Zagallo, only four-time world champion in history, dies

Football legend was 92 years old. As a player, “Velho Lobo” lifted cups in 1958 and 1970. As a coach, he led the legendary 1970 team. In 1994, he won the title again as technical coordinator. Football icon Mário Jorge Lobo Zagallo died in the early hours of this Saturday ( 06/01) at 92 years old. The information was confirmed on the former player and coach's social networks, but the cause of death was not clarified.

“It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of our eternal four-time world champion Mario Jorge Lobo Zagallo. A devoted father, loving grandfather, affectionate father-in-law, faithful friend, successful professional and a great human being. Giant idol. A patriot who leaves us a legacy of great achievements”, says the note.

Zagallo's career in football was marked by significant achievements, as a player and coach. The Brazilian is the only four-time world champion in the sport. On the field, he participated in Brazil's first world title, in 1958, and was highlighted in the bi campaign, in 1962.

In the technical area, he led the 1970 team in winning the tri, when Pelé and company enchanted the world. Velho Lobo also participated in the 1994 World Cup, when Brazil won the fourth, in the role of technical coordinator.

The relationship developed between Zagallo and the Seleção has something symbiotic. At Maracanaço, when Brazil lost the 1950 World Cup final to Uruguay at home, the future four-time champion was in the stands, aged 19.

Instead of football boots, he wore boots: the then Army police officer was assigned to work security at the game. Born in Maceió, on August 9, 1931, Zagallo came to Rio de Janeiro as a baby, with his family. He was raised in Tijuca, just a few meters from where the Maracanã would later be built.

With the neighborhood team, he played ball on the stadium grounds before its construction. His father was part-owner of América and took him to games frequently, but he didn't like the idea of ​​Mário Jorge becoming a player.

Against Seu Aroldo's wishes, Zagallo joined the youth team of the traditional Rio club. In 1950, he transferred to Flamengo, where he began his professional career. For the Red and Black team, he became three-time Rio champion, between 1953 and 1955.

Surprise in the 1958 World Cup

Easily playing in different positions on the left side of the field, Zagallo chose to play as a winger, aware that this way he would have more chances. The young man was soon called up to the Rio team for the category.

But the inclusion of his name in the initial list of 27 players called up by coach Vicente Feola for the 1958 World Cup in Sweden was surprising. For the left wing, two names were taken for granted by the press: Pepe, from Santos, and Canhoteiro, from São Paulo.

Zagallo showed what he was capable of in the preparatory games and won the permanent starting position after the Santos player's injury. The importance of his participation in the first World Cup won by Brazil can be seen in Nelson Rodrigues' chronicle for Manchete Esportiva.

“We will only say the following about Zagallo: he was everywhere at the same time. In a way, it was even interesting. Zagallo saves a goal, comes out with a ball and then appears up front, in the opponent's area, disintegrating the enemy defense,” he wrote.

Upon returning from Sweden, Zagallo did not reach a renewal agreement with Flamengo and agreed with rival Botafogo – at the time, a squad that brought together Garrincha, Nilton Santos and company.

Winning the 1961 Campeonato Carioca was Zagallo's first title with the club. In the black and white, he earned the nickname “Formiguinha”, for his tireless style, described in Nelson Rodrigues’ chronicle.

1962: the “Zagallo Cup”

Zagallo reached the 1962 World Cup in Chile at the age of 31. Pepe, four years younger, received the number 11 shirt. Zagallo took number 21, which indicated that he would be a reserve. After another injury to his colleague, the Botafogo winger gained his position and impressed the world.

In his book The Story Of The World Cup, the renowned English chronicler Brian Glanville wrote that what was considered “the Garrincha Cup” could very well be remembered as “the Zagallo Cup”.

Glanville also quotes the words of French journalist Jean-Philippe Réthacker, from the daily L'Équipe and France Football magazine: “Zagallo was certainly, along with the Czech Masopust, the most intelligent player of the 1962 World Cup”.

Zagallo scored Brazil's first goal in Chile, with a header after a pass over the top of Pelé against Mexico. It was his cross from the left for Amarildo to equalize the difficult game with Spain. From a trivela, he took corners for Garrincha's headed goals against England and Chile.

Against the hosts, in the semi-final, Formiguinha even raised the ball in the area that resulted in Garrincha's goal, opening the score. To close the score, he made the right cross for Vavá to head in the fourth goal in the 4-2 victory.

Zagallo retired from the field in 1964, wearing the Botafogo shirt. At the club where he became an idol, he began working as a youth coach.

