore, championships played only once and with no prospect of new editions, such as the super championships held in some states in 2002, are disregarded. Tournaments such as Copa Rio, Copa Suruga and Florida Cup, among others, do not earn ranking points either.
Why are Rio and São Paulo state schools worth more?
Rio and São Paulo have the two most traditional and strongest state championships in the country, which is why they earn more points in the ranking. Next, there are the states of Minas Gerais and Rio Grande do Sul, which also have highly prominent teams on the national scene. There is also a third level in which there are state championships with teams that are often among the elite of Brazilian football and, finally, championships from states with less tradition in the national football scene.
Why is the 1987 Brazilian Championship counted for both Flamengo and Sport?
The ranking tries to take into account both the official aspect and the technical aspect of the championships considered. From the official aspect, as already decided by the STF (Supreme Federal Court), the champion is Sport. However, from a technical aspect, Flamengo’s merit as champion of the Módulo Verde, which brought together the main teams in the country, is undeniable. Therefore, both are considered.
Why don’t tournaments played by just two clubs, like the Recopa Sul-Americana, award points to the runner-up?
Every team that participates in a tournament like this has already received a bonus, as it brings together winners from previous competitions. It wouldn’t be logical to have a team scoring where it only failed.
Why is São Paulo da Floresta’s São Paulo title not counted for São Paulo?
Achievements since the last foundation of the clubs are considered. In the case of mergers, like the one in Paraná, the achievements of the teams that gave rise to the new team are not worth it.
Are second division championships worth points?
No. The ranking aims to reward excellence, and lower division championships have the main function of distributing places for the elite division.
