GSWFan1994 wrote:Now, the sad news for today.
Brazilian soccer legend Mário Jorge Lobo Zagallo, aka Zagallo, aka "O Velho Lobo" ("The Old Wolf") has died today, at 92 years old.
He was a starter for the 1958 and 1962 world cup winning team. Also, he was the head coach for the 1970 team, and... the assistant coach for the 1994 team, making him the only person, as far as I know, to be part of four title teams in world cup history.
Also, he was the head coach for the 1998 team, which lost to France in the final.
As a coach of the brazilian national team (1970-1974, 1994-1998), he had a record of:
136 games
97 wins
29 draws
10 losses
He was also the last surviving brazilian player who played in the 1958 world cup final.
Against true brazilian fashion of putting a nickname in every single name ever, Zagallo was one of the very few players who was known by his surname.
Here's his Wikipedia page if you guys want to read, he had a really great career and life, overcame a lot in his life.
He played for only 2 clubs in his 14-year playing career, Flamengo and Botafogo.
Brazilian team before boarding the flight to Sweden for 1958 World Cup. Pelé and Zagallo on the far right.
Garrincha, Didi, Pelé, Vavá and Zagallo (Didi always gets my vote for most underrated player ever - check out YouTube videos for his "dry leaf" pass).
1970 World Cup, IIRC.
In the late 2000's, if my memory serves me well.
"You'll have to swallow me!" on live TV - by far his most iconic moment.
Context: after 1994 world cup title, Brazil was playing badly from the 1995-1997 time period. Zagallo was the coach. He was heavily criticized by the press.
Then Brazil played the Copa América and beat Bolívia in the final, 3-0. At the end of the game, the press went after Zagallo, who gave the interview above. I'll roughly translate it:
(narrator): "It's over! It's over! Here's Zagallo hugging his guys! Brazil is champion! Once more, the brazilian soccer's star shines again!
(Zagallo): "Yes, I can talk, why not? We won. It was difficult. We didn't have the same speed... (takes a deep breath) but we had heart. This is for you. You know who you are. I don't have to say anything more. You'll have to swallow me!
(reporter asks him about the importance of the victory, if it was the same as winning the world cup)
(Zagallo): "No, it was a sensational victory, we fought a lot, with blood, effort, will, from the ones who love Brazil, not the ones who reject this country!"
After Pelé's passing.
RIP to "The Old Wolf", guy was truly a legend.
Your name will be remembered forever.