A controversial goal by Borges in the 22nd minute helped Muricy Ramalho's side take the trophy.

Borges looked to be offside but referee Jailson Macedo Freitas and his assistant Alessandro Rocha Matos allowed play to go on after Goias goalkeeper Harlei saved a free-kick from his counterpart Rogerio Ceni, and Borges stabbed the ball home.

"I don't care whether I was offside or not. This is the best day in my life," Borges said afterwards.

Gremio, Cruzeiro and Palmeiras completed the top four and booked the berths in next year's Copa Libertadores.

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Sao Paulo's title - the sixth in the club's history following previous triumphs in 1977, 1986, 1991, 2006 and 2007 - was extra special for Borges.

He was on the verge of leaving the club when Adriano arrived on a six-month loan deal from Inter Milan, but ended up with 26 goals to his name and another championship winner's medal.

"I have cried with happiness and relief, as I remember all the things that happened this year," he said.

"I was on holiday when Adriano came. Nobody remembered Borges. I was about to quit the club, but a brother in the church told me it would be my year and it was!

"Muricy had a big responsibility for this. I also want to highlight my team-mates. They were also very important."

Forward Dagoberto also shared the credit for the team's triumph.

"This team will enter into history," he said. "Everybody can say a lot of things, but we are six-time champions. Six."

Midfielder Hernanes added: "There are teams who win the title once or twice in a row. But we have won it for the third time. Only Sao Paulo!"

Ramalho claimed he felt relaxed early on in Sunday's game.

"You can feel when the team are fine," said the coach. "We started the Goias match well. In 10 or 15 minutes, I was calm.

"We knew what Goias were able to do, but the game was controlled always."

Ramalho ended the 2005 Campeonato Brasileiro campaign as runner-up as Internacional coach before guiding Sao Paulo to three titles in a row.

"I want to thank the president Juvenal Juvencio for his strength, the fans and my family too.

"It has been a very difficult year and I am quite tired, but here we are. Sao Paulo won their sixth title, I won the third. It will very difficult to achieve again."

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Porto Alegre giants Gremio relied on late goals from Tcheco and Soares to beat Atletico Mineiro 2-0 at the Estadio Olimpico.

A brace from Fernandinho and further goals from Thiago Ribeiro and Wanderley - all in the second half - helped Cruzeiro come back from a goal down to hammer Portuguesa 4-1.

Athirson had put the visitors ahead in the first half.

Palmeiras also qualified for the Libertadores despite going down 1-0 to Botafogo - Wellington Paulista scoring the winner four minutes into the second half.

Botafogo forward Alexandro and Palmeiras defender Mauricio were both sent off.

Sport, who had already secured qualification for the continental showpiece by winning the Copa do Brasil earlier this year, beat Coritiba 4-3 while Flamengo missed out after losing 5-3 at Atletico Paranaense.

Rio de Janeiro giants Vasco da Gama and Figueirense were relegated to Serie B, joining already-relegated Portuguesa and Ipatinga.

Vasco lost 2-0 at home to Vitoria in former Brazil striker Edmundo's farewell appearance while Figueirense go down despite a 3-1 victory over Copa Sudamericana champions Internacional.

Nautico, who drew 0-0 with Santos, stay up thanks to a better goal difference than Figueirense.

In today's other game, Ipatinga drew 1-1 at Fluminense.