When he took over the main team in 1967, the former player remained on the path of achievement. Zagallo was Rio de Janeiro champion in his debut as coach and repeated the feat in 1968, the year in which Botafogo also won the Taça Brasil – a title recognized as the Brazilian Championship in 2010, by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF).

1970: a hasty invitation

In March 1970, 77 days before the start of the World Cup, Zagallo was invited by the then president of the former Brazilian Sports Confederation (CBD), João Havelange, to replace coach João Saldanha.

Brazil was experiencing the height of the “leaden years” of the military dictatorship. In the regime's view, the team's triumph was important for the nationalist project, summarized in an authoritarian slogan: Brazil, love it or leave it.

The selection was coming off a failure in 1966, which could not be repeated. To ensure that the team arrived in Mexico in the best conditions, the government interrupted football competitions in the country four months before the tournament.

Admittedly communist, Saldanha was not the military's preferred name to command Brazil in the World Cup. With a strong personality, the coach accumulated enemies with managers and the press, especially after he dared to put Pelé on the bench.

When general-dictator Emílio Garrastazu Médici asked the coach to call up Dário, the “Dadá Maravilha”, from Atlético Mineiro, Saldanha refused. “You appoint the ministry, and I, the selection”, replied the president.

It was the last straw for his dismissal, which made way for Zagallo's arrival. The new commander refined the work previously started and implemented a tactic that maximized the team's talents.

The team that won the tri went down in history. In 2007, it was voted the best football team of all time by the English magazine World Soccer Magazine. The opinion is endorsed by Franz Beckenbauer, German football legend.

“I remember the Brazilian team at the 1970 World Cup, in Mexico, as the one that had the best. Carlos Alberto, Tostão, Jairzinho. It was a dream to see that team. My hero was Pelé,” he said in 2013, during a visit to Brazil.

After winning the trifecta, Brazil endured a 24-year period in World Cups –
precisely the period in which Zagallo was out of the team. In the meantime, the coach played for all the big clubs in Rio and accumulated experience in the Arab world. In 1984, he won the Asian Cup with Saudi Arabia.

Velho Lobo returned to the Brazilian team in 1991, as technical coordinator of the commission led by Carlos Alberto Parreira. The pair came under great pressure after a disappointing qualifying campaign for the 1994 World Cup in the United States.

Romário, called up at the last minute by Parreira, guaranteed Brazil's presence and led the team in the four-peat campaign. After the title, Zagallo took over as coach of the national team. The Old Wolf didn't count on the fact that the hero of the 1994 conquest would give him headaches four years later.

1998: “most difficult decision of my life”

One week before the 1998 World Cup in France, Romário was removed from the team due to a calf injury. The striker never hid his resentment towards Zagallo and the coaching staff, as he believed there was enough time to recover and play in the tournament.

Even with an irregular campaign, Brazil reached the World Cup final, but suffered a defeat from the host in the decision: 3-0 to Les Bleus. The match was marked by the controversial selection of Ronaldo, who was released by the team's doctors after suffering a seizure hours before the game.

The episode was revisited by former players who participated in the final in France and Zagallo himself, in 2022, in a statement to the Placar interview.

“Every time we looked at Ronaldo, the thought that came to mind was that he was going to have the crisis again”, recalls midfielder César Sampaio. “Seeing him all purple was scary. We were the whole time fearing for his life”, recalls defender Gonçalves. “I thought he was going to die”, says full-back Zé Carlos.

Unlike his athletes, Zagallo did not have the terrifying image of the seizure in his head. He was only with Ronaldo when he returned from the hospital, already in the dressing room, an hour before the game. “The best player in the world asks to play, the doctors say okay, what am I going to do?”, said the coach. “I climbed. It was the hardest decision of my life.”

The World Cup in France was Zagallo's last as coach. In the final chapter of his career as a coach, he coached Flamengo between 2000 and 2001, having been champion of Rio and the Champions Cup. There was still time left to participate in his seventh World Cup for Brazil, in 2006, again as technical coordinator.

The superstition with the number 13 and Zagallo's strong personality shaped an iconic character off the field. When the Seleção won the Copa América in 1997, under pressure from fans and the press, the coach said while giving an interview on the pitch, after the game: “You're going to have to swallow me!”

The scene consecrated by cameras is still popular today, including in the world of “memes”. The gesture reveals his temperament, but above all the passion he has always maintained for the Brazilian team. Eternal Zagallo: 13 letters.