Corinthians win first Brasileirão U17 to feature over 200 matches

Trophy and medals for the champions and runners-up of the 2026 Brasileirão U-17 Credits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF The first edition of the Brasileirão U-17 to feature more than 200 matches came to a close on Tuesday night (3), with Corinthians claiming the title against Cruzeiro. At Arena Independência in Belo Horizonte, Timão lost 3–1 but won 4–3 on aggregate to lift the trophy for the first time. This season, the CBF introduced the competition’s new format, which featured a total of 204 matches. Starting this year, the quarterfinals and semifinals will be played over two legs, a format already used for the final. The number of matches in the Brasileirão U-17 has, in fact, nearly doubled since its inaugural edition. From 2019 to 2021, there were 104 matches per edition; from 2022 to 2024, 103; and in 2025, 198, when its format was brought into line with the Brasileirão Série A U-20. Winners’ medals for the 2026 Brasileirão U-17 Credits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF CBF Competition Marketing Director Cláudio Gomes congratulated both teams on their campaigns, praised the organization’s investment in Brazilian youth football and highlighted the quality of the match. “First of all, I want to congratulate Corinthians on their first title and Cruzeiro, who fought to the end, overturned the 3–0 deficit but ended up conceding a late goal. We had more than 200 matches in this edition, which shows the CBF’s investment in youth football, player development and its relationship with the clubs. The next generation is looking strong; we saw a fantastic match here. There had to be a winner, and it was Corinthians, who deserve congratulations. Now we look forward to the 2027 edition,” he said. The São Paulo Football Federation (FPF) was represented by its regional vice president, Laerte Alves Júnior, who took part in the awards ceremony. He stressed that Corinthians’ triumph symbolizes the strength of football in São Paulo. He also emphasized that it was a clean final, with no fighting, and praised the players’ “maturity” and “tactical awareness.” 2026 Brasileirão U-17 trophy Credits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF “We’re very happy to bring this title to the state of São Paulo. Corinthians represented all our youth teams here and showed the strength of São Paulo football. I would highlight the players’ maturity; there were no disturbances. Cruzeiro fought for the result and drew level on aggregate, but Corinthians secured the title, and even then there were no problems. I also applaud the players’ tactical awareness. There was no aimless hoofing, just passing football. I think the future of Brazilian football is in good hands,” he said. The Minas Gerais Football Federation (FMF), through its Competitions Director Gabriel Cunha, expressed pride in Cruzeiro’s campaign. For the first time, Raposa reached the Brasileirão U-17 final and came very close to winning their first title. “The Minas Gerais Football Federation is very proud of Cruzeiro’s campaign, which took them to this final in an incredible contest. Cruzeiro lost 3–0 away, went 3–0 up here and conceded a late goal, but they made Minas Gerais proud. For us at the Federation, it’s wonderful to host a final of this magnitude in our state. We also want to congratulate Corinthians on their great campaign and well-deserved title,” he concluded. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.