São Paulo State All-time 23 member team

Before 1971, Brazil did not have a national league.  The state leagues, notably the Campeonato Paulista (Sao Paulo) and Campeonato Carioca (Rio de Janeiro) were the main football competitions in Brazil.  Most of the big clubs are located in the two states.  The two major states could produce all-time team that would be among the greatest in the world. I have create 23-member all-time teams for both states.  In addition, I create all-team Best XI selections for North & Northeast region, and then another Best XI for South and Southwest(excluding players born in Rio de Janeiro & Sao Paulo).  I was unable to create one for the Central-West.  I could only find two players of note from there.  Both Kaka and Lucio were born in the Federal District.  My All-time Brazil team is located here.

Sao Paulo is home of Santos, Corinthians, Palmeiras, São Paulo FC. Guarani, Portuguesa, Juventus and Ponte Preta.  This is my selection of all-time 23-member team from players born in the State of Sao  Paulo.

Team
GK: Gilmar (Santos, Sao Paulo)
The goalkeeper for WC 1958, 1962 and 1966 winning two titles. Also a member of Pele's Santos team of the 1960's. He had 104 caps.

GK: Emerson Leao (Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo)
He won a World Cup in Mexico 1970 as the backup keeper.  He started at West Germany 1974 and Argentina 1978.  At the club level, he played for several clubs, his longest term being at Palmeiras.

GK: Moacir Barbosa (Campinas, Sao Paulo)
Barbosa was one of the greatest keepers in Brazil's history, but he was, however, associated with Brazil's loss to Uruguay in 1950.  He played mainly fopr Vasco Da Gama.

RB: DJ Santos (Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo)

Some considered DJ Santos as the best right back in the football history. He is one of only three players to be included into three FIFA World Cup All Star team. He starred at WC Finals in 1954, 1958 and 1962.  He also went to the WC in 1966. 

RB: Cafu (Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo)
Cafu is the all-time cap record holder for Brazil.  He is the only man to play in three WC Finals, winning in 1994 and 2002.  He was the captain of the national team as they won the World Cup in 2002.  He played with Sao Paulo, Roma and AC Milan. He was South American Player of the Year in 1994.  

Cafu

CB: Marcio Santos (Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo)

Marcio Santos was the starting center-back for Brazil in the 1994 WC. He played 43 games for the Brazilian national team between 1990 and 1997, scoring five goals.

CB: Belini (Itapira, Sao Paulo)

Belini was Brazil's captain for the WC in 1958. He was credited for starting the tradition of lifting the trophy high in the air, making the gesture winning symbol.  He played for Vasco da Gama, São Paulo FC and Atlético Paranaense.

CB: Julio Cesar (Bauru, Sao Paulo)
Julio Cesar went to Mexico 1986 and named in the team of the tournament.  However, his international career was limited to 13 times.  For his club career, he played for many clubs in Europe, notably with Juventus and Borussia Dortmund.  He won the Champions' League in 1997, beating his former club, Juventus in the Final.

CB: Roberto Dias (Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo)
While playing for Sao Paulo, Roberto Dias was considered a rival respected by Pele. Pele considered him one of the best center-backs in Brazil.  He was capped 27 times, but never went to the World Cup Finals.  

LB: Roberto Carlos (Garca, Sao Paulo)

He was regarded one of the best leftbacks in history.  He had 125 caps for Brazil playing in three WC Finals. He won 3 Champions League titles with Real Madrid and one WC title with Brazil in 2002.  In 1997 he was runner-up in the FIFA World Player of the Year.  He is especially famous for a free kick from 35m out against France in the  Tournoi de France 1997. The goal is considered one of the greatest goals ever scored.

Roberto Carlos

LB: Marco Antonio (Santos, Sao Paulo)
He was a part of the WC team in 1970, but only played in 2 games.  He also went to West Germany 1974.  He played his club football, mainly with Fluminense.

DM: Zito(Roseira, Sao Paulo)

With Brazil, Zito won the World Cup in 1958, 1962.  He played his entore career with Santos.  He was a leader with Pele's Santos, a player Pele respected throughout his career.

DM: Mauro Silva (Sao Bernardo, Sao Paulo)

A member of Brazil's 1994 team.  He was capped 59 times.  He was known for his 13 seasons with Deportivo La Coruna in Spain.

DM: Bauer (Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo)
Bauer was a member of Brazil's World Cup team in 1950 and 1954.  He played mainly for Sao Paulo and Botafago.  He was known as the coach who discovered Eusebio in Mozambique. 

