Garrincha
Encyclopedia
Manuel Francisco dos Santos (October 28, 1933 – January 20, 1983), known by the nickname "Garrincha" (gar:ĩ´ʃa, "little bird"), was an association football right winger and forward who helped the Brazil national team
win the World Cups of 1958
and 1962
. He played the majority of his professional career for Brazilian club Botafogo
.
The word garrincha itself means wren
. Garrincha was also known as Mané (short for Manuel) by his friends. The combined "Mané Garrincha" is common among fans in Brazil. Due to his immense popularity in Brazil, he was also called Alegria do Povo (Joy of the People) and Anjo de Pernas Tortas (Angel with Bent Legs).
He is regarded as one of the best dribblers in football history. In the Estádio do Maracanã the home changing room is known as 'Garrincha', whereas the away changing room is known as 'Pelé'.
, in the state of Rio de Janeiro
, in 1933. His father was an alcoholic, drinking cachaça
heavily, a problem which Garrincha would inherit. He had several birth defects: his spine was deformed, his right leg bent inwards and his left leg six centimeters shorter and curved outwards, none of which impeded his ability to play football at the top level.
Garrincha was known amongst footballing scouts but did not arrive in professional football until his late teens; he had no interest in a professional career despite his immense talent.
in 1953. Team officials were ecstatic to learn that he was over 18 and able to be treated as a professional. In his first training session, he demonstrated his extraordinary skills by dribbling the ball through the legs of Nilton Santos
, a Brazilian international defender and defensive midfielder with 16 international caps, who then requested himself for Garrincha to be hired for Brazil. He played in a 5–0 win for Botafogo's reserves and then scored a hat trick
on his first-team début against Bonsucesso
on July 19, 1953.
Garrincha continued to play brilliantly, but Brazil had other talented players in his position, notably Julinho
and together with a new European style of play centered on team work, he was not named in the squad for the 1954 World Cup
. He helped Botafogo win the Campeonato Carioca
in 1957 by scoring 20 goals in 26 games finishing second in the league scoring charts and this convinced the national team selectors to name him to the 1958 World Cup
squad. After the 1962 World Cup, Garrincha returned to Rio and carried Botafogo to victory in the 1962 Campeonato Carioca
final against Flamengo. Garrincha played for Botafogo for 12 years, the bulk of his professional career. He won the Campeonato Carioca three times with them, scored 232 goals in 581 matches, and became a symbol of the history of the club.
In 1966, with his career declining, he was sold to Corinthians
. Two years later, he signed for Colombia
n team Atlético Junior
. The same year he went back to Brazil and joined Flamengo
, where he would stay until 1969. In 1971, there were rumours that Garrincha, 38, would join French club Red Star FC 93, but he never signed and returned to Brazil.
Garrincha's professional career as a footballer lasted until 1972, when he played for Olaria
, but he played occasional exhibition matches until 1982.
Garrincha was subject to numerous transfer attempts by rich European clubs like Juventus
of Turin, Italy whom tried to sign him in 1954. Real Madrid
of Spain tried to sign him in 1959 after some stunning performances by him on a tour of Europe. Internazionale
, AC Milan
and Juventus of Italy considered jointly signing him in 1963 (he would have to spend a season with each); a deal that would have been unique in football.
between 1955 and 1966, and was a starter for the national team in the 1958, 1962 and 1966
World Cups. Brazil only lost one match with him on the pitch, against Hungary
at the 1966 World Cup
. Pelé
did not play the game against Hungary, and thus Brazil never lost when Garrincha and he were on the same lineup.
His first cap was against Chile
in Rio de Janeiro in 1955. He played two matches at the Copa America
of 1957 and four in the 1959 edition, Brazil finished runners up in both editions.
started, Garrincha scored one of his most famous goals, in Italy versus Fiorentina
when he beat 4 defenders and the goalkeeper, and then when faced with an open goal, rather than scoring, he waited for another defender to get back and dribbled past him before scoring. Despite his stunning performance his coaches were upset at what they considered an irresponsible move and this likely led to Garrincha not being picked for Brazil's first two matches of the 1958 tournament. However he did start their third match against the USSR
; this match marked the debut of both Garrincha and Pelé. The Soviets were one of the favourites for the tournament, and the Brazilians had been nervous about playing them. Their manager, Vicente Feola
, decided to attack directly from the kick off. Garrincha received the ball on the right wing, beat three opposing players and took a shot which hit the post. With the match still less than a minute old, he set up a chance for Pelé, who hit the crossbar, and continually caused problems for the Soviet defence. Brazil were so impressive in the opening moments that the games start is often referred to as "the best three minutes of football of all time". Brazil won the match 2–0.
Following the Brazilians' narrow 1–0 quarter-final win against Wales on June 19, 1958, Mel Hopkins
(the full back who faced him that game) described Garrincha as "a phenomenon, capable of sheer magic. It was difficult to know which way he was going to go because of his legs and because he was as comfortable on his left foot as his right, so he could cut inside or go down the line and he had a ferocious shot too."
In the final against Sweden
, Brazil fell behind 0–1 early, but rapidly equalized after Garrincha surpassed his marker on the right wing and sent a cross for Vavá
to score. Before the end of the first half, Garrincha made a similar play, again setting up Vavá to make the score 2–1. Brazil ended winning the match and its first World Cup trophy, with Garrincha being one of the best players of the tournament; he was voted to the "Best XI" for the competition.
