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Fabregas, Cesc |
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Handanovic, Samir |
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Messi, Lionel |
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Baptista, Julio |
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Robben, Arjen |
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Walcott, Theo |
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Gourcuff, Yoann |
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Crespo, Hernan |
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Gallas, William |
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Higuain, Gonzalo |
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Brazilian Football myths always have a similar story: social outsiders become football legends, celebrated by millions all over the globe. No other country produced so many legends as this South-American country did with its history of European colonization, African slavery, oppression of Indians and struggle for economic and social modernization during the 20th century. Perhaps due to this multitude of political problems, football became throughout the last century some kind of alternative religion for a vast number of the Brazilian population.
Football Gods out of the Favela’s
Two outstanding players became shining symbols of this Brazilian football identity during the 1950’s: Pelé and Garrincha - an African and an Indian descendant of former slaves. Both players were key figures in the first World Cup victories of Brazil in 1958, 1962 and 1970. Above that, both of them defined the Brazilian football identity throughout the last decades: astonishing, sometimes even acrobatic samba magic on the one side and superior ball control on the other. This became the “label” of Brazilian football thanks to Garrincha and Pelé. It all started with a defeat, which is still a tragedy in the memories of millions of Brazilians, when Brazil lost to South American rival Uruguay in the famous Marakana stadium at the World Cup final 1950 in front of 200.000 supporters. Perhaps forgotten by many in Europe, this legendary defeat created a Brazilian football revolution, which resulted in a true domination in world football since 1958, only to be interrupted by England’s World Cup triumph in 1966. Our two legends made that happen. In 1958 in Sweden, Garrincha got injured during the second game of the tournament and so Pelé took over, only 17 years of age, to become the new hero of Brazil, leading them to the finals, where they beat the hosts with 5:2. In 1962 it was Pelé who was injured and so Garrincha took over and lead his team to another World Cup triumph, with his incredible technical skills, which made millions laugh and cry out of joy. In 1970 it was Pelé again, who brought Brazil its third World Cup trophy in the glowing heat of the Mexican sun, establishing a final proof as the player of the century. Although Garrincha never had a similar reputation in the world as Pelé did, and although the “little bird” died in poverty and due to alcoholism, he was loved by millions of Brazilians and is acknowledged now as the second Brazilian football god, who created the legendary “Samba style” of Brazil in its early days.
