The G-12 have won all but six editions of the Brasileiro. Naturally, the biggest clubs all come from this group.
Narrowing it down from 12 to five wasn’t an easy challenge, though, with a battle between reputation, recent success, historical achievements, and fanbase size.
A team perennially being among the football betting favourites since the turn of the century has some value.
Biggest Football Clubs in Brazil:
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Flamengo
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Santos
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Palmeiras
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Corinthians
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São Paulo
It doesn’t define a club’s ‘size’, however, as that surely has to account for their standing within the game and how well-known they are outside of their home country.
Flamengo
According to a study conducted in 2023, Flamengo have 46.9 million fans in Brazil - that is over 15 million more than any other team.
The club have won the Copa Libertadores on three occasions – most recently in 2022 – and have won all seven of their domestic titles since 1980.
Led by Zico, Flamengo won their first four league titles between 1980 and 1992. Once Zico hung up his boots, however, the club faced significant financial issues during the 1990s and fell away from contention at the top of Brazilian football.
Dodging relegation on multiple occasions, it took several years for the club to get back on track.
Champions again in 2009 with Adriano leading the way and signing Ronaldinho a couple of years later, Flamengo were once again a force to be reckoned with.
In the following years, they have maintained financial stability through the sales of talented academy products including Vinicius Jr., Lucas Paqueta, and Gabriel Barbosa.
Santos
Behind an unparalleled golden generation featuring Pelé, Gilmar, Mauro Ramos, and others, Santos made history when they won a quadruple in 1962.
Santástico were the dominant force in the South American game as Pelé became one of football’s first ever international superstars.
The club endured a lull when that era came to an end with little success from the 1960s until the 2000s. Neymar and Ganso led another period of success, leading to Santos’ third Libertadores in 2011.
Financial strife struck the club down in the 2010s, unfortunately, resulting in a run of mid-table finishes and relegation to the second tier in the first part of the 2020s.
The club returned to the topflight at the first time of asking and Neymar made a comeback, signing a long-term deal in 2025.
Palmeiras
In 2015, Palmeiras were tied for the record with eight national titles. Crowned champions of Brazil four times since then, they are clearly the most successful Brazilian team of all-time.
They have also been a great betting option in continental competition with a trio of Libertadores wins.
Their status as a giant of Brazilian football was secured with a string of silverware in the 1960s and 1970s.
The club fought for relevance in the following decades before enjoying a strong run in the 1990s, including competing four finals in 2000 under Luiz Felipe Scolari.
Since then, Palmeiras have been a club of peaks and troughs. Plenty of success has been mixed in with relegation, financial issues, and the sale of some exciting young talents like Gabriel Jesus and Endrick.
Corinthians
With the second-largest fanbase in Brazil and ranked the most valuable football club in the Americas in 2017, Corinthians have enjoyed immense success over the last four decades.
All seven of their national titles have been won since 1990, while they are also 31-time winners of the Campeonato Paulista.
Recent years haven’t been kind to the People’s Team. Often fighting against relegation and a long way from winning the Campeonato Paulista, the glory of the 2012 Club World Cup is no more than a fading memory for their loyal fans.
Still, the club’s branding and identity is more widely recognised than many of their peers in the topflight of Brazilian football.
If history has taught us anything about Brazilian football, it won’t be long before Corinthians are back competing for silverware.
São Paulo
With the third-most fans in Brazil, there’s an argument to be made that São Paulo should be higher on this list.
If we’re looking at this from how the club is viewed around the world, though, São Paulo probably isn’t in the same bracket as the top four teams.
That’s despite winning six national titles and three Libertadores. Kaka is also among their list of former players along with Lucas Moura and Cafu.
On the other hand, São Paulo are one of two clubs (along with Flamengo) to have never been relegated and the only club in the country to have won every available trophy.
With such a massive supporter base, there had to be a place for The Sovereign in the top five, but would you have them in the first four clubs that come to mind when you think of Brazilian club football?
*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Adobe*