Garrincha never bothered about the 'details' of the game. As his team-mates were celebrating the World Cup win, he was initially bemused, having been under the impression that the competition was more league-like and that Brazil would play all the other teams twice.
on October 10 having been dependent on alcohol for years.
. When Pelé suffered an injury after the second match and was sidelined for the rest of the tournament, Garrincha played a leading role in Brazil's triumph, excelling particularly against England
and Chile
, scoring 4 goals in those two matches.
After one win and one draw, Brazil faced Spain
, without Pelé. The South Americans were losing 0–1 in the second half. Amarildo
, Pelé's substitute for the remainder of the tournament, scored the equalizer. Five minutes before the end, Garrincha took the ball on the right flank, dribbled past a defender and paused. Then he dribbled past the same man and another defender, and sent a cross to Amarildo, who scored again to win the match.
In the quarter-finals against England, Garrincha opened the score with a header off a corner kick. England equalized before half time. In the second half, Vavá scored Brazil's second goal off a rebound of a shot by Garrincha; minutes later, Garrincha received a ball outside the penalty area, paused, and sent a curved shot – known as the "banana" shot – into the bottom of the net. Brazil won 3–1 and advanced to the semi-finals. The British football press said he "was Stanley Matthews
, Tom Finney
and a snake charmer all rolled into one."
During the quarter final, a stray dog ran on to the pitch and evaded all of the players' efforts to catch it until England
striker Jimmy Greaves
got down on all fours to beckon the animal. Though successful in catching the dog, it managed to urinate all over Greaves' England shirt. Greaves claimed that Garrincha thought the incident was so amusing that he took the dog home as a pet. Ruy Castro's book expands upon this, by clarifying that the dog was captured by an official, and raffled off to the Brazilian squad, a raffle which Garrincha won. The dog was named "Bi".
He scored two more goals in the semi-final against the hosts, Chile, as Brazil went on to win 4–2. His first goal was a 20-yard left-foot shot; the second one, a header. A subsequent headline in the Chilean newspaper El Mercurio
read: "What planet is Garrincha from?" Garrincha was sent off that match after 83 minutes for retaliating after being continually fouled. However, he was not suspended for the following match.
Brazil faced Czechoslovakia
in the final. Garrincha played despite suffering from a severe fever, but that did not prevent Brazil from winning 3–1 and him from getting voted player of the tournament. It was the second consecutive World Cup won by Garrincha and Brazil.
, Garrincha scored one of the goals of the championships with a free kick taken with the outside of his foot. Then Brazil lost 1–3 to Hungary at Goodison Park
, in Garrincha's last ever international match, which was the only time Garrincha lost a match with the Brazil national team; he did not play in the last match of the first round against Portugal
. Brazil were eliminated in the first round.
World team and Brazil was celebrated at the Maracanã Stadium
in Rio de Janeiro, in front of 131,000 spectators. The FIFA team was composed mainly of Argentine
and Uruguay
an players, while Brazil fielded Pelé
, Carlos Alberto
, and several other members of the 1970 World Cup
winning squad. Garrincha started the match, and while in the first half, at a point when Brazil had the ball in attack, the referee stopped the match so Garrincha could leave the pitch and receive the crowd's respects. Garrincha then did a lap around the pitch before disappearing through the stadium's tunnel.
, a samba
singer whom he married in an unofficial ceremony in March 1966; as Soares had also married before, the Brazilian press were sour on the marriage. The couple separated in 1977, when Soares left him after he struck her during an argument. Garrincha had other significant affairs, including one with showgirl Angelita Martinez, and he is known to have fathered at least 14 children, a suspected 36.
After a series of financial and marital problems, Garrincha died of cirrhosis of the liver
on January 19, 1983, in an alcoholic coma in Rio de Janeiro. He had been hospitalized eight times in the previous year, and by the time of his death he was a physical and mental wreck. His last years were unhappy and obscure – he seemed to have become a forgotten hero – but his funeral procession, from the Maracanã to Pau Grande, drew thousands of fans, friends and former players to pay their respects. His epitaph reads "Here rests in peace the one who was the Joy of the People – Mané Garrincha." People had painted on the wall: Obrigado, Garrincha, por você ter vivido (Thank you, Garrincha, for having lived).
A multi-use stadium in Brasilia
, Estádio Mané Garrincha
, is named after him. His career was presented in the 1962 film Garrincha, Alegria do Povo
, and in 2003, another movie, called Garrincha - Estrela Solitária ("Lonely Star"), based on Ruy Castro's book, depicted his life on and off the field.
in 1966. He was also able to turn on himself at top speed and explode at unusual angles, which he used to great effect. The numerous attacks and goal opportunities he generated through individual plays would often end up in an accurate pass to a teammate in a position to score. This occurred in the first two of Brazil's goals in the 1958 World Cup final and the second goal against Spain
in the 1962 tournament. He was also an excellent header of the ball despite his relatively short stature. He is one of a few players to have scored direct from a corner, a feat he managed to do 4 times in his career.
