Mourning in Brazilian and world football. Mario Lobo Zagallo, four-time world champion with Brazil, died at the age of 92. The former footballer, former coach and legend of world football thanks to his two world titles as a player and another two as a coach and assistant had been hospitalized in August in Rio de Janeiro for a urinary infection.
The news of the death of the world football legend was confirmed in a post published on his official Instagram account. “With enormous sadness, we inform you of the death of our eternal four-time world champion Mário Jorge Lobo Zagallo,” says the brief statement. «A dedicated father, loving grandfather, loving father-in-law, faithful friend, victorious professional and a great human being. Big idol. A patriot who leaves us a legacy of great conquests,” the emotional text continues.
Zagallo has the honor of being the only person to have won the World Cup four times. In fact, he participated in four of the five World Cups won by the Brazilian team – two titles as a player and another two as a coach and technical assistant.
Born on August 9, 1931 in the state of Alagoas (Brazil), he played as a forward during his time as a soccer player, in which he defended the shirts of Flamengo and Botafogo, two of the great clubs in Brazil and specifically in Rio de Janeiro. Janeiro.
The president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), Ednaldo Rodrigues, has decreed an official seven-day mourning for the death of the idol. «The CBF and Brazilian football mourn the death of one of their greatest legends, Mário Zagallo. “The CBF lends solidarity to his family and fans in this moment of regret for the departure of an idol of our football,” Rodrigues said in a statement.
Health problems
Mario Zagallo had been hospitalized last August in a hospital in Rio de Janeiro for a urinary infection, but the former footballer and former 'Seleção' coach had already had other health difficulties in recent years. Following Pelé's death in December 2022, he was hospitalized for almost two weeks with a respiratory infection.
The 'Old Wolf' stood out on the pitch as a left winger and was part of the Brazilian team that led by 'O Rei' Pelé won the 1958 and 1962 World Cups, the first two won by the Canarinha.
Already on the bench, he was the coach of Brazil in the 1970 title, assistant to the 'seleção' triumph in 1994 and coach in 1998 when the 'Scratch du Oro' lost the final against France.
Zagallo has the honor of being the only athlete who has managed to win the Soccer World Cup four times, twice as a player and twice from the bench. Only the German Franz Beckenbauer (1974 and 1990) and the French Didier Deschamps (1998 and 2018), two other legends of world football, have been able to win the World Cup as players and coaches.
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