Projeto Tóquio

The Projeto Tóquio (Tokyo Project) is a Portuguese language term traditionally used by Brazilian media and clubs' staff and supporters in the context of winning or attempting to win the Copa Libertadores football (soccer) competition and then compete in the FIFA Club World Cup (or, previously in the Intercontinental Cup) in Japan.[1] Thus, when a club gets eliminated from the competition, it is said by the media that the team has postponed its Tokyo Project.[2] The term Projeto Tóquio was first used in 1986, during São Paulo's 1986 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A campaign, as a way to make the club more popular.[3]

For the record label "Tokyo Project", see Fierce Angel.

History

The project normally starts after the club win the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A or the Copa do Brasil (which qualify their winner to compete in the following year's Copa Libertadores), and the clubs usually spend large sums of money to win the Copa Libertadores. In 1998, Vasco da Gama spent US$10 million to win the competition,[4] and in 1998, Palmeiras, managed by Luiz Felipe Scolari, brought Júnior Baiano among other players, and won the Copa Libertadores 1999.[5] After winning the Copa Libertadores in 1997, Cruzeiro signed some players, such as Bebeto, Gonçalves and Donizete,[6] just to play the match in Japan.[7] Vasco tried to keep the 2000 Série A and 2000 Copa Mercosur squad for the 2001 season, as part of their plan to win the 2001 Copa Libertadores and thus compete in the Intercontinental Cup.[8]

The name refers to the city where the Intercontinental Cup was contested from 1980 to 2001, which was played in Tokyo during that period.[9]

References

Books
  • Denardin, Pedro Ernesto; Claudio Dienstmann (1995). Grêmio 95 - Projeto Tóquio (2nd ed.). Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul: Rio Grande do Sul Football Federation.

Websites
  1. (in Portuguese) Papão - Nada de Projeto Tóquio - Gazeta Esportiva Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "História do Clube" (in Portuguese). Mix Home Pageo. Archived from the original on 2003-12-31. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
  3. "São Paulo no Mundial - O maior teste do Projeto Tóquio" (in Portuguese). Folha de S.Paulo. Retrieved February 8, 2008.
  4. (in Portuguese) Desmotivado, Vasco joga por título nos Estados Unidos - UOL Esportes (December 4, 1998)
  5. (in Portuguese) Palmeiras ganha um semestre para planejar Libertadores - UOL (May 31, 1998)
  6. "Borusssia liquida o sonho do Cruzeiro". Jornal do Commercio. Retrieved 2008-02-08.
  7. (in Portuguese) Copa Toyota - Gazeta Esportiva Archived 2008-02-09 at the Wayback Machine
  8. "'Projeto Tóquio' é a prioridade do Vasco para 2001" (in Portuguese). Terra. January 22, 2001. Retrieved February 13, 2011.
  9. "Intercontinental Club Cup". RSSSF. Retrieved February 8, 2008.
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