One of the biggest names in São Paulo’s history, the ‘Terror do Morumbi’ has never won the national tournament, a feat that his ‘successor’ may have achieved
After years in Europe, an idol returns to San Paolo to become club champion. Lucas Moura’s situation is unprecedented in the club’s history. In 1998, Raí also returned to the Morumbi team with a special mission: to make São Paulo champions of the Paulistão against Corinthians – as he actually did, scoring a goal in the 3-1 victory.
The final on Sunday (17), against Flamengo, however, could bring the number 7 to another level of idolatry in the history of the Tricolore. This was because Lucas would lead his team to win an unprecedented title, something Raí failed to achieve in 2000. This was the only Brazilian Cup final played by the club.
On that occasion, San Paolo drew the first leg at Morumbi, 0-0, and lost the return leg, 2-1, at Mineirão, with a goal conceded in the 44th minute of the second half. This was one of the last matches of ‘Terror do Morumbi’s career, which ended 17 days later.
Returning to the present, Lucas was a key player in Sao Paulo’s score against Corinthians in the semi-final of the competition and has performed well: he has already scored three goals in eight games. Like Raí, the number 7 also took command of the team: he intervened in defense of James Rodríguez after Sul-Americana’s elimination against LDU, for example.
Lucas only won the 2012 Copa Sudamericana with the Tricolore, but since his presentation he has made it clear that he wants to lift another trophy for the club. At that time, São Paulo was still in contention for the continental tournament.
– The goal of this return is to be able to conquer. He becomes champion again. I think we have this possibility with South America and the Copa do Brasil. In the Brazilian championship, Botafogo is far away but anything is possible – declared the player.
Among the similarities there is also the positioning on the pitch. Even though he wears the number 7 shirt, Lucas has essentially been Sao Paulo’s number 10 since he returned from European football. It is he who dictated the pace of the team as a central striker, given the offensive dynamics, as well as entering the area and scoring goals, not always exactly entering the fatal rectangle. In eight games, Moura has found the net three times, one of which was against Flamengo, their opponents in the final which begins this weekend. What happened was on August 13, when the two teams faced each other for the Brazilian championship.
Twenty-three years after the last Brazilian Cup final played in Sao Paulo, the Morumbi team does not exactly have a ‘new Raí’, but is sentimentally led to a figure of similar idolatry. A decisive player who can make the difference and make the Tricolore stadium a terror for the opponents.
Not only the moment, but the rival, the characteristics between the athletes, the football played and several other circumstances of confrontation between Lucas and Raí are different. What doesn’t change are the three colors that contain a feeling. That of faith. This will never end. And this regardless of the result, since it continued with São Paulo in 2000 and arrives again in 2023, with new characters, looking for a result that once again demonstrates the national sovereignty of the São Paulo Futebol Clube.
Source: Terra
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