Fabrício Carpinejar, Zero Hora de 06/01/2024

Zagallo went to the back line, to the left of God, barefoot, wearing his boots untied on his back, to say goodbye to life with a perfect career, at the age of 92, on Friday night (5).

Gone is the legend, the mythology of passion, the living statue of football.

If Pelé was the greatest player of all time, Mário Jorge Lobo Zagallo was the greatest footballer of all time, adding what he did on the field and as a coach.

He was the only four-time world champion in history, a two-time champion as a player (Sweden 1958 and Chile 1962), champion as a coach (Mexico 1970) and champion as a technical coordinator (United States 1994).

Gone is the Army Police soldier who worked policing the packed Maracanã when Brazil lost the 50-a-side World Cup to Uruguay at home, and promised himself that he would lift the trophy for the inconsolable Brazilians at the time.

Gone is the stubbornness, the tireless, the Formiguinha, three-time Rio champion with Flamengo (1953-1955), the winger who combined intelligence with resistance. Before him, the winger was waiting for the ball. After him, the winger looked for the ball, helped in the marking.

Gone was the slight body in the midst of giants, David fighting with so many Goliaths, that he compensated for his lack of physique with tactical superiority and physical preparation—for he attacked and defended with equal efficiency.

Gone is the gentleman, the gentleman, the fair and honest play. In his 16-year career as a player, he has never been sent off, a rare winner of the Belfort Duarte Trophy for having played a decade without a red card.

He was the pioneer, the first to get a free pass when he transferred from Flamengo to Botafogo. Alongside renowned names such as Nilton Santos, Garrincha and Didi, he won the Rio de Janeiro championship twice in 1961 and 1962.

Gone was the third man, who helped close the midfield, who was not a goalscorer but always proved decisive, with 25 goals in 209 games for Flamengo, 32 goals in 300 appearances for Botafogo and five goals in 36 appearances for the Seleção – one of them in the 5-2 victory in the World Cup final over Sweden.

Gone is the leadership on the field that migrated to the bunker, the youngest coach to take over the national team at the age of 39, regent of Mexico’s tri. Daring, he put together an unforgettable, impactful, unrepeatable Brazil, bringing together what seemed impossible until then, five number 10s in the starting lineup: Pelé, Gerson, Tostão, Rivelino and Jairzinho.

He was the mentor of the game without the ball, in rehearsed choreographies, privileging positioning.

Gone was the motivator of the group, who wanted to put on a show in addition to winning, who thought about the fan who paid for the ticket.

He was the one who honored the canary jersey with the coach’s shelter, leading the country in 238 opportunities, with 168 wins, 51 draws and 19 losses.

Gone is the superstitious man who turned bad luck into luck, adept of the number 13, for his wife’s devotion to St. Anthony, celebrated on June 13.

Gone is the genius of competence, our human encyclopedia, now flipped through on its last page.

He famously told reporters in 1997 after a 3-1 win over Bolivia: “You’re going to have to swallow me!”

Today we will have to swallow our tears.

1992 – CBF AT RUA DA ALFÂNDEGA. PREPARATION FOR THE 1993 JUNIOR WORLD CUP IN AUSTRALIA AND 1994 FOR THE PROFESSIONAL WORLD CUP IN THE UNITED STATES. THEY WERE STILL PART OF IT. PROF. AMÉRICO FARIA AND PROF. JAIRO LEAL

WAKE TODAY AT CBF STARTING AT 9:30 A.M. AND BURIAL AT SÃO JOÃO BATISTA AT 4 P.M.

A TRUE BRAZILIAN WHO LOVED BRAZIL, ITS COLORS AND ITS PEOPLE.

HE SAID HE HAD A BALL, A GAME: THERE WAS THE MASTER!

WORLD CHAMPION AS A PLAYER IN 1958 (CREATING A NEW SYSTEM OF PLAY – 4 -3 – 3 ), BI IN 62, AS COACH OF THE THIRD TITLE IN MEXICO IN 1970, AND AS TECHNICAL COORDINATOR IN THE USA IN 1994 (TETRA DO BRASIL AND TETRA DO ZAGALLO)

HE PLAYED 7 WORLD CUPS.

THERE SHOULD BE A STATUE OF THE OLD WOLF IN EVERY BRAZILIAN STATE.

P.S. – R.I.P. FRANZ BECKEMBAUER, GERMAN KAIZER, OUTSTANDING PLAYER, COACH CHAMPION OF THE WORLD! JANUARY 8TH, 2024. LEGEND!

BY JUCELE

JULIO LEAL

JANUARY 07, 2024