In 1981, the club won a Quadrangular do Trabalhador, and due to the poor campaigns in Campeonato Paranaense, participated in 1981 and 1983 Taça da Prata, the second division of Brasileirão. In 1983, they beat Torneio Ak-Waba, from the Ivory Coast. In this tournament, Coritiba played against the Bulgarian national team twice, because the Bulgarians, not disheartened after losing the first match 2–0, challenged Coritiba for to a rematch. This ended in a 1–1 draw. In 1984, Coritiba moved back to the Brasileirão and took part in Campeonato Brasileiro, finishing in eighth place.