DM/CM: Ze Roberto (Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo)
Ze Roberto first made his name with Bayer Leverkusen during one of the club's glorious years.  He moved to Bayern Munich in 2002 and played for them from 2002 to 2006, and then, another spell between 2007 and 2009.  He was considered to be one of the best players in the Bundesliga.  For the national team, he was capped 85 times.  He went to two WC Finals: 1998 and 2006.

RW: Julinho (Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo)

He was nominated the best player in the history of Fiorentina in 1996.  He was one of the greatest winger in Serie A history and one of the best player at the World Cup Finals in 1954.  He turned down a chance to play in the 1958 WC Finals in Sweden.

AM: Juninho Paulista (Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo)
Juninho Paulista was given the framed number 10 shirt at Copa America in 1995.  He went on to earn over 50 caps for Brazil and was a member of the 2002 WC winning team.  For club football, he had two successful spells with Middlesbrough.  He played with Juninho Pernambucano at Vasco Da Gama in which he added "Paulista" to his pseudonym to differentiate them.

Juninho Paulista

AM: Rai (Ribeirão Preto, Sao Paulo)
Rai is the younger brother of Socrates.  He was a member of the 1994 WC winning team.  he was originally the captain of the squad, but a loss of form during the Finals limited him to a substitute.  He enjoyed a successful career with Paris St.Germain, where he was widely considered the best player in the French league.  He helped them to win the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1996.  He was also a key player for Sao Paulo.

AM/LW: Rivelino(Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo)

Among the best left-side playmaker in the history.  He was a part of the great Brazilian World Cup team in 1970. He inherited the number 10 jersey when Pele retired and went to the World Cup Finals in 1974.  He played with Corinthians and Fluminense.

LW/FW: Pepe (Santos, Sao Paulo)
Pepe was considered the second best striker ever played for Santos after Pele.  He went to both WC Finals in 1958 and 1962, but did not play a single game.

AM/FW: Neymar (Mogi das Cruzes, Sao Paulo) 
Neymar was known as the greatest player ever produced by Santos since Robinho.  He moved to Barcelona FC in 2013, where Barcelona FC and his family were founded to have invoilved under the table money.

ST: Arthur Friedenreich (Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo) 

The "Tiger" was the first Afro-Brazilian professional players in Brazil.  He was also one of the first star players from Brazil. He did not attend the first World Cup Finals in 1930 because only players from Rio traveled to Uruguay.

ST: Jose Altafini/Mazzola (Piracicaba, Sao Paulo)
In Brazil, he was known as Mazzola because of his resemblance with  Italian attacking midfielder Valentino Mazzola.  He started to use his real name Jose Altafini after he joined AC Milan in 1958.  He is the current 4th top-scorer in Italy's Serie A history.For the national team, he was the original starter on the 1958 World Cup team, but was replaced in the semifinal and the final.

ST: Careca (Araraquara, Sao Paulo)
Careca supposed to be the starting striker of the star-studded 1982 World Cup team, but he missed the Finals with an injury.  Instead, he starred at the 1986 WC Finals in Mexico.  He finsished second in scoring with 5 goals.  He also played in Italian 1990.  For club career, he was remembered for playing with Napoli as a teammate of Diego Maradona. 

Careca

Honorable mention
GK: Waldir Peres (Garca, Sao Paulo)
GK:  Batatais (Batatais, Sao Paulo)
GK: Cabeção (Sao P{aulo, Sao {Paulo)

GK: Carlos (Vinhedo, Sao Paulo)
GK: Marcos (Oriente, Sao Paulo)
GK: Felix (Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo)

AM: Robinho (São Vicente, São Paulo)

AM: Djalminha (Santos, Sao Paulo)
DM: Mauro Silva (Sao Bernardo, Sao Paulo)

Squad Explantion 

• Sao Paulo is actually a cradle of good goalkeepers.  Gilmar, Emerson Leao and Barbosa were among the greatest Brazilian keepers in history.  Zetti, Doni, Marcos, Felix, Carlos, Batatais, Waldir Peres and Cabeção were all born in the state.
• The state also had a number of great defensive midfielders.  Mauro Silva (Sao Bernardo, Sao Paulo) is a honorary mention.  He could easily start for the team. 
• I always thought Ze Roberto was underrated.  

Starting Lineup
Formation: 4-2-2-2
I used a classic 4-2-2-2 formation from Brazil.

• Neymar has not done enough to be a starter.
• I always like Ze Roberto.  He was a good two-way player. 
• Julio Cesar was underrated as well