He was voted into the FIFA Team of the 20th century by 250 of the world's most respected football writers and journalists as one of the three best forwards of the 20th century.
He is often credited for having been the inspiration for the bull fighting chants of "ole" to be used at football grounds initially during a game in Argentina where he constantly teased and went past his markers to constant ole's from the crowd.
>
1955
1
0
1956
0
0
1957
6
0
1958
5
0
1959
4
0
1960
5
2
1961
4
1
1962
12
6
1963
0
0
1964
0
0
1965
6
0
1966
7
3
Total
50
12
Individual
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
win the World Cups of 1958
1958 FIFA World Cup
The 1958 FIFA World Cup, the sixth staging of the World Cup, was hosted by Sweden from 8 June to 29 June. The tournament was won by Brazil, who beat Sweden 5–2 in the final for their first title. To date, this marks the only occasion that a World Cup staged in Europe was not won by a European...
and 1962
1962 FIFA World Cup
The 1962 FIFA World Cup, the seventh staging of the World Cup, was held in Chile from 30 May to 17 June. It was won by Brazil, who retained the championship by beating Czechoslovakia 3–1 in the final...
. He played the majority of his professional career for Brazilian club Botafogo
Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas
Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas , also known as Botafogo and familiarly as Estrela Solitária, is a Brazilian sports club based in Botafogo, neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, best known for its football team. They play in the Campeonato Carioca, Rio de Janeiro's state league, and the Campeonato...
.
The word garrincha itself means wren
Wren
The wrens are passerine birds in the mainly New World family Troglodytidae. There are approximately 80 species of true wrens in approximately 20 genera....
. Garrincha was also known as Mané (short for Manuel) by his friends. The combined "Mané Garrincha" is common among fans in Brazil. Due to his immense popularity in Brazil, he was also called Alegria do Povo (Joy of the People) and Anjo de Pernas Tortas (Angel with Bent Legs).
He is regarded as one of the best dribblers in football history. In the Estádio do Maracanã the home changing room is known as 'Garrincha', whereas the away changing room is known as 'Pelé'.
Early life
Garrincha was born in Pau Grande, a district of MagéMagé
Magé is a city and a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro.Magepe-Mirim was established in 1566 by Portuguese colonists...
, in the state of Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro (state)
Rio de Janeiro is one of the 27 states of Brazil.Rio de Janeiro has the second largest economy of Brazil behind only São Paulo state.The state of Rio de Janeiro is located within the Brazilian geopolitical region classified as the Southeast...
, in 1933. His father was an alcoholic, drinking cachaça
Cachaça
Cachaça is a liquor made from fermented sugarcane.It is the most popular distilled alcoholic beverage in Brazil. It is also known as aguardente, pinga, caninha and many other names...
heavily, a problem which Garrincha would inherit. He had several birth defects: his spine was deformed, his right leg bent inwards and his left leg six centimeters shorter and curved outwards, none of which impeded his ability to play football at the top level.
Garrincha was known amongst footballing scouts but did not arrive in professional football until his late teens; he had no interest in a professional career despite his immense talent.
Club career
He was already married and a parent when he signed for BotafogoBotafogo de Futebol e Regatas
Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas , also known as Botafogo and familiarly as Estrela Solitária, is a Brazilian sports club based in Botafogo, neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, best known for its football team. They play in the Campeonato Carioca, Rio de Janeiro's state league, and the Campeonato...
in 1953. Team officials were ecstatic to learn that he was over 18 and able to be treated as a professional. In his first training session, he demonstrated his extraordinary skills by dribbling the ball through the legs of Nilton Santos
Nílton Santos
Nílton Reis dos Santos is a Brazilian former association footballer who played defender. Born in Rio de Janeiro, he was a pioneering left back, being one of first full backs to participate in the offensive game....
, a Brazilian international defender and defensive midfielder with 16 international caps, who then requested himself for Garrincha to be hired for Brazil. He played in a 5–0 win for Botafogo's reserves and then scored a hat trick
Hat Trick
Hat trick, hat-trick or hattrick may refer to:* hat-trick — in various sports, achieving three goals, wickets, etc. in a single match* Hattrick — online football management game** Hattrick Limited — producers of this game...
on his first-team début against Bonsucesso
Bonsucesso Futebol Clube
Bonsucesso Futebol Clube, or Bonsucesso, is a Brazilian football team from Bonsucesso neighborhood, Rio de Janeiro in Rio de Janeiro state, founded on August 12, 1913. The club competed in Campeonato Brasileiro Série B twice.-History:...
on July 19, 1953.
Garrincha continued to play brilliantly, but Brazil had other talented players in his position, notably Julinho
Júlio Botelho
Júlio Botelho, also known as Julinho was a Brazilian football player....
and together with a new European style of play centered on team work, he was not named in the squad for the 1954 World Cup
1954 FIFA World Cup
The 1954 FIFA World Cup, the fifth staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Switzerland from 16 June to 4 July. Switzerland was chosen as hosts in July 1946. The tournament set a number of all-time records for goal-scoring, including the highest average goals scored per game...
