The former Seleção player and coach had a strong superstition regarding the number and left a great legacy in Brazilian football
Mário Jorge Lobo Zagallo died on Friday evening at the age of 92 (5). Idol of the Brazilian national team and the Rio de Janeiro football teams, “Velho Lobo” left a great legacy of stories, experiences and passion for this sport. Check it out with Lance! 13 memorable moments from the long history of eternal Zagallo.
1️⃣ MULTIPURPOSE CRACK
As a player he earned the nickname Formiguinha for his tactical dedication on the pitch and his style as a deep winger who helped rebuild the midfield sector, which was rare for football at the time. 🐺
2️⃣ OPENING OF THE ROUTE
Forming an attacking partnership with Evaristo de Macedo and under the command of coach Fleitas Solich, the Sorcerer won the Carioca Championship titles in 1953, 1954 and 1955 with Flamengo, the second third state championship in the history of the Rubro- Negro. 🐺
3️⃣ ON TOP OF THE WORLD
Playing for the Brazilian team, he participated in the victory of the 1958 and 1962 World Cups, in Sweden and Chile respectively. In 1970, on the eve of the World Cup in Mexico, already coach, he took charge of the team after the departure of João Saldanha and was the leader of an unstoppable team that had stars like Pelé, Tostão, Gerson, Jairzinho and Rivelino in its squad. In the 1994 World Cup, in the United States, he helped coach Carlos Alberto Parreira win his fourth title, completing a cycle of several decades as a major influencer of the team’s results. 🐺
4️⃣ A CHILD’S DREAM
In the 1958 World Cup final, Sweden found themselves cornered at home by a largely attacking Brazil, who had Garrincha, Vavá, Pelé and Zagallo in attack. The fourth goal of Brazil’s 5-2 victory came from the then number 7, who took the ball in the Swedish box, won a tackle and put it under goalkeeper Svensson. 🐺
5️⃣ THE FIRST TRIUMPHS
Soon after leaving the field, he began a successful career as a coach. The first title in the new role arrived immediately with Botafogo. Taking over the role at Alvinegro in 1966, it took him just two years to collect titles in Rio and win the 1968 Brasileirão. 🐺
6️⃣ THE PAIN OF BRONZE
At the 1996 Olympics, Brazil arrived as clear favorites in the football dispute and, as coach, the Alagoas native even stated that “the team had not come to win silver or bronze”. In the semi-final, however, the disappointment was great: comeback against Nigeria and elimination before the final. Despite taking third place – defeating Portugal – the generation of stars such as Ronaldo, Dida and Roberto Carlos left the Atlanta stadium before the awards ceremony, breaking protocol and missing the Olympic podium. 🐺
7️⃣ “YOU’LL HAVE TO SWALLOW ME!”
In 1997, three years after the fourth, Zagallo once again found himself facing great coaching pressure. Before the Copa América dispute, the coach was heavily questioned and names like Vanderlei Luxemburgo grew up in his shadow. However, the team had an excellent season, with 100% success, and ended up champions. After the title, the “Old Wolf” turned to the cameras and vented with the famous phrase: “You’ll have to swallow me!”. The result marked the first time Brazil had won the continental competition outside its dominions. 🐺
“YOU’LL HAVE TO SWALLOW ME!”
Simply Zagallo. Epic moment.
🎥 Playbackpic.twitter.com/FwZZWisvxr
—Mundo da Bola (@mundodabola) January 6, 2024
8️⃣ CONTROVERSIAL DECISION
To fight with Romário takes a lot of courage. And Velho Lobo did not lack courage in 1998. The striker was nursing a calf injury and guaranteed that he would be 100% recovered for the World Cup in France. In the call-up, surprisingly, Baixinho’s name did not appear on the list, amid numerous protests from Brazilian fans. Shortly afterwards, Romário appeared in tears, criticizing the coach and Zico, who was an assistant at the World Cup. 🐺
9️⃣ A NATO LEADER
One of the most beautiful and inspiring images of Zagallo’s journey occurred during the 1998 World Cup. Before the penalty shootout in the semi-final against the Netherlands, the coach spent a few minutes motivating his team and saying phrases like “Let’s believe in it” . , “It’s like 1994! Let’s trust” and “let’s win, it can work”. The slight shock on the face of goalkeeper Taffarel worked: the Brazilian archer intercepted shots from Cocu and De Boer, guaranteeing himself a place in the final of the competition. 🐺
The video of Zagallo motivating the national team players before the penalties against the Netherlands in the 1998 World Cup semi-final was my first idea of what it means to be a leader. He still moves me today. Thanks for everything, Old Wolf!pic.twitter.com/YkJiilUZKS
— João Marcos (@_JoaoMarcos97) January 6, 2024
1️⃣0️⃣ NEW FEATURE, OLD TIMES
In 2001, as coach of Flamengo, Velho Lobo had the opportunity to relive a beloved moment as a player. Rubro-Negro’s triumph in Rio in the 1950s will be repeated for the fourth time between the end of the second and the beginning of the third millennium (1999, 2000 and 2001). Zagallo was the coach of the team that won the final against Vasco, with the famous free kick by the Serbian Petkovic, in the 43rd minute of the second half, guaranteeing the triumph for Flamengo. 🐺
1️⃣1️⃣ LAST DANCE IN THE OFFICE
In November 2002, still suffering from a penta hangover, the Brazilian team said goodbye to the eternal commander of the technical area. Expressing his desire to take on the role of coordinator, Zagallo ended his interim career in a friendly match against North Korea, aged 72, and was celebrated at the end of the match by the players called up. 🐺
1️⃣2️⃣ THE WANTED
Before the Brazilian team’s friendly match in Mexico, Zagallo took a flight with a stopover in Los Angeles. However, since he had a passport with a visa for Saudi Arabia – having worked for the national team and Al-Hilal -, the then coordinator was interrogated by the US police, who were experiencing tensions related to the terrorist attacks. After being released, Old Wolf joked: “They didn’t find Saddam Hussein, nor Bin Laden. They found Zagallo.” 🐺
1️⃣3️⃣ VERY SUPERSTITIOUS
The main point of Zagallo’s career was a sort of enchantment with the number 13. In addition to coincidences, such as the titles of 58 (5 + 8 = 13) and 94 (9 + 4 = 13), and motivations, such as the devotion to Saint Anthony – the patron’s day is June 13th -, the choices, such as living in an apartment on the 13th floor, following in his footsteps. Another choice was to provoke Argentina, after the 2004 Copa América title. In his role as technical coordinator, the man from Alagoas did not hesitate to refer to his superstition: “Champion of Brazil and second classified of Argentina, have 13 letters”. Furthermore he said that he could have died after the exciting result that year and that there would have been no problems. 🐺
Source: Terra
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