Brazil mourns Mario Zagallo. The football legend caught with the “Selecao“Winned four world championship titles as a player and coach.
Just over a year after mourning Pelé, Brazil is mourning the death of Mario Zagallo. The family of the former soccer world champion announced via Instagram on Saturday night (January 6, 2024; local time) that Zagallo had died at the age of 92.
“A devoted father, loving grandfather, loving father-in-law, loyal friend, successful professional and a great human being”it said next to a black and white photo in which Zagallo is holding two World Cup trophies in his hand. “A patriot who leaves us a legacy of great success”said the family’s statement.
FIFA President Infantino pays tribute to Zagallo
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has the late football icon as his husband “unprecedented influence” on World Cup history. “We are deeply shocked by the death of a great man”said Infantino.
“Mario Zagallo has won a total of four World Cups as a player and coach. That is unmatched”said Infantino. “But his legacy cannot be expressed in numbers. Zagallo’s influence on football, and especially on Brazilian football, is unparalleled. In times of need, Brazil valued the ‘Professor’ as a source of calm, a guiding hand and a tactical genius.”
One of the biggest Brazilian Legends
“My sympathy”, wrote former Bundesliga professional Zé Roberto in the comments on social media. The Brazilian Football Federation ordered seven days of mourning in honor of Zagallo, who became the first to win the World Cup as both a player and a coach.
A minute’s silence will be held before this weekend’s games. Brazilian football is in mourning “about one of his greatest legends” said association president Ednaldo Rodrigues.
Zagallo won the World Cup in 1958 and 1962 alongside Pelé, who died on December 29, 2022 at the age of 82. In 1970, as national coach, he led the Seleção to their third title win – again with Pelé.
Pelé: Zagallo was the best coach
“I want to thank you for everything, because a lot of what has happened in my life and with the Seleção I owe to you”Pelé once said in a homage to Zagallo by the world football association FIFA on his 90th birthday: “I have had many important coaches, but Zagallo was without a doubt the best of them all.”
Two legends of football – Pelé (l.) and Mario Zagallo.
The sport made Zagallo cry “I have completely changed the Seleção”Zagallo once said: “This team will always be remembered.”
In 1994 he was assistant coach to Carlos Alberto Parreira when the Brazilians won the World Cup again. After him, only Franz Beckenbauer and the Frenchman Didier Deschamps have won the World Cup as players and coaches.
First tears of sadness, then tears of joy
The German Football League (DFL) expressed its condolences on Saturday via X, formerly Twitter. The Brazilian newspaper “O Globo” wrote: “Mário Jorge Lobo Zagallo was, as they say, a happy man. He considered himself that way.” The UOL portal paid homage to one of the “biggest names in football”.
Brazilian coach Mario Zagallo (l.) and team captain Carlos Dunga (r.) carry the World Cup together in Paris on June 4, 1998.
In 1950 the sport “Zagallo”to cry for the first time“, it was said in the article on his 90th birthday at FIFA: The 18-year-old soldier from the state of Alagoas was working for a security company at the Maracana Stadium at the time and was in the decisive last game after Uruguay’s surprising victory against Brazil World Cup was devastated.
“Eight years later he cried tears of joy.”it was said about the left winger, who had only played his first international match a month before the World Cup triumph and scored one of his four international goals for Brazil in the final.