Corinthians defeated Vasco Da Gama and became champions of the Brazilian Cup.

Corinthians ended the year on a high note. The São Paulo team defeated Vasco da Gama 2-1 in a packed Maracanã stadium and was crowned champion of the Copa do Brasil, the second most important soccer tournament in the country. “With goals from Yuri Alberto and Memphis Depay, Timão lifted its fourth national cup (1995, 2002, 2009, and 2025), crowning a season marked by rebuilding, coaching changes, and heavy investment in soccer.” The match began with intensity and nervousness, as finals tend to be. Vasco, pushed on by their fans and led by Fernando Diniz, tried to press high and take control of the ball. Corinthians, more patient, opted for counterattacks and exploiting the spaces left by their opponents' fullbacks. “That's how the first blow came: in the 18th minute, Matheuzinho broke down the right and assisted Yuri Alberto, who finished with class against Léo Jardim to open the scoring.” The goal shook the game, but Vasco reacted before halftime. In the 41st minute, a fine individual move by Andrés Gómez ended with a precise cross for Nuno Moreira, who won the ball in the area and scored the equalizer. The Maracanã came alive again and the second half began with the home side looking more determined. However, it was the visitors who struck the decisive blow once again. In the 63rd minute, in a quick transition, Yuri Alberto was decisive once more, setting up Memphis Depay, who found himself alone in the box and coolly finished to make it 2-1. It was the winning goal, sealing the final and confirming the Dutchman's starring role as the team's international star. "In the final stretch, Vasco pushed forward with more determination than clarity. Corinthians retreated, defended with discipline, and found answers in goalkeeper Hugo Souza, who held on to the lead against the home team's last attempts. The final whistle sparked celebrations for the São Paulo team in Rio de Janeiro. "It's time to celebrate in style. We really deserved it. It seemed that against all the other teams, our victories were due to our opponents' bad luck. Never because of Corinthians' merit. But we proved that we deserved it,“ Yuri complained in an interview with Globo Esporte. He then recalled his own experience: ”With all the pain I went through this year, being able to give this title to the fans makes me feel very honored. At the beginning of the year, I won a title with a goal. And I was able to score again. God is wonderful and very good to me. I'm going to celebrate it." It should be remembered that during the second half of the season, Yuri Alberto suffered an injury. And in the final stretch of the season, he suffered a scoring drought, which raised doubts about whether he should remain a starter. This Sunday, with a goal and an assist, he confirmed that he is in great form. The Brazilian Cup not only brings prestige: it is the highest-paying tournament on the continent at the national level. For winning the final, Corinthians received BRL 77 million, equivalent to approximately USD 13.6 million, a figure that rises to almost USD 18 million when the accumulated prize money from previous rounds is taken into account. This prize far exceeds that of the Brasileirão, which explains why this competition is so coveted. In addition, the title gave Timão direct qualification to the group stage of the 2026 Copa Libertadores, a key prize for a team that had finished 13th in the local championship and, without this achievement, would only have qualified for the Sudamericana. That spot will now go to Vitória, the highest-ranked among the non-qualifiers. Just to compare it with Argentine soccer, Independiente Rivadavia, winner of the Copa Argentina, received a prize of $140,000. Corinthians thus ends 2025 with two titles: the Copa do Brasil and the Campeonato Paulista, which it had won earlier in the year against Palmeiras, still with Ramón Díaz as coach. The Cup, on the other hand, was lifted under the leadership of Dorival Júnior, who won his fourth personal title in the competition, equaling Luiz Felipe Scolari's historic record. The road to the trophy was not easy: Timão defeated Novorizontino, Palmeiras, Athletico Paranaense, and Cruzeiro before winning the final against Vasco, which still took home a consolation prize of nearly USD 6 million for finishing runner-up. With established stars such as Yuri Alberto and Depay, and contributions from Argentine substitutes Rodrigo Garro and Fabrizio Angileri, Corinthians ends the year as the only São Paulo club to win a title in 2025 and is already looking ahead: in January, it will compete in the 2026 Brazilian Super Cup against Flamengo, the Brasileirao champion.