. He helped Botafogo win the Campeonato Carioca
Campeonato Carioca
The Campeonato Carioca, also known as Campeonato Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, is the football league of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is one of the most prestigious national football tournaments...
in 1957 by scoring 20 goals in 26 games finishing second in the league scoring charts and this convinced the national team selectors to name him to the 1958 World Cup
1958 FIFA World Cup
The 1958 FIFA World Cup, the sixth staging of the World Cup, was hosted by Sweden from 8 June to 29 June. The tournament was won by Brazil, who beat Sweden 5–2 in the final for their first title. To date, this marks the only occasion that a World Cup staged in Europe was not won by a European...
squad. After the 1962 World Cup, Garrincha returned to Rio and carried Botafogo to victory in the 1962 Campeonato Carioca
Campeonato Carioca
The Campeonato Carioca, also known as Campeonato Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, is the football league of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is one of the most prestigious national football tournaments...
final against Flamengo. Garrincha played for Botafogo for 12 years, the bulk of his professional career. He won the Campeonato Carioca three times with them, scored 232 goals in 581 matches, and became a symbol of the history of the club.
In 1966, with his career declining, he was sold to Corinthians
Sport Club Corinthians Paulista
Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, commonly just known as Corinthians , is a Brazilian football club based in the city of São Paulo. They play in the São Paulo state league, as well as the Brasileirão, Brazil's top national league...
. Two years later, he signed for Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n team Atlético Junior
Atlético Junior
Corporación Popular Deportiva Junior, known simply as Junior or by its former name Atlético Junior, is a Colombian football team based in Barranquilla. The club was founded in 1924 Known as "Los Tiburones" , or "El Equipo Tiburón" have won the Colombian professional football championship six times...
. The same year he went back to Brazil and joined Flamengo
Clube de Regatas do Flamengo
Clube de Regatas do Flamengo , also known as Flamengo and familiarly as Mengão, is a Brazilian sports club based in the Flamengo bairro, Zona Sul, Rio de Janeiro, best known for its professional football team...
, where he would stay until 1969. In 1971, there were rumours that Garrincha, 38, would join French club Red Star FC 93, but he never signed and returned to Brazil.
Garrincha's professional career as a footballer lasted until 1972, when he played for Olaria
Olaria Atlético Clube
Olaria Atlético Clube, or Olaria as it is usually called, is a traditional Brazilian football team from Olaria neighborhood, Rio de Janeiro, in Rio de Janeiro state, founded on July 1, 1915...
, but he played occasional exhibition matches until 1982.
Garrincha was subject to numerous transfer attempts by rich European clubs like Juventus
Juventus F.C.
Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont...
of Turin, Italy whom tried to sign him in 1954. Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
of Spain tried to sign him in 1959 after some stunning performances by him on a tour of Europe. Internazionale
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
, AC Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
and Juventus of Italy considered jointly signing him in 1963 (he would have to spend a season with each); a deal that would have been unique in football.
International career
Garrincha played 50 international matches for BrazilBrazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
between 1955 and 1966, and was a starter for the national team in the 1958, 1962 and 1966
1966 FIFA World Cup
The 1966 FIFA World Cup, the eighth staging of the World Cup, was held in England from 11 July to 30 July. England beat West Germany 4–2 in the final, winning the World Cup for the first time, so becoming the first host to win the tournament since Italy in 1934.-Host selection:England was chosen as...
World Cups. Brazil only lost one match with him on the pitch, against Hungary
Hungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
at the 1966 World Cup
1966 FIFA World Cup
The 1966 FIFA World Cup, the eighth staging of the World Cup, was held in England from 11 July to 30 July. England beat West Germany 4–2 in the final, winning the World Cup for the first time, so becoming the first host to win the tournament since Italy in 1934.-Host selection:England was chosen as...
. Pelé
Pelé
However, Pelé has always maintained that those are mistakes, that he was actually named Edson and that he was born on 23 October 1940.), best known by his nickname Pelé , is a retired Brazilian footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time...
did not play the game against Hungary, and thus Brazil never lost when Garrincha and he were on the same lineup.
His first cap was against Chile
Chile national football team
The Chilean national football team represents Chile in all major international football competitions. The team is controlled by the Federación de Fútbol de Chile which was established in 1895. They have appeared in eight World Cup tournaments and were hosts of the 1962 FIFA World Cup finishing in...
in Rio de Janeiro in 1955. He played two matches at the Copa America
Copa América
The Copa América —previously known as South American Championship—is an international football competition contested between the men's national teams of CONMEBOL, the sport's continental governing body...
of 1957 and four in the 1959 edition, Brazil finished runners up in both editions.
1958 World Cup
One month before the 1958 World Cup finals1958 FIFA World Cup
The 1958 FIFA World Cup, the sixth staging of the World Cup, was hosted by Sweden from 8 June to 29 June. The tournament was won by Brazil, who beat Sweden 5–2 in the final for their first title. To date, this marks the only occasion that a World Cup staged in Europe was not won by a European...
started, Garrincha scored one of his most famous goals, in Italy versus Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. Founded by a merger in 1926, Fiorentina have played at the top level of Italian football for the majority of their existence; only four clubs have played in more Serie A...
when he beat 4 defenders and the goalkeeper, and then when faced with an open goal, rather than scoring, he waited for another defender to get back and dribbled past him before scoring. Despite his stunning performance his coaches were upset at what they considered an irresponsible move and this likely led to Garrincha not being picked for Brazil's first two matches of the 1958 tournament. However he did start their third match against the USSR
USSR national football team
The Soviet Union National Football Team was the national football team of the Soviet Union. It ceased to exist after the break up of the Union...
; this match marked the debut of both Garrincha and Pelé. The Soviets were one of the favourites for the tournament, and the Brazilians had been nervous about playing them. Their manager, Vicente Feola
Vicente Feola
Vicente Ítalo Feola, usually known as Vicente Feola , was an Italian Brazilian soccer coach who lived in São Paulo. He became famous for leading the national soccer team to its first FIFA World Cup title in 1958.-Biography:As São Paulo FC coach, Feola won the 1948 and 1949 Campeonato Paulista...
, decided to attack directly from the kick off. Garrincha received the ball on the right wing, beat three opposing players and took a shot which hit the post. With the match still less than a minute old, he set up a chance for Pelé, who hit the crossbar, and continually caused problems for the Soviet defence. Brazil were so impressive in the opening moments that the games start is often referred to as "the best three minutes of football of all time". Brazil won the match 2–0.
Following the Brazilians' narrow 1–0 quarter-final win against Wales on June 19, 1958, Mel Hopkins
Mel Hopkins
Mel Hopkins was a Wales international football player. He played at left back.-Club career:The son of a miner, he was signed by Tottenham Hotspur at the age of 15, when spotted playing for his local boy's club. He was taken on as an apprentice after just one trial...
(the full back who faced him that game) described Garrincha as "a phenomenon, capable of sheer magic. It was difficult to know which way he was going to go because of his legs and because he was as comfortable on his left foot as his right, so he could cut inside or go down the line and he had a ferocious shot too."
In the final against Sweden
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
, Brazil fell behind 0–1 early, but rapidly equalized after Garrincha surpassed his marker on the right wing and sent a cross for Vavá
Vavá
Vavá, real name Edvaldo Izídio Neto, was an association footballer who is widely considered one of the best strikers of his generation. His nickname was "Peito de Aço"...
to score. Before the end of the first half, Garrincha made a similar play, again setting up Vavá to make the score 2–1. Brazil ended winning the match and its first World Cup trophy, with Garrincha being one of the best players of the tournament; he was voted to the "Best XI" for the competition.
Garrincha never bothered about the 'details' of the game. As his team-mates were celebrating the World Cup win, he was initially bemused, having been under the impression that the competition was more league-like and that Brazil would play all the other teams twice.
1958–1962
Garrincha put on weight after the World Cup, partly because of his drinking, so he was dropped from the national team for a friendly match in Rio against England on May 13, 1959. Later that month, he went on tour with Botafogo in Sweden and got a local girl pregnant. When he returned to Brazil, he drove home to Pau Grande and ran over his father, Amaro. He drove off without stopping, with an angry mob chasing him, and when they caught up with him they found him "drunk, almost catatonic, and with no grasp of what he had done." In August, his wife, Nair, gave birth to their fifth child, and his mistress Iraci announced her first pregnancy. His father died of liver cancerHepatocellular carcinoma
Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common type of liver cancer. Most cases of HCC are secondary to either a viral hepatitide infection or cirrhosis .Compared to other cancers, HCC is quite a rare tumor in the United States...
on October 10 having been dependent on alcohol for years.
1962 World Cup
Garrincha was the most outstanding player of the 1962 FIFA World Cup1962 FIFA World Cup
The 1962 FIFA World Cup, the seventh staging of the World Cup, was held in Chile from 30 May to 17 June. It was won by Brazil, who retained the championship by beating Czechoslovakia 3–1 in the final...
. When Pelé suffered an injury after the second match and was sidelined for the rest of the tournament, Garrincha played a leading role in Brazil's triumph, excelling particularly against England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
and Chile
Chile national football team
The Chilean national football team represents Chile in all major international football competitions. The team is controlled by the Federación de Fútbol de Chile which was established in 1895. They have appeared in eight World Cup tournaments and were hosts of the 1962 FIFA World Cup finishing in...
, scoring 4 goals in those two matches.
After one win and one draw, Brazil faced Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
, without Pelé. The South Americans were losing 0–1 in the second half. Amarildo
Amarildo
Amarildo Tavares da Silveira, also known as Amarildo was a Brazilian football player who played as a striker.His career lasted from 1957 to 1974 and he played for Goytacaz, Flamengo, Botafogo and Vasco da Gama, and in Italy for Milan, Fiorentina and Roma...
, Pelé's substitute for the remainder of the tournament, scored the equalizer. Five minutes before the end, Garrincha took the ball on the right flank, dribbled past a defender and paused. Then he dribbled past the same man and another defender, and sent a cross to Amarildo, who scored again to win the match.
In the quarter-finals against England, Garrincha opened the score with a header off a corner kick. England equalized before half time. In the second half, Vavá scored Brazil's second goal off a rebound of a shot by Garrincha; minutes later, Garrincha received a ball outside the penalty area, paused, and sent a curved shot – known as the "banana" shot – into the bottom of the net. Brazil won 3–1 and advanced to the semi-finals. The British football press said he "was Stanley Matthews
Stanley Matthews
Sir Stanley Matthews, CBE was an English footballer. Often regarded as one of the greatest players of the English game, he is the only player to have been knighted while still playing, as well as being the first winner of both the European Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers'...
, Tom Finney
Tom Finney
Sir Thomas Finney, OBE is a former English footballer, famous for his loyalty to his league club, Preston North End, and for his performances in the English national side....
and a snake charmer all rolled into one."
During the quarter final, a stray dog ran on to the pitch and evaded all of the players' efforts to catch it until England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
striker Jimmy Greaves
Jimmy Greaves
James Peter 'Jimmy' Greaves is an English former football player, England's third highest international goalscorer, the highest goalscorer in the history of Tottenham Hotspur football club, the highest goalscorer in the history of English top flight football and more recently a television pundit -...
got down on all fours to beckon the animal. Though successful in catching the dog, it managed to urinate all over Greaves' England shirt. Greaves claimed that Garrincha thought the incident was so amusing that he took the dog home as a pet. Ruy Castro's book expands upon this, by clarifying that the dog was captured by an official, and raffled off to the Brazilian squad, a raffle which Garrincha won. The dog was named "Bi".
He scored two more goals in the semi-final against the hosts, Chile, as Brazil went on to win 4–2. His first goal was a 20-yard left-foot shot; the second one, a header. A subsequent headline in the Chilean newspaper El Mercurio
El Mercurio
El Mercurio is a conservative Chilean newspaper with editions in Valparaíso and Santiago. Its Santiago edition is considered the country's paper-of-record and its Valparaíso edition is the oldest daily in the Spanish language currently in circulation. El Mercurio is owned by El Mercurio S.A.P...
read: "What planet is Garrincha from?" Garrincha was sent off that match after 83 minutes for retaliating after being continually fouled. However, he was not suspended for the following match.
Brazil faced Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia national football team
The Czechoslovakia national football team was the national association football team of Czechoslovakia from 1922 to 1993. At the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992, the team was participating in UEFA qualifying Group 4 for the 1994 World Cup; it completed this campaign under the name...
in the final. Garrincha played despite suffering from a severe fever, but that did not prevent Brazil from winning 3–1 and him from getting voted player of the tournament. It was the second consecutive World Cup won by Garrincha and Brazil.
1966 World Cup
Though well short of match fitness and still struggling with a knee injury, which would plague him for the rest of his career, Garrincha still played in the first match of the tournament, a 2–0 win against BulgariaBulgaria national football team
The FIFA Bulgaria national football team is an association football team fielded by the Bulgarian Football Union, a member association of UEFA. The team's home ground is Vasil Levski in Sofia and Luboslav Penev is in charge manager after replacement of Lothar Matthäus...
, Garrincha scored one of the goals of the championships with a free kick taken with the outside of his foot. Then Brazil lost 1–3 to Hungary at Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
, in Garrincha's last ever international match, which was the only time Garrincha lost a match with the Brazil national team; he did not play in the last match of the first round against Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
. Brazil were eliminated in the first round.
1973 farewell match
On December 19, 1973, a farewell match for Garrincha between a FIFAFIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
World team and Brazil was celebrated at the Maracanã Stadium
Estádio do Maracanã
The Estádio do Maracanã , officially Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho, is an open-air stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Owned by the Rio de Janeiro State Government, it is named after the Maracanã neighbourhood in Rio de Janeiro. It was opened in 1950 to host the FIFA World Cup, and in the final...
in Rio de Janeiro, in front of 131,000 spectators. The FIFA team was composed mainly of Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
an players, while Brazil fielded Pelé
Pelé
However, Pelé has always maintained that those are mistakes, that he was actually named Edson and that he was born on 23 October 1940.), best known by his nickname Pelé , is a retired Brazilian footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time...
, Carlos Alberto
Carlos Alberto Torres
Carlos Alberto Torres is a former Brazilian footballer, one of the most highly regarded defenders of all time. He captained Brazil to victory in the 1970 World Cup and is a member of the World Team of the 20th Century, as well as the U.S...
, and several other members of the 1970 World Cup
1970 FIFA World Cup
The 1970 FIFA World Cup, the ninth staging of the World Cup, was held in Mexico, from 31 May to 21 June. The 1970 tournament was the first World Cup hosted in North America, and the first held outside South America and Europe. In a match-up of two-time World Cup champions, the final was won by...
winning squad. Garrincha started the match, and while in the first half, at a point when Brazil had the ball in attack, the referee stopped the match so Garrincha could leave the pitch and receive the crowd's respects. Garrincha then did a lap around the pitch before disappearing through the stadium's tunnel.
Final years and death
The success Garrincha enjoyed on the football pitch had great contrast with his personal life. He drank heavily throughout his adult life, and was involved in several serious road accidents, notably a crash into a lorry in April 1969 which killed his mother-in-law. He was married twice, first to Nair Marques in 1952 (they separated in 1965), a factory worker from Pau Grande with whom he had eight daughters, and second to Elza SoaresElza Soares
Elza Soares is a Brazilian samba singer. She was married to Brazilian football player Garrincha.Born and raised in a favela in Rio de Janeiro, Soares took part in a singing contest presented by the renowned Brazilian musician Ary Barroso, and received the highest marks. In the late 1950s, Soares...
, a samba
Samba
Samba is a Brazilian dance and musical genre originating in Bahia and with its roots in Brazil and Africa via the West African slave trade and African religious traditions. It is recognized around the world as a symbol of Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival...
singer whom he married in an unofficial ceremony in March 1966; as Soares had also married before, the Brazilian press were sour on the marriage. The couple separated in 1977, when Soares left him after he struck her during an argument. Garrincha had other significant affairs, including one with showgirl Angelita Martinez, and he is known to have fathered at least 14 children, a suspected 36.
After a series of financial and marital problems, Garrincha died of cirrhosis of the liver
Cirrhosis
Cirrhosis is a consequence of chronic liver disease characterized by replacement of liver tissue by fibrosis, scar tissue and regenerative nodules , leading to loss of liver function...
on January 19, 1983, in an alcoholic coma in Rio de Janeiro. He had been hospitalized eight times in the previous year, and by the time of his death he was a physical and mental wreck. His last years were unhappy and obscure – he seemed to have become a forgotten hero – but his funeral procession, from the Maracanã to Pau Grande, drew thousands of fans, friends and former players to pay their respects. His epitaph reads "Here rests in peace the one who was the Joy of the People – Mané Garrincha." People had painted on the wall: Obrigado, Garrincha, por você ter vivido (Thank you, Garrincha, for having lived).
A multi-use stadium in Brasilia
Brasília
Brasília is the capital city of Brazil. The name is commonly spelled Brasilia in English. The city and its District are located in the Central-West region of the country, along a plateau known as Planalto Central. It has a population of about 2,557,000 as of the 2008 IBGE estimate, making it the...
, Estádio Mané Garrincha
Estádio Mané Garrincha
Estádio Nacional de Brasília is a multi-purpose stadium in Brasilia, Brazil. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium holds 45,200. The stadium was built in 1974....
, is named after him. His career was presented in the 1962 film Garrincha, Alegria do Povo
Garrincha: Hero of the Jungle
Garrincha: Hero of the Jungle is a 1962 Brazilian documentary film directed by Joaquim Pedro de Andrade, about the Brazilian soccer player Garrincha. It was entered into the 13th Berlin International Film Festival....
, and in 2003, another movie, called Garrincha - Estrela Solitária ("Lonely Star"), based on Ruy Castro's book, depicted his life on and off the field.
Playing characteristics
Known for his remarkable ball control, imagination, dribbling skills and ability to create something from nothing, Garrincha also possessed a ferocious shot with either foot and was a gifted dead ball specialist known for free kicks and corners taken with the outside of his foot. However, it was his astonishing dribbling skills he was most famous for, a skill he retained throughout his career. Examples of his shooting ability are his goals in World Cups against England in 1962 and BulgariaBulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
in 1966. He was also able to turn on himself at top speed and explode at unusual angles, which he used to great effect. The numerous attacks and goal opportunities he generated through individual plays would often end up in an accurate pass to a teammate in a position to score. This occurred in the first two of Brazil's goals in the 1958 World Cup final and the second goal against Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
in the 1962 tournament. He was also an excellent header of the ball despite his relatively short stature. He is one of a few players to have scored direct from a corner, a feat he managed to do 4 times in his career.
He was voted into the FIFA Team of the 20th century by 250 of the world's most respected football writers and journalists as one of the three best forwards of the 20th century.
He is often credited for having been the inspiration for the bull fighting chants of "ole" to be used at football grounds initially during a game in Argentina where he constantly teased and went past his markers to constant ole's from the crowd.
Club
| Season | Club | League | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| 1953 | Botafogo Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas , also known as Botafogo and familiarly as Estrela Solitária, is a Brazilian sports club based in Botafogo, neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, best known for its football team. They play in the Campeonato Carioca, Rio de Janeiro's state league, and the Campeonato... |
CC Campeonato Carioca The Campeonato Carioca, also known as Campeonato Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, is the football league of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is one of the most prestigious national football tournaments... |
26 | 20 | – | – | – | - | 0 | 0 | 26 | 20 |
| 1954 | CC Campeonato Carioca The Campeonato Carioca, also known as Campeonato Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, is the football league of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is one of the most prestigious national football tournaments... |
26 | 7 | – | – | – | - | 9 | 1 | 35 | 8 | |
| 1955 | CC Campeonato Carioca The Campeonato Carioca, also known as Campeonato Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, is the football league of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is one of the most prestigious national football tournaments... |
19 | 3 | – | – | – | - | 9 | 2 | 28 | 5 | |
| 1956 | CC Campeonato Carioca The Campeonato Carioca, also known as Campeonato Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, is the football league of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is one of the most prestigious national football tournaments... |
20 | 5 | – | – | – | - | 0 | 0 | 20 | 5 | |
| 1957 | CC Campeonato Carioca The Campeonato Carioca, also known as Campeonato Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, is the football league of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is one of the most prestigious national football tournaments... |
21 | 6 | – | – | – | - | 9 | 2 | 30 | 8 | |
| 1958 | CC Campeonato Carioca The Campeonato Carioca, also known as Campeonato Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, is the football league of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is one of the most prestigious national football tournaments... |
26 | 10 | – | – | – | - | 9 | 1 | 35 | 11 | |
