The legendary Brazilian footballer, Mario Zagallo, known as ‘the accidental footballer’, has passed away at the age of 92.

According to a post on his official Instagram account on Saturday, Mario Zagallo has passed away at the age of 92. He is known for being a part of the Brazilian football team that won four World Cups, both as a player and a coach. The 1970 team is widely regarded as the greatest in history.

Zagallo, a skilled and resilient left winger, was a member of the team that secured Brazil’s inaugural World Cup victory in 1958. He also maintained his position on the team for the consecutive title win four years later.

In 1970, he led a Brazilian team that included iconic players like Pele, Jairzinho, Rivellino, and Tostao – a team that is often regarded as the best national team to ever compete in the sport. They emerged as champions of the World Cup in Mexico, marking Brazil’s third victory in the tournament.

Zagallo became the first individual in the sport to achieve a World Cup victory as both a player and a manager.

Afterwards, he served as an assistant coach under Carlos Alberto Parreira during Brazil’s victorious fourth World Cup in 1994, which took place in the United States.

His Brazilian fans loved him for his idiosyncratic personality and unapologetic nationalism. He liked to say he was born with victory at his side and was rarely shy to challenge those who said his teams were too defensive.

One of his most memorable moments occurred when Brazil emerged victorious in the 1997 Copa America held in Bolivia. Despite being considered underdogs, an impassioned Zagallo, his face flushed due to the high altitude of La Paz, shouted into the TV cameras: “You’ll have to tolerate me!”

The saying is still commonly uttered by Brazilians from all walks of life to commemorate their triumph.

Zagallo was famously superstitious and attributed his luck to the number 13. He had a fondness for creating phrases with 13 letters and even chose to get married on the 13th day of a month. In a playful manner, he once stated that he would retire from the game at 13:00 on July 13, 2013.

The accidental footballer

Mario Jorge Lobo Zagallo, also known as the “Old Wolf”, was born on 9 August 1931 in Maceio, a city on the impoverished northeast coast of Brazil. His family relocated to Rio de Janeiro when he was less than a year old, and it was there that he developed a passion for football.

Initially, he aspired to become a pilot for an airline, but he had to give up on that goal because of his weak vision. Consequently, he pursued a career in accountancy and also enjoyed playing soccer for the local team America, which was a prominent club in the city at the time.

During an interview with the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), Zagallo shared that his father did not support his desire to become a football player, prohibiting him from pursuing it. During that time, football was not a highly respected profession and was not viewed positively by society. Thus, Zagallo believes that his involvement in football was purely coincidental.

Initially, Zagallo played as a left midfielder, donning the No. 10 jersey. However, this number did not hold the same importance it does now, before Pele made it iconic. Despite this, Zagallo had a feeling that he was not in the right position at the right time.

“I recognized that it would be challenging to secure a spot on Brazil’s team while wearing the No. 10 jersey due to the abundance of talented players in that position,” he stated. “Therefore, I transitioned from playing left midfield to playing on the left wing.”

After relocating from America, he joined Flamengo and earned three Carioca state championship medals. He then played for city rivals Botafogo for the remainder of his career, winning two additional state titles.

In 1958, he participated in his first World Cup in Sweden. He played in all six matches and was on the same team as Garrincha and a 17-year-old Pele.

“The age difference between us was 10 years, I was 27 and Pele was 17,” he explained. “That’s why I always claim that I never played alongside him, but rather he played alongside me.”

After four years, he became champion in Chile once again. However, he was able to secure his spot by making strategic changes. Zagallo would stay back to assist in marking the opposing full-back, and when his team gained possession, he would quickly move up the field. This was not a common practice for forwards to help in defense, and he is recognized for revolutionizing the role of wingers in the game.

As a manager, Zagallo had a successful run with several Brazilian teams. However, his impact was most notable when he was chosen to take over as Brazil’s coach in place of the controversial Joao Saldanha, only a few months before the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.

Zagallo was able to unite the star-studded Brazilian team, who had been inconsistent and not favored, resulting in a remarkable 4-1 victory over Italy in the final.

Zagallo continued leading Brazil until 1974, leading them to fourth place in the World Cup in West Germany. However, it was a lackluster performance and he later went on to manage clubs in Brazil and national teams in the Middle East.

In 1994 and 2006, he served as an assistant to Parreira during Brazil’s fourth title win and quarter-final loss, respectively. He also led the team in 1998, when they suffered a 3-0 defeat to host country France in the final, after star player Ronaldo experienced convulsions just before the match.

In 2006, the conclusion was difficult for Zagallo as he had been dealing with health issues before the tournament. It was evident that managing the team was taking a toll on him, leading to his retirement from the sport.

He remained cheerful and well-liked, and did not vanish from the public eye. He frequently made appearances on television, attended prestigious events, and volunteered for the CBF.

In 1955, he wed Alcina de Castro and they stayed together until her passing in 2012. They were blessed with four children.

Reuters

Source: independent.co.uk