The 2008 Copa do Brasil was the 20th edition of Brazil's national knockout football (soccer) cup competition, organized by the Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF). The tournament commenced on 12 February 2008 and concluded with the final on 11 June 2008.
Format
- The competition featured 64 clubs representing the Brazilian states, selected primarily on the basis of state championships and national rankings.
- All rounds were played as two‑legged ties (home and away).
- The away‑goals rule was applied to determine the winner of a tie in the event of an aggregate draw.
- In the first three rounds, if the away team won the first leg by a margin of two or more goals, the second leg was cancelled and the away team automatically advanced.
Progression
- The tournament followed a single‑elimination bracket: first round, second round, round of 16, quarter‑finals, semi‑finals, and final.
- Teams were drawn without seeding for the first round; subsequent rounds used predetermined brackets.
Champion
- Sport Club do Recife (commonly known as Sport) won the competition, securing its first Copa do Brasil title.
- The final was contested against Sport Club Corinthians Paulista (Corinthians).
- Sport triumphed with a 2–0 aggregate victory: a 2–0 win in the first leg at Ilha do Retiro (Recife) and a 0–0 draw in the second leg at Estádio do Pacaembu (São Paulo).
Significance
- The victory granted Sport a berth in the 2009 Copa Libertadores, South America's premier club competition.
- Sport became the first club from Brazil's Northeast Region to win the Copa do Brasil.
Statistics
- The tournament comprised a total of 119 matches, reflecting the cancellations of second legs in the early rounds under the away‑goal rule.
- A total of 360 goals were scored throughout the competition.
Legacy
- The 2008 edition is noted for increasing the competitive balance of Brazilian club football, demonstrating that clubs outside the traditional powerhouses of the Southeast could achieve national success.
All information presented is based on verified records from the CBF and contemporary sports reporting.