Under the leadership of chairman Fernando Carvalho Inter entered the new millennium seeking renewal from their youth teams. The club won four state titles in a row, from 2002 to 2005. The club modernized all its departments and prepared for a new football era. The South American Cup meant a return to the world stage and prepared the team for contesting the Copa Libertadores title. The campaign included eight wins, six draws, and just one defeat, to Ecuador's LDU Quito in the quarter-finals. To win the title, Internacional had to move past two clubs that had won the tournament three times – Uruguay's Nacional and São Paulo, who were the defending champions.