| 1959 | CC Campeonato Carioca The Campeonato Carioca, also known as Campeonato Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, is the football league of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is one of the most prestigious national football tournaments... |
23 | 9 | – | – | – | - | 5 | 3 | 28 | 12 | |
| 1960 | CC Campeonato Carioca The Campeonato Carioca, also known as Campeonato Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, is the football league of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is one of the most prestigious national football tournaments... |
21 | 8 | – | – | – | - | 9 | 1 | 30 | 9 | |
| 1961 | CC Campeonato Carioca The Campeonato Carioca, also known as Campeonato Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, is the football league of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is one of the most prestigious national football tournaments... |
21 | 6 | – | – | – | - | 11 | 2 | 32 | 8 | |
| 1962 | CC Campeonato Carioca The Campeonato Carioca, also known as Campeonato Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, is the football league of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is one of the most prestigious national football tournaments... |
21 | 8 | 3 | 0 | – | – | 7 | 2 | 31 | 10 | |
| 1963 | CC Campeonato Carioca The Campeonato Carioca, also known as Campeonato Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, is the football league of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is one of the most prestigious national football tournaments... |
3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | |
| 1964 | CC Campeonato Carioca The Campeonato Carioca, also known as Campeonato Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, is the football league of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is one of the most prestigious national football tournaments... |
4 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 7 | 3 | 11 | 3 | |
| 1965 | CC Campeonato Carioca The Campeonato Carioca, also known as Campeonato Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, is the football league of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is one of the most prestigious national football tournaments... |
5 | 2 | – | – | – | – | 7 | 0 | 12 | 2 | |
| Botafogo Total | 236 | 85 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 83 | 17 | 325 | 102 | ||
| 1966 | Corinthians Sport Club Corinthians Paulista Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, commonly just known as Corinthians , is a Brazilian football club based in the city of São Paulo. They play in the São Paulo state league, as well as the Brasileirão, Brazil's top national league... |
CP Campeonato Paulista The Campeonato Paulista de Futebol Profissional da Primeira Divisão - Série A1, simply known as the Campeonato Paulista, is the top-flight professional football league in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. The league is contested between 20 clubs and typically lasts from January to April... |
4 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 6 | 1 | 10 | 1 |
| 1968 | Atlético Junior | CP | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 |
| 1968 | Flamengo Clube de Regatas do Flamengo Clube de Regatas do Flamengo , also known as Flamengo and familiarly as Mengão, is a Brazilian sports club based in the Flamengo bairro, Zona Sul, Rio de Janeiro, best known for its professional football team... |
CC Campeonato Carioca The Campeonato Carioca, also known as Campeonato Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, is the football league of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is one of the most prestigious national football tournaments... |
0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| 1969 | CC Campeonato Carioca The Campeonato Carioca, also known as Campeonato Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, is the football league of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is one of the most prestigious national football tournaments... |
4 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | 0 | |
| Flamengo Total | 4 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | 0 | ||
| 1972 | Olaria Olaria Atlético Clube Olaria Atlético Clube, or Olaria as it is usually called, is a traditional Brazilian football team from Olaria neighborhood, Rio de Janeiro, in Rio de Janeiro state, founded on July 1, 1915... |
CC Campeonato Carioca The Campeonato Carioca, also known as Campeonato Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, is the football league of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is one of the most prestigious national football tournaments... |
8 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8 | 0 |
| Career Total | 253 | 85 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 89 | 18 | 348 | 103 | ||
International
Brazil
- World CupFIFA World CupThe FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
Champion: 19581958 FIFA World CupThe 1958 FIFA World Cup, the sixth staging of the World Cup, was hosted by Sweden from 8 June to 29 June. The tournament was won by Brazil, who beat Sweden 5–2 in the final for their first title. To date, this marks the only occasion that a World Cup staged in Europe was not won by a European...
, 19621962 FIFA World CupThe 1962 FIFA World Cup, the seventh staging of the World Cup, was held in Chile from 30 May to 17 June. It was won by Brazil, who retained the championship by beating Czechoslovakia 3–1 in the final... - O'Higgins Cup winner: 1955, 1959, 1961
- Oswaldo Cruz Cup: 1960
Botafogo
- Intercontinental Championship Clubs: 1963
- Brazilian Champion Club (Roberto Gomes Pedrosa Tournament): 1962, 1964
- Rio State ChampionshipCampeonato CariocaThe Campeonato Carioca, also known as Campeonato Estadual do Rio de Janeiro, is the football league of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is one of the most prestigious national football tournaments...
: 1957, 1961, 1962
Individual
- World Cup top scorer-FIFA: 1962 (tied)
- World Cup Player of the Tournament-FIFA: 1962
- World Player of the Year-FIFA: 1962
- Best player of the Carioca championship: 1961
- Best player of the Carioca championship: 1962
- Player of Rio-São Paulo Tournament: 1962
- Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame
- FIFA team of the 20th century inductee.
- FIFA world cup team of all time inductee.
External links
- Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame
- Detail of international appearances and goals by RSSSF
- Profile at the International Football Hall of Fame
- Biography on ABC Sport
- BBC biography
- Biography at The Hindu Online
- Profile at Botafogo's official web site
- Tribute page including biography and photos
- Video clips of football oddities. Inspired by Garrincha and the 1962 canine pitch invasion.
- FIFA magazine